Frozen Fruits and Vegetables Are Fine

I admit it. I used to think that fresh fruits and vegetables were nutritionally superior to anything frozen. I NEVER bought frozen fruits or vegetables unless I absolutely had no choice.

But when I'm wrong, I say I'm wrong. And I was wrong. Frozen fruits and vegetables are fine. In fact they are more than fine.

Frozen produce is picked at the peak of ripeness and frozen. Studies show they retain the same vitamin and mineral content as fresh. In fact, they are probably nutritionally superior to the pint of strawberries getting moldy in the back of your refrigerator or the bag of lettuce you've had for a week.

By the time it leaves the farm and finally gets to the supermarket shelves produce is exposed to air, light, and handling, all of which can damage and degrade its nutritional content. After that, unless you are shopping for fresh produce every other day or so, it sits in your refrigerator or on your counter for several more days until it is finally eaten...if it hasn't spoiled before you get to it. To be honest, that's one of the big reasons I took a second look at frozen produce. I got tired of throwing away food.

But what about canned vegetables. Aren't they okay? Let me ask...have you looked at all the salt and preservatives in canned vegetables? The added sugar or other sweeteners in canned fruit? My advice is go for fresh if it's in season and therefore less expensive AND you will use it quickly. Otherwise, opt for frozen. No added nasty stuff!

Once I started using frozen produce, I actually discovered my fruit and veggie intake actually increased. It is so much easier to toss some frozen mango chunks and pineapple tidbits in the blender for a smoothie than it is to actually have to peel and prep them. Adding vegetables to soups and stir-fries is just a easy. I just grab the bag and pour! No more prepping, lots less clean -up, and more time for me. If you're trying to add more plant-based options to your diet, including frozen fruits and vegetables is a no-brainer!

In addition to smoothies and stir-fries, you can use frozen fruits and veggies in a wide variety of other dishes. I thaw berries in the microwave and use them to top french toast and oatmeal. I add vegetables to rice while it's cooking or sauté them in a little olive oil and toss them with quinoa, pasta, or couscous. And sometimes when I get down to the last little bits of each vegetable, I throw them all in a pot with some vegetable broth and make vegetable soup.

As with all things, some fruits and vegetables do better frozen than others. Here are my favorites:

1. Berries: Blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries
2. Carrots: Toss into soups and stir-fries
3. Mango: So much easier than peeling and slicing fresh mango
4. Peas: Use in soups, stir-fries, rice dishes, or make your own green pea soup
5. Butternut squash: When is the last time you bought a fresh one? Get the frozen squash and add this delicious and nutritious food to your diet
6. Corn: It's the only way to make my mother-in-laws Thanksgiving Fried Corn!
7. Edamame: I'm the only one in my house that eats it so frozen is the only way to keep it from spoiling until I finish it all.

Have You Added Microgreens To Your Diet?

You may have heard of microgreens already, especially if you are into current health trends. You may even have spotted them for sale in your local grocery or health food store. You may also have spotted their hefty price tag compared to their small size! 

So what exactly are they? Microgreens are the very young seedlings of vegetables and herbs. They are different from sprouts. Microgreens are harvested later than sprouts, after the first leaves have appeared. This is not to confuse them with baby greens, which are harvested later. .Microgreens are extremely nutrient-dense. And two, because they are a cash cow at the moment.

Let's talk about the nutritional value. Microgreens have all of the same vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients as their fully-grown versions but in a much smaller package. That means you can get much of the nutrition you need from just a modest amount of food.

And since almost any fully edible plant can be grown as a microgreen, a variety of microgreens can provide a wide range of required nutrients. Some of the more popular include basil, beets, broccoli, swiss chard, parsley, kale, pea, sunflower, and watercress.

