Vegetables of all kinds are the hard working backbone of your weight loss plan. Eating lots of vegetables will provide you with vitamins and minerals that will boost your immune system and keep your body energized while losing excess pounds. That’s why Nutrisystem recommends eating at least four servings non-starchy vegetables Every day. We love frozen vegetables because it makes this goal so much easier to achieve. Here’s why:
1. Peak Diet.
Here’s what it’s all about. You eat a lot of vegetables because they will nourish you well as you lose weight. Vegetables are at their highest nutritional content when first harvested and then gradually lose some vitamins and minerals over time. Fresh produce often takes weeks after harvest to reach grocery store shelves
Freezing stops nutrient loss, says a team of researchers in the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis. They compared the nutritional content of frozen and fresh fruits and vegetables. They found that frozen foods are generally equally fresh, except that some frozen foods have higher vitamin A and C levels
2. Lots of choices.
Frozen vegetables will help you avoid boredom as you have a wide selection in stock. Just reach into the freezer while cooking and choose what goes with your meal or snack. Since they won’t spoil in the freezer, you can even buy varieties you like in small quantities or infrequently, such as mushrooms or artichoke hearts. In addition, frozen food is always in season, so you can enjoy your favorites even when they are not available fresh.
3. Fully ripe.
Do you sometimes look in a container of fresh vegetables for the items that are just at the right stage of ripeness and peak of taste? Farmers harvest many crops fresh for shipping before they are fully ripe so they don’t spoil before you buy them. Sometimes items get buried in the bottom of a trash can and spoil before they are sold. Frozen vegetables are picked when they are perfectly ripe and will stay that way until you open the package. 3
4. Ready to eat.
If you don’t have time to clean and chop up fresh vegetables, you might be tempted to just skip a serving. With bags of mixed frozen vegetables, the job is done for you. You can even find varieties that you put in the bag in the microwave that are ready to serve in minutes.
5. Handy for recipes.
Frozen vegetable mixes are shortcuts to great dishes. Let’s say you want to do it Steak pan with grilled peppers and onions or Slow cooker parmesan chicken stew. You can find the vegetable combinations you need for these and many other recipes in the freezer in the supermarket.
6. No waste.
Broccoli stalks, carrot ends and many other inedible fresh vegetable pieces end up in the trash. Frozen vegetables come pre-cut so you don’t throw away any of what you paid for.
7. Good deals.
You may think that you have to pay extra for all the convenience. However, the prices per pound for fresh and frozen vegetables are generally about the same. Some varieties of frozen vegetables actually cost less, especially when you consider that you won’t be throwing anything away because it will spoil before you can use it all.
There is only one thing to keep in mind when buying frozen vegetables. Some can come with salt or a high-calorie sauce. Read the labels to make sure you get only vegetables in every package you buy. This is the best offer for your health.
Swell:
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/fresh-or-frozen-produce-the-health-benefit-is-all-in-the-mix
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0889157517300418
- https://www.eatright.org/food/planning-and-prep/smart-shopping/frozen-foods-convenient-and-nutritious
