Remember back in 2008 when Delia Smith faced a barrage of criticism for suggesting cooks take shortcuts with her book How to Cheat in the Kitchen?
The culinary queen has come under fire for daring to put convenience ingredients like frozen mashed potatoes and ready-made cakes into her recipes, when she had previously insisted that even pepper must be freshly ground at all times.
Now, Raymond Blanc has jumped to Smith’s defense, praising his efforts to “really simplify food.”
“She was heavily criticized for using canned and frozen foods in her recipes, but she was absolutely right,” Blanc told the Radio Times.
“Take the frozen pea. First of all, it is delicious: all the nutrients are trapped. It’s not as good as fresh, but nobody wants to pick peas. If it takes two hours, you’re not going to want to eat it.”
But is the famous French chef right? Are frozen fruits and vegetables really less nutritious than fresh?
“Frozen fruits and vegetables are just as healthy as fresh ones, as they tend to be flash frozen upon picking so they retain their nutritional value longer,” says Holly Zoccolan, nutritional health coach and founder of The Health Zoc.
While nutritionist Rob Hobson, who is working in partnership with British Apples and Pears, says there may be some slight variations between the two: “Frozen fruit and vegetables are generally processed or blanched to destroy bacteria, which can lead to some nutrient loss. ”
Additionally, salt and sugar levels may be “slightly higher in frozen fruits and vegetables compared to fresh. It is important to always check the labels of frozen products to make sure they do not have added sugar, salt or other flavorings.”
The way fruits and vegetables are stored, cooked and eaten can also make a difference.
Zoccolan says: “When fresh vegetables are left for hours in the supermarket, they slowly lose their nutritional value compared to frozen fruits and vegetables, which stay fresh longer.”
So if you have an excess of fruits or vegetables, you may want to chop them up and freeze them to preserve the nutrients for later.
Hobson recommends: “Fruits like apples are best kept in the refrigerator to ensure they stay fresh throughout the week. Both the skin and pulp of apples have been shown to contain high levels of polyphenols, specifically flavonoids, which are found in the skin, which is why the skin should be kept when consuming apples.” When it comes to meal prep, be careful not to boil vegetables for too long.
“It’s important to make sure you don’t overcook vegetables so they retain the nutrients they contain,” says Zoccolan. “Light sautéing, gently boiling, or steaming for a short period of time helps ensure that vegetables remain high in minerals and vitamins.”
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