Fresh is always best but that also includes fresh that has been frozen. Your fruit bowl is full of good vitamins, minerals and fibre, with many benefits. Fruit like berries are rich in antioxidants which can protect against disease. They’re also an easy way to add more fibre to your diet and a sweet treat low in calories. But they can be hard and expensive to find fresh all year round. While we all know that fruit is good for you, we’ve been told fresh is best for taste and good nutrition. However, a study has found that the assessed nutrient content of frozen fruits is very much the same as their fresh equivalents. Grabbing a handful of frozen fruit from the freezer offers the same nutritional value as fresh fruit but with greater convenience.
As a small country, New Zealand’s climate doesn’t support the growth of all of our favourite fruits. This is the case with mangoes, which are imported, mostly from South America. New Zealand’s strict border control means all imported unprocessed fruits and vegetables, whether they are organically grown or not, are fumigated as they come into New Zealand. To eat mangoes free of any nasties, frozen organic mango is the way to go. Fresh versus frozen is all about personal choice, but may also come down to eating in season and buying the best value. A packet of frozen fruit offers a cost effective and long-lasting option that’s better on your wallet. Frozen Fruit can be so much more than something you throw into a smoothie. It can provide a year round, well priced fruit fix. For anyone looking to reduce waste, chemicals and fuss, frozen is an excellent option.
