Frozen Food Month 2024: Frozen foods can be healthy? Health experts weigh the pros and cons

From chicken seekh kebabs to jeera rice and dal, anything can be prepared within five minutes thanks to the innovation of frozen foods.

The advent of frozen food dates back to the early 20th century, but frozen food became commercially viable in the 1940s. Clarence Birdseye, an American entrepreneur, is credited with developing the quick-freezing method, revolutionising the frozen food industry. Frozen foods grew more popular with home freezers in the 50s.

March of every year is marked as the Frozen Food Month to raise awareness about the convenience of frozen foods and its other benefits. In India, however, where preparing meals from fresh vegetables and fruits holds cultural as well as health significance, many myths revolve around consuming frozen foods. On the occasion of Frozen Food Month 2024, Mid-day.com spoke to health experts who weigh the pros and cons of frozen foods.

Pratiksha Kadam, consultant, dietitian, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Navi Mumbai says, "Frozen foods are types of edibles that have been subjected to freezing to increase their shelf lives."

"These foods include fruits, vegetables, meats, ready-to-eat meals, and other food products that are kept at sub-zero temperatures to inhibit bacterial growth and maintain nutritional quality," adds Jashan Vij (@vijjashan), health and fat loss coach.

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How are frozen foods made?
Vij: Frozen foods are made by rapidly freezing fresh food items to extremely low temperatures. The process involves blanching (briefly boiling) vegetables or precooking meat, followed by rapid freezing to 18 degrees Celsius or lower. This prevents the formation of large ice crystals, preserving nutritional content.

Kadam: The freezing process slows down the growth of microorganisms and enzymes that cause food to spoil, thereby maintaining its quality and safety. Freezing the food helps maintain its texture, colour and taste. It can then be put into hermetic containers or bags to prevent both freezer burn and contamination.

How can frozen foods be harmful to health?
Kadam: Frozen foods can contain significant amounts of salt, additives and preservatives which can result in issues like hypertension, heart attack as well as obesity. Furthermore, some may be packed with unhealthy fats or lacking vital nutrients leading to a poor quality diet generally.

Vij: Prolonged consumption can also contribute to nutrient loss, increased sodium intake, and potential health issues such as heart disease and high blood pressure.

How do frozen foods especially harm children's health?
Kadam: Children suffer most from the negative effects of such harmful ingredients and additives found in certain types of frozen meals. It can eventually lead to chronic diseases later in life, stunted growth and development among young people, as well as childhood-onset obesity. Such convenience inherent in using these types of food might also make you like processed foods instead of fresh healthy foods.

What are some common frozen foods easily available in the market?
Kadam: Common examples include preserved vegetables, fruits, pizzas, meals (like chicken dinners), desserts (such as ice cream) and snacks. In many cases, they are pre-cooked or prepared and then sold when they are cold to cater for instant needs.

Vij: Common examples include frozen vegetables, fruits, pizzas, chicken nuggets, fish sticks, ice cream, and various ready-to-eat meals like lasagna or burritos.

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Are there any health benefits of frozen foods?
Kadam: According to the text, if properly frozen, such products may keep their nutritional value well and provide easy access to fruits and vegetables even during their off-season period. They can also prevent food waste by extending the shelf life of perishables.

Vij: Frozen foods can retain their nutritional value, especially when frozen shortly after harvest. They offer convenience and reduce food waste. Additionally, some frozen fruits and vegetables may have similar or even higher nutritional content compared to fresh produce.

What are some common misconceptions people have regarding frozen food?
Both Kadam and Vij share the following common misconceptions about frozen food:
1. Frozen foods are not as healthy as fresh ones,

2. All frozen foods contain a lot of unhealthy preservatives and additives

3. Frozen foods do not taste as good as fresh ones

4. Frozen foods lack nutritional value. Some assume that freezing destroys all nutrients, which is not entirely accurate.

Which frozen foods do more harm and must be avoided?
Kadam: The worst kinds of frozen foods include those that contain unhealthy fats, sodium, added sugars or lack important nutrients. Some examples are high-calorie low-nutrient contented desserts; pizzas; and ready-made meals which fall within this category.

Vij: Highly processed frozen meals with excessive added preservatives, sodium, and unhealthy fats are often considered less healthy. These can contribute to a diet lacking in essential nutrients and may lead to health issues if consumed regularly.

Even veggies and fruits are sold in frozen form. Are they healthy?
Kadam: Frozen fruits and vegetables can be healthy as most are typically frozen at their prime ripeness, thus retaining their nutrient contents. Nevertheless, some types may have added sugars or sauces that lower their healthiness. Care ought to be taken in choosing frozen fruits and vegetables without extra sugars or sauces to ensure great health benefits.

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Do you believe frozen foods are a larger part of India's diet?
Kadam: Frozen foods are becoming a larger part of the Indian diet due to changing lifestyles, increased urbanisation, and the convenience they offer. Busy lifestyles plus the desire for convenient options have seen many people across India turning to frozen foods as an easy method of preparing meals. However traditional fresh foods still play a significant role in Indian cuisine, especially in rural areas where access to frozen foods is limited.

Can frozen foods be addictive?
Kadam: Frozen food items can be addictive especially due to the high levels of unhealthy fats as well as sugar and salt. These components trigger pleasure centers in the brain leading to craving for more and increased consumption. Furthermore, it is easy to serve frozen meals when one wants a fast meal or snack.

If one wishes to avoid consuming frozen food and yet have options for quick meals, one can opt for convenient alternatives to processed meals. These include fresh produce, whole grains, lean meat, fish and homemade meals that have been prepared earlier and refrigerated. These substitutes offer the same convenience but with increased nutrient value as well as reduced risks associated with harmful chemicals.