Microgreens offer a year-round source of fresh food. And you don't even need to buy them at a store where they can be pretty expensive. They can be grown easily and with very simple equipment. You don't even need a garden! If you have a sunny windowsill, you can grow microgreens. Which means when other fresh produce is scarce, you can have a supply of fresh, nutritionally-dense greens - even in the depths of winter!

I'll be sharing more about how to grow and harvest microgreens. But for now, I just wanted to acquaint you with these little green gems.

If you want to try some microgreens right now, check out this Window Garden Microgreens Starter Kit! It's how I started growing mine. I'll be sharing a video later showing just how this kit works.

Do I Really Need to Take a Multivitamin?

The ads all say you should be taking a daily multivitamin.

But, can you trust the ads? After all, they are companies trying to sell a product. So, should you believe what the ads say? Why should you take multivitamins? Is it really that important?

Getting your vitamins and minerals from food rather than supplements is the best method to ensure you are receiving all the nutrients your body needs. However, there are several reasons this isn't always going to work. Many of us just don't eat right, and even when we do eat right, the nutritional levels in the foods we buy may not be as dense as they could be, or used to be. Multivitamins provide an easy way to get the nutrients you may be missing.

But, just grabbing a multivitamin off the shelf may not be the best advice. Before you buy, check the label to ensure you will be getting what you need. The vitamins and minerals you want to be sure are included are:

Vitamin A

Vitamin C

Vitamin D

Vitamin K

Copper

Folic Acid

Iron

Zinc

These are the basic 'building blocks' for good health and proper nutrition. Be sure to check the FDA’s Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for each vitamin and mineral's individual amount required, then read the label and make sure you are getting what you need.

When you have the right balance of vitamins and minerals in a multivitamin, you will help give your body the ability to function properly. Here are just a few areas where the correct nutrients can help fend off illness and promote good health:

Preventing Deficiencies

When your body is deficient in vitamins and minerals, you can experience an array of health problems. Taking a daily multivitamin can help reduce the risk of health issues due to these deficiencies.

For example, vitamin E is a potent antioxidant that protects the body's cells from damage; both externally and internally caused damage. For instance, in patients with cataracts, this vitamin has shown the ability to help stop the progression of cataracts, and in some cases even reduce the formation of cataracts.

Reducing Stress

Daily stress is something everyone lives with. Life is filled with stressors, both bad and good. When you feel the adrenalin pumping, you know your body is using up your resources of vitamins and minerals just to handle the anxiety and stress. If you don’t have the proper nutrients your body needs to replenish and handle the drain on your body, you will suffer a deficiency. That’s when you get sick.

For example, our bodies quickly use up vitamin C during stressful situations. If not regularly replaced, this leads to a deficiency. And, in this instance, a deficiency can cause more than an illness. A deficiency of vitamin C can actually perpetuate the stress cycle as it causes irritability and anxiety, causing more stress, causing a drain of more vitamin C, and so on and so forth. And stress can lead to weight gain! Taking a supplement with vitamin C can help end this cycle.

Boosting Energy and Brain Power

Lack of proper nutrition can make you feel sluggish and tired. By taking a multivitamin every day, you know you're providing your body with the vitamins and minerals it needs. We all skip breakfast sometime, and we know how we feel if we do. Having that bit of nutrition 'insurance' helps your body stay healthy and awake, and doing what you ask it to do.

In much the same way, having the proper balance of vitamins and minerals provides your brain with the nutrition it needs to stay focused and alert. If achieving mental clarity is a priority in your life, then by all means add a multivitamin to your daily regimen.

Most of us want to eat right. After all, we need to keep our bodies fed with the proper amount of vitamins and minerals to operate at maximum capacity. Getting the nutrition we need from our food is ideal. But, the fact is, life keeps us busy. We don’t always take time to eat properly. Including a multivitamin in your day can help fill the gaps in nutrition. That one little step may just give you peace of mind as you strive to achieve a healthy lifestyle.

Remember, taking the right supplements can make a huge difference in their effectiveness. Learn more about the brand that I use here!