Question
Does refrigerated food keep its nutritional value for long?
Do you know at what point that refrigerated food no longer has the nutritional value of fresh food? And how long can food be kept refrigerated before it loses all its nutrients?
Answer
Thank you for your email.
Generally food does not lose any nutrients during freezing and can be frozen indefinitely – the low freezing temperature halts any bacterial organism or other harmful deterioration.
Once we defrost meat it should not be frozen again.
Minerals in foods can not be lost but there can be slight loss in the vitality of fresh foods due to freezing. If you choose between fresh vegetables or frozen the fresh may have more nutrients, as the process of blanching (a way to process vegetables for freezing in the manufacture industry) can lead to lower vitamin levels.
There is usually no time frame for loss of nutritional value, but some foods have expiry dates and this should be adhered to.
Fresh is ideal when it comes to fruit and vegetables.
Frozen fruit and vegetables are still higher in nutrients than tinned fruit or vegetables and depending on the process of freezing preparation the nutrient content may be the same as for the fresh fruit or vegetable.
For meats and fish it does not make much impact whether fresh or frozen in relation to nutrient levels.
Please note that the information provided is for educational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose or treat medical conditions. Consult with your medical physician regarding appropriateness of using supplements in your healing process.
