Frozen veg VS raw

[nitromoose]

Hey all, happy new year, haven't posted in a while!

I'm trying to sort out my diet and have recently been looking over information on the net about how raw vegetables are healthier than cooked etc, as they keep a firmer hold of the nutrients.

I've decided to give up pasta and go with brown rice as my main carb source, and focus a lot more on fruit and vegetables with my usual chicken, tuna and cottage cheese. Might be a bit of a bland mix but I feel that this way I actually won't get so many cravings. (1 chocolate bar and I want more, 0 and I don't crave it etc). So blandness works for me! As long as I know it's doing me good then it won't matter.

My question is how do the nutrients compare of frozen vegetables (brocolli for example) to eating fresh and raw. I'm thinking of this from an economic and convenience view aswell as if I could just use the frozen veg that would be a lot simpler instead of having to chop it up etc, plus frozen lasts longer.

Additionally, instead of fully cooking the frozen food could I just heat it until it was thawed or would this make me ill? I think I have a habit of overcooking it normally until it is soft so I want to stop doing that!

Cheers all

[sooner_ed]

Frozen veggies are just fine. I prefer steaming my frozen veggies. I buy a big bag of frozen veggies then steam the entire bag. That way I can just take them out of the frig during the week and give them a quick nuke.

[Lady C]

Each time you add heat to veggies you lose nutrients. But if frozen is the only way you are going to get them then by all means do it. It is better than none at all.

[TriplNipl]

The thing with frozen is that they flash freeze them as soon as they get 'em. They are just as good as fresh if you consider that sometimes you don't always eat them the day you buy them. The one drawback...maybe to forzen is sometimes they get freezer burned... Dunno what that does to the quality though.

My nutrition teacher used to save the water (freeze it) she boiled her veggies in for soup..

[furball]

Raw and fresh are definitely more nutritious...Lady C was correct that when you cook a veggie it loses some of its nutrients, either in the water or through degradation...another factor in the frozen veggies is the addition of salt...retains water for those trying to really rip up...So in the long run raw is more nutritious...

But I myself cannot stand eating raw veggies, I do purchase the frozen ones because I like the ease and quickness of prep...and I also prefer mine cooked...The thing to look at is that if I didn't eat frozen veggies or cooked veggies then I wouldn't eat any....the only time I can eat them fresh and uncooked is in a salad...

SO you may lose a little nutritional value, but you are still getting some nutrition from them....that's why I always take my vitamins too...

[nitromoose]

Thanks for all your replies Maybe I'll alternate. I like the taste of raw food better and I feel like it's doing me good, but what I'm worried about is buying a load of stuff and then it going off if I don't use it all in the week whereas with frozen it doesn't matter. Hmmmm!

Cheers again!

[Pelon]

Some frozen vegetables have more nutrients than fresh ones since vegetables start to lose their nutrients once they are picked. Flash freezing halts this process. You generally do have to cook frozen vegetables, but this isn't always a bad thing. Some studies show that vegetables provide more nutrients when they are cooked. Ofcourse, others show that they provide more when eaten raw. Still others show little difference between either choice. Your strategy of mixing it up is probably the best way to go, and definitely is better than no vegetables at all.

http://www.consumerreports.org/main...older_id=362317

http://www.annieappleseedproject.org/rawvscookveg.html

[furball]

Pelon not sure what that second link was proving other than the fact that both raw and cooked are good for you...there was no evidence stating one is better than the other...As for Raw veggies losing nutrients...that is true, but if you get them fresh they are definitely packed with more....EVer see lettuce after it sits for over a week....thats when it starts to lose nutrient, and it doesn't even look edible....

The good thing about frozen is you can stock up, as for the fresh veggies should be eaten rather quickly....Bottom line...they are both good for you compared to no veggies....

[nitromoose]

Yeh lettuce is a pain. I'm thinking of using raw spinach as my main leafy vegetable. When I've cooked that before it just goes soggy lol

In relation to the above replies then: Does anyone know of a list online of each vegetable being better raw or cooked? I might aswell tweak as much as possible to be the best! (better than all the rest doo doo doooo, I am the one and only!!....K I'm done...)

[Lady C]

Originally Posted by nitromoose

Does anyone know of a list online of each vegetable being better raw or cooked

Yeah, there are several links at the top of the "Diet and Nutrition" forum. Chose whichever one you like and type in what you are looking for such as "broccoli". You can chose how it is prepared to get a list of the values. I usually cut and paste it into excel to compare values of different things.

[nitromoose]

great, cheers!!