Frozen foods: there are those who condemn them and those who promote them. Beyond being very practical, sub-zero foods can actually be good for your health and figure. There is a real diet of frozen foods
L’IIAS (Italian Frozen Food Institute) in its latest Annual Report on the consumption of frozen products in Italy has revealed a growth in the consumption of freezer products by more than 5% over the previous year. Overall consumption in Italy exceeds 940,000 tons. In 2021 the Italians consumed 16 kilos of frozen food eachwhile in 2020 the average was 15.2 kilos.
First courses and ready-to-eat vegetable side dishes are popular, as are white meats, potatoes and desserts. Frozen foods save time, do not know the limits of seasonality, help to combat waste and are perceived as safer and more traceable products. But do they have the same quality as fresh foods? According to analyzes by consumer associations, frozen foods are generally products that can be trusted. And it’s not true that they make you fat or pose a health hazard. In fact, there are freezer products that can be understood as perfect for a lean and healthy diet. The advice of experts is generally to choose frozen foods as a raw material rather than as a ready meal. But in most cases they can be suitable for the diet because they are healthy and low in calories.
Frozen food diet: why does it work?
Freezer products come from freezing methods which allow to preserve intact i nutritional principles of foods. In this way these foods can be judged as quality products that help to lose weight. Vegetables, for example: they are frozen when they naturally ripen and are certified foods in the various steps from production to final distribution.
Most of the time they do not contain conserved. They are therefore not weighed down by oils, salt, various chemical agents, vinegar, fats and other harmful products. The only preserving agent is the cold! Even frozen meat appears qualitatively perfect for diets: in the freezing process, the meats keep intact both their digestibility and their stability. According to some studies, vegetables lose a large amount of vitamins and other nutrients after a few days. If frozen, on the other hand, they preserve all their nutrients. The same goes for fish and fruit. In general, the rapid drop in temperature to -18° it prevents the deterioration of the products and preserves the flavour. So it won’t be necessary to add sauces, oil and salt or other products that make you fat.