Produce 101: Frozen, Canned, Dried Or Fresh?
We often hear "fresh is best" when it comes to fruits and vegetables, but during the Covid-19 epidemic many of us have, with good reason, stocked up on longer lasting forms of produce. As the world starts to reopen, and we move into the summer months known for a wide variety of seasonal produce, it is still beneficial for runners and walkers to include frozen, canned and dried versions in their diets. In this article, originally published in the July edition of Atlanta Track Club’s magazine, Wingfoot (pages 26-27) I explore the pros and cons of different forms of produce.
Different Forms of Produce: Pros and Cons
The frozen, canned and dried produce that we relied on during quarantine offer benefits year-round, most notably convenience and a longer shelf-life than fresh versions. If you’ve ever purchased fresh produce with the best of intentions only to have it go bad in the fridge before you have a chance to use it – you are not alone! This is common, and typically results from our busy lifestyles, a lack of time or energy to cook during the work week, and/or a preference for dining out. That’s why having back-up produce can be so helpful! We know that eating fruits and vegetables on regular basis promotes optimal health, longevity and weight management. In fact, I recommend including vegetables at lunch and dinner daily, and eating at least two servings of fruit each day as part of a snack or breakfast. Investing in different versions makes this possible, even on weeks when you can’t make it to the grocery store or farmers market.
Frozen: Flash frozen immediately after picking means that frozen vegetables and fruit retain high levels of nutrients and are just as, if not more, nutritious than fresh versions. Frozen vegetables can easily be prepared in the microwave to minimize prep and clean-up. For improved taste and texture, they can also be roasted in the oven or sautéed on the stove top with olive oil or your favorite marinade, plus herbs, spices, onions and garlic just as you would with fresh. Frozen fruit is excellent in smoothies. It can also be defrosted and added to plain yogurt, cottage cheese or oatmeal for natural sweetness and a boost of fiber.
Canned: The low cost and long shelf-life make canned produce an important pantry staple. Beans, chickpeas, corn, peas, and tomatoes in particular are excellent to purchase in canned form. Canned versions of other vegetables may not necessarily offer the best taste or texture, but can certainly round out your meal in a pinch! Look for low or no salt versions, and rinse with water before eating to remove excess sodium and other preservatives. Canned fruit allows you to conveniently enjoy your favorite produce out of season, such as peaches in the winter and pears in the summer. Looks for versions with no added sugar or canned in their own juice.
Dried: Convenient and easily transportable, dried produce doesn’t require temperature control to store safely, and can be consumed without any prep or mess. The loss of liquid means less volume, making dried fruit such as raisins, cranberries and apricots ideal for a quick, pre-run snack. They provide all the carbs necessary to fuel your workout in a smaller form, so you can consume them closer to exercise with less GI distress. A natural source of simple sugars that your muscles and brain need to provide energy and delay fatigue, dried fruit also makes a great alternative to sports gels and chews during long runs and other endurance exercise.
Fresh: While fresh produce typically offers the best flavor and texture, it is also more perishable than the versions above, and must be stored properly and used relatively soon after purchase. Certain fruits and vegetables naturally have a longer shelf-life than others, which can help you determine what to buy and the order to consume it. For example, apples and potatoes last a lot longer than strawberries and arugula. When planning your weekly menu, prioritize using more perishable fruits and vegetables earlier in the week, and save the longer-lasting produce for right before your next grocery haul. The life-span of produce can be extended by storing at proper temperatures, and not washing or prepping until ready to use. Enjoying fresh produce in season offers many additional benefits, including higher nutrition, better taste, and less environmental impact.
Benefits of Eating Seasonally
Nutrition: Seasonal produce offers a higher nutrient density, as it is more likely to have been grown locally and picked closer to the date of purchase, thus reducing the nutrient losses that occur during transit.
Taste: For similar reasons as above, eating produce closer to the time it was picked generally means better taste. For example, strawberries grown in Georgia that you can purchase in June tend to taste a lot sweeter than the ones you find in the middle of winter, which have likely been grown in a warmer climate and picked before they were fully ripe to be transported.
Environment: Eating seasonally is also better for the environment, since less energy is being used to transport produce from where it was grown to where you are purchasing and eating it. For farms, growing a variety of produce according to the season throughout the year prevents soil erosion.
Variety: In addition to the environmental benefits of variety, eating in season means that we end up consuming a wider range of produce throughout the year, which is important from both a health and pleasure standpoint. Nutritionally, eating a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables – sweet potatoes in the fall, asparagus in the spring, tomatoes in the summer – optimizes our health because the we are getting the most nutrient dense versions. When it comes to pleasure, variety keeps things interesting and allows healthy eating to continue being enjoyable rather than a chore. We are more likely to appreciate cherries and peaches if we only have access to them for a few months each summer than if they were readily available all year in their fresh form.
So What’s Best? A Balance!
For busy runners and other active people for whom the health benefits of fruits and vegetables are paramount, it is a good idea to keep your kitchen stocked with a combination frozen, canned and dried forms of produce year-round. When combined with fresh, seasonal fare, these versions ensure nutritional adequacy while offering convenience, affordability and practicality.
