British surgeon says some frozen and canned produce can match or beat fresh varieties in nutrients

A British surgeon, Karan Rajan, said in a social media video that some frozen and canned fruits and vegetables can retain higher levels of certain nutrients than fresh produce. The UK National Health Service recommends five portions of fruits and vegetables a day for adequate vitamin, mineral and fiber intake, according to the report. Rajan noted that fresh produce exposed to long transport or shelf time can lose nutritional value. Canned tomatoes were said to offer more lycopene, calcium and iron than fresh tomatoes, even if they contain less vitamin C, while cooking them further increases lycopene absorption. Frozen blueberries were reported to preserve vitamin C and polyphenols better because they are frozen within 24 hours of harvest. Frozen peas were said to retain B and E vitamins through rapid post-harvest freezing, and frozen spinach was described as potentially offering advantages in vitamin E and iron absorption compared with fresh spinach.