In Praise of the Frozen Vegetable

Healthy eating is not challenging, in theory; you need only eat more fruits and vegetables relative to the rest of your diet. In practice, however, vegetables and fruits can be expensive and (depending on your area/time of year) disgusting. No one seriously looks at a head of wilted lettuce or a browning avocado and thinks "This is delicious and worth the $3 a pop I spend on it."

There is hope, however; frozen vegetables can be more nutritious than their fresh counterparts, and they are usually cheaper, too.

According to Livestrong (via MedlinePlus):

"Vegetables consumed right after picking provide the highest concentration of nutrients, however most do not live on or nearby farms. During transport from the farm to the store, vegetables can lose some of their nutritional value after exposure to air, light and heat. However, if vegetables are frozen immediately after being harvested, most of their nutritional content stays intact."

BEWARE when purchasing frozen vegetables - some brands are very high in salt, which is not so healthy, especially if you are already using your frozen vegetables to jazz up some Ramen. The same goes for fat and cholesterol, especially if it is one of those steamers that comes bundled with cheese-like sauce prototype. Remember: "hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated" = trans-fats. Everything in moderation, I guess, but keep a wary eye out for any excessive evils in your food.

Microwaving will preserve the nutrition content of your frozen vegetables the best. Steaming/stir-frying is the next best. Baking/broiling/boiling will, unfortunately, remove most of the nutrients and, thus, render your brilliant, healthful strategy worthless.

You can see some psychedelic graphs illustrating the healthfulness of frozen vegetables here.

I'm still trying to figure out a good way to get fruit in low-quality/high-price fruit areas. Dried fruits work well, but their high calorie density and usual thick coat of sugar means that it's easier to eat way more than you really ought to. Canned fruit is okay when it's in water, but canned fruit in syrup is just a less delicious form of candy. Plus, the peeling/canning process gets rid a lot of the awesome fiber and Vitamin C that fruit provides. Frozen fruit is a nice alternative (and, when stirred into some plain yoghurt, makes a bomb dessert), but the variety isn't as extensive as you'll see with vegetables.

Commentariats are invited to share their fruit/vegetable-buying insights!