Difference Between Frozen Fruit and Fresh Fruit - WebMD

Benefits of Frozen Fruit and Fresh Fruit

Depending on the fruit, some may retain more nutrients frozen while others are better fresh. Nutrients in fruit are at their peak right after being picked. Because fruit is frozen quickly, it retains nutritional value. 

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If your fresh fruit is truly fresh, the nutrient value may be similar. If your fresh fruit was shipped and sat on store shelves for a while, it may contain fewer nutrients.

When you consider all of the variables, the health benefits of fresh and frozen fruit are very similar. Still, there are some differences that make each one beneficial in unique ways.

Frozen fruit. When fruit is frozen, it is picked at the peak of ripeness and flash-frozen soon after to preserve the optimal nutrition benefits. Frozen fruit often lasts several months and may be more economical than buying fresh fruit that goes bad quicker. With frozen fruit, you can take out as many pieces as you need and leave the rest for next time.

Frozen fruit is also beneficial because it is already prepped for you. It usually comes cleaned and presliced for your convenience. This may save you time when making dishes that contain fruit.

Similarly, frozen fruit is great for adding to yogurt and smoothies. Just grab a handful of strawberry slices, for example, and toss them into your bowl of yogurt or your blender and enjoy your snack. If fruits you love to include in these dishes are out of season, they may still be available frozen.‌ Choose frozen fruit without added sugars.

Fresh fruit. When you choose fresh fruit, it is often in season and more versatile than frozen fruit. Freezing may impact the texture of your fruit when it thaws, but fresh fruit retains its natural texture better.

One benefit to fresh fruit is that you can usually find it when it’s in season. There are plenty of food guides online to tell you what's in season and when. By purchasing in-season fruits, you avoid the risk of fruits that rely on fertilizers or additives in order to grow out of season.

Risks of Frozen Fruit and Fresh Fruit

The benefits of fruit outweigh the risks, but that doesn’t mean risks don’t exist. For starters, some fruit contains a lot of sugar, which may be dangerous for people with a diabetes diagnosis. They may also contain harmful germs such as:

• Salmonella
• E. coli‌
• Listeria

In fact, the CDC estimates that a large percentage of all foodborne illnesses, or food poisoning, in the U.S. comes from fresh produce not being cleaned properly before it's eaten. The safest way to eat produce is by cooking it to kill germs, but most of the time fruit is not cooked before being eaten.

Instead, you should be sure to wash your produce well before eating it. Scrub the skin and ensure that individual pieces are all rinsed thoroughly. You can rinse your produce when you bring it home from the store or wait to rinse it in individual portions when you're ready to use it.

Other ways to reduce your risk for foodborne illnesses include:

• Choosing fruit that isn’t bruised or damaged
• Refrigerating fruit that you purchase precut or fruit that you slice and store at home, because this reduces bacteria growth
• Keeping your fruit separate from other items such as veggies, meat, and dairy in your shopping cart 
• Cleaning all of your food preparation surfaces to ensure you don’t transfer bacteria to or from the fruit
• Using running water to clean your fruit and wash away bacteria
• Not using disinfectant soap or bleach on your produce
• Drying your fruit off with a paper towel or clean dish towel immediately after washing ‌
• Cutting off any damaged or bruised parts of your fruit before eating it 

Keep in mind that some people are naturally at a higher risk for suffering from foodborne illnesses. Factors include:

• Being 65 or older
• Being younger than five
• Having some health problems 
• Taking medication that lowers your body’s immune response
• Being pregnant

Nutritional benefits of frozen produce

Typically, frozen produce retains most of its nutrients, although there may be small variations in nutrient value.

An 80g serving of frozen peas (boiled):

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• 56kcal / 239KJ
• 4.4g protein
• 0.6g fat
• 9g carbs
• 4.7g sugars
• 4.4g fibre
• 142mg Potassium
• 10mg vitamin C

Just like fresh or canned fruit and vegetables, 80g counts as one of your five-a-day. Discover more in our five-a-day infographic.

Top 5 health benefits of frozen fruit and vegetables

1. Are as nutritious as fresh

Frozen fruit and vegetables are almost like-for-like in terms of nutritional value when compared with fresh. There can be slight variations, but the differences are usually negligible – for example, cooked-from-frozen peas contain 12mg of vitamin C per 100g, compared to fresh peas which contain 16mg. However, frozen peas have more calcium at 37mg, compared to fresh peas which contain 19mg per 100g. Vegetables are often blanched prior to freezing to prevent browning, this process also retains phyto-nutrients, including carotenoids and flavonoids.

Salt and sugar levels may be a little higher in frozen fruit and vegetables. For example, frozen peas have 5.9g sugar per 100g compared to 1.2g in fresh peas per 100g.

2. Are a healthy way to preserve fresh produce

Freezing is a widely used long-term method of preservation that retains many of the attributes associated with freshness, with many considering it a better method of preservation than say canning or drying.

Fruit and vegetables don’t require any preservatives or added ingredients when frozen, making freezing a healthy way of extending the life of fresh produce. However, it’s worth checking labels of commercially frozen produce to ensure they have no added sugar, salt or other flavourings.

3. Are a valuable way to access nutrients out of season

Freezing fresh produce, when in season, is a valuable way to access nutrients like vitamin C during the winter months. Studies suggest people who include frozen produce in their diets tend to eat more fruit and vegetables overall.

4. Are a healthy and convenient fast food

Famed for their convenience, frozen fruit and vegetables are typically easier to prepare, with minimal wastage. They don’t require washing, peeling or chopping and are fast to cook, making them a healthy and convenient option.

5. Makes fruit and vegetables accessible to more people

Frozen produce is typically cheaper than its fresh equivalent, especially out of season. There is minimal wastage and you can use the exact amount you need – all of which makes frozen produce more cost effective and accessible to more people.

Are frozen fruit and vegetables safe for everyone?

Fruit and vegetables are generally recognised as safe for the majority of people, but some people may experience allergies to certain produce, regardless of whether they are fresh or frozen.
It is not necessary to defrost frozen produce before cooking, but be sure to cook to an internal temperature of about 135C before serving. This is because although fresh produce may be blanched before freezing it may still harbour bacteria, such as Listeria.

Be aware that if you’re adding frozen vegetables to a composite dish like a stew or tagine, their addition will lower the temperature of the dish which will, as a result, lengthen the overall cooking time needed.
Read more about food allergies at NHS allergy.

This article was reviewed on 25 February by Kerry Torrens.

Kerry Torrens BSc. (Hons) PgCert MBANT is a Registered Nutritionist with a post graduate diploma in personalised nutrition & nutritional therapy. She is a member of the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT) and a member of the Guild of Food Writers. Over the last 15 years she has been a contributing author to a number of nutritional and cookery publications including BBC Good Food.

Nicola Shubrook, is a nutritional therapist and works with both private clients and the corporate sector. She is an accredited member of the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT) and the Complementary & Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC). Find out more at urbanwellness.co.uk.

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