The frenetic rush of everyday life sometimes makes us give in to ease. Preserves, frozen foods or ready meals come to help us out. Should we really feel guilty? Are fresh products the panacea? Is storage sometimes better from a nutritional point of view? We disentangle the true from the false
Contrary to popular belief, industrial preservation methods often maintain optimally the quality n utritionnelle food. Whether frozen or canned, their richness is often greater than that of a fresh product, because the preservation operation generally takes place just after harvest, when the food contains the maximum amount of nutrients. .
How are nutrients preserved?
The cooking methods used preserve the properties of the food. Frozen or canned products are brought to a very high temperature by steaming or in boiling water for a relatively short time. This process, "bleaching", destroys the enzymes responsible for the deterioration of certain vitamins and does not affect other nutrients.
Frozen products
Storing food at a temperature below 18 ° C blocks all chemical reactions and the development of most destructive microorganisms such as nutrients, but does not kill them. It therefore offers optimum preservation of the product, provided that the food has not previously been subjected to inappropriate or repeated cooking.
The canned goods
Canned products are brought to a temperature above 100 ° C, then locked in a sealed container. This process guarantees quality conservation with minimal loss of vitamins and minerals . The carbohydrate losses are very low and the starch and fibers more digestible.
Cooked meals
Prepared meals, whether presented in the form of canned food or frozen preparations, also preserve a large proportion of nutrients. However, they are often very high in fat, sugar and salt. It is therefore preferable to consume them sparingly so as not to get into the habit of eating fatty and very salty foods without realizing it.
The 3 enemies of "homemade" conservation
To keep food fresh while preserving its nutritional qualities, it is necessary to take care of several elements.
The light
Most foods should be protected from light. The refrigerator or the storage cupboards have this function. They slow down the decomposition process all the more as these dark places are often cool.
The heat
Refrigeration prevents foods from “heating up” and losing their properties along with their water content. Foods eaten raw are therefore generally richer than those that have been heated, or even reheated several times. Even though the refrigerator slows down the decomposition of food, it does not actually preserve its properties. Indeed, food in contact with the ambient air inexorably loses its attributes.
Oxidation
It begins when the fruit or vegetable is harvested . Once in the markets, food has already lost some of its wealth. They must therefore be consumed quickly after purchase to fully benefit from the vitamins and minerals they contain. If a food is bought several days after picking it, and cooked several days after its purchase, its nutritional properties have almost disappeared. However, it is not uncommon for food to follow this path, which explains why fresh dishes are not always the richest in terms of food. Unless you opt for direct picking and in-house storage right away!