If you frequently enjoy refreshing, colorful smoothies, you may wonder whether or not frozen is as good as fresh. In this article we’ll show how frozen is ideal and in many cases better than “Fresh Produce” from the local grocery.
From fresh-frozen aloe vera gel to berries, mangoes and peaches, frozen ingredients are ideal for busy health buffs who don’t have the time to shop for fresh fruits every day and who want to make significant savings on their daily smoothies. If you have always loved frozen fruit as much as fresh, the good news is, the science backs you up!
Freezing Blueberries Ups Antioxidant Bioavailability
You may be surprised to know that a recent study by researchers at South Dakota State University has found that freezing blueberries actually increases the bioavailability of anthocyanins. The latter are powerful antioxidants which scavenge free radicals and keep inflammation and aging at bay. This is just one of many studies that show that freezing fruit for smoothies is a fantastic way to keep this product at an optimal state and ensure that it is as nutritious as possible for the human body.
Chill To Thrill
A study published in the journal, Proceedings of the American Society of Horticultural Science, found that some vegetables lose 52% of their wet weight within the first day or two of being picked. In other words, by the time we buy fruit at the local market and take it home to pop into the blender, it is probably far less nutritious than fruit that is flash frozen as soon as it is picked. By freezing your produce promptly, you can extend the bioavailability fruit considerably, without having to worry about wastage and nutrient loss. Frozen fruits work well in a smoothie (blended with orange juice or nut milks) but they are also perfectly compatible with products like IaGreens Vegetable and Fruit Powder, which is high in phytonutrients, digestive enzymes, and has billions of probiotics to help promote gut health.
Freezing Makes Carotenoids More Accessible
Orange juice is a popular ingredient in smoothies, but did you know that this beverage, too, can provide a bigger health boost when frozen? A 2018 study carried out by researchers at the University of Seville has found that freezing orange juice makes its orange color more intense indicating an increase in carotenoid levels. Carotenoids (also present in carrots) are part of an anti-cancer diet and support eye health. Freezing them makes them more bioaccessible, thus enabling greater intestinal absorption.
What About Seasonal Fruits?
Seasonal fruits and vegetables are still an ideal food to add to a smoothie especially when they are organic fresh picked – not left for many days at the market or in the fridge. Indeed, in the case of some fruits, Vitamin C content is higher in fresh fruits as compared to frozen. However, the fruit has to be seasonal, or its Vitamin C content could drop to approximately half that of seasonal fruit that is frozen immediately upon picking. This was the conclusion of a (1)study published in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, comparing the Vitamin C content of fresh vs frozen broccoli.
One of the best things about smoothies is that allow a blend of frozen and fresh fruits, as well as additional ingredients such as aloe gel and nutrient-packed powders. If you don’t have time to visit produce markets regularly, make sure to stock up on frozen fruit, making sure your freezer is cold enough to maintain fruit at an optimal nutritional level. When you feel like tucking into seasonal fruit, do so soon after picking, and make sure to consume it soon after your purchase.
- sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814697001659