Why you should buy your berries in the freezer aisle

Fresh and frozen berries have similar nutritional value, with frozen sometimes being more nutritious. Photo / 123rf

Is it true that fresh berries are more nutritious than frozen ones?

The science: Summer is berry season in the United States – the best time to find many fresh berries, including blueberries, blackberries and strawberries.

Many people prefer fresh berries for their yoghurt or cereal, certain recipes or healthy snacks. But when you can’t eat them fast enough – since they spoil, often within days – or they are out of season, frozen berries are the way to go, experts said.

Commercially frozen berries can be just as nutritious – if not more so, in some cases – as fresh berries, experts said. Plus, frozen berries can be eaten all year, reduce food waste and save money by being more affordable, they said.

“The best way to eat fruits and vegetables for their full nutrient content is to go out and pick them yourself and eat them or get them from your farmers market. But if you can’t do that, the frozen process locks all of the goodness in,” said Mary Ann Lila, a professor in the food, bioprocessing and nutrition sciences department at North Carolina State University.

Berries contain vital vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants as well as anthocyanins, which are pigments that are “cardioprotective, neuroprotective, anti-hypertension and antidiabetic,” Lila said.

Berries are at their best at harvest. During the individually quick-frozen process in which foods are passed through a freezing chamber, berries are picked at peak freshness, washed and frozen, sealing in the nutrients, experts said. These berries can be kept in a freezer for eight to 12 months without losing their nutritional content, said Laura Strawn, a professor in the food science and technology department at Virginia Tech.

The vitamin content of frozen produce is comparable to and sometimes higher than fresh produce, according to findings from a study of eight fruits and vegetables, including blueberries and strawberries.

“Frozen produce outperformed ‘fresh-stored’ more frequently than ‘fresh-stored’ outperformed frozen,” authors of another study noted.

“It’s best to buy berries locally when in season and buy frozen when out of season,” though it depends on other factors, including personal preference and budget, said Basheerah Enahora, an assistant professor and nutrition education and behaviour extension specialist at North Carolina State University.

What else you should know:

Here are some tips from experts for getting the best nutritional value from berries – fresh or frozen.

Various fresh berries in plastic trays in a food market stall. Photo / 123rf

For fresh berries:

– Buy them from farmers’ markets early in the day or from grocery stores that keep them refrigerated, then get them home as quickly as possible and store them in the refrigerator, said Wendy Dahl, a professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Florida. Dahl said she puts a cooler with ice packs in the trunk of her car to keep groceries cold during the trip home.

Wash them right before you plan to eat them. Do not wash them in advance and store them, as water can encourage microbial growth that can lead to premature spoilage, experts said.

Frozen mixed berries - red currant, white currant, blackberry, gooseberry, and black currant. Photo / 123rf

For frozen berries:

– Ensure that they do not contain added sugars, syrups and sauces, which should be listed on the nutritional label, said Virginia Stage, an associate professor and nutrition education and behaviour specialist at North Carolina State University.

– Store them near the back of the freezer. When they are kept near the front, they may slightly thaw and refreeze when the freezer door is open, which is harmful to the berries, Lila said.

Try not to wash them, as they are cleaned during the freezing process, experts said. Use them frozen in smoothies or thaw them to eat for a healthy snack or to use in recipes.

Thaw them in the refrigerator rather than at room temperature, or if you need to thaw them quickly, put them in the microwave for a short time, Dahl said.

The bottom line: both fresh and frozen berries have the same nutritional value, though fresh berries will lose nutrients much faster than frozen berries.