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Lidl has become the latest supermarket to ration peppers, cucumber and tomatoes Oriental Frozen Vegetables
You likely don't need us to tell you about shortages of key healthy ingredients across UK shelves.
Those gaps you've no doubt seen on fresh produce shelves are the result of cold weather hitting crops in Spain and north Africa.
And, per The Guardian, 'cutbacks by British and Dutch growers, who usually plant salads under glass at this time of year. They say the reduction is because the supermarkets have not been prepared to cover the increased cost of heating.'
In response to shortages, major supermarkets including Tesco, Aldi, Asda and Morrisons have implemented rationing protocols, limiting the amount of of salad ingredients - including tomatoes and cucumber - that shoppers can buy.
And yesterday Lidl, which was holding out on rationing shoppers' salad purchasing, followed suit.
'While we still have good availability across the majority of our stores, due to a recent increase in demand we have taken the decision to temporarily limit the purchase of peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers to three items per person,' a spokesperson for the supermarket said.
'This will help to ensure that all of our customers have access to the products they need.'
So, naturally, people are wondering if alternatives to fresh fruit and vegetables - the sort that come tinned of frozen - are just as healthy?
To get a professional's perspective on the fresh v frozen debate, we spoke to registered nutritionist Kim Pearson.
See below for her verdict.
Fresh fruit and vegetables are those that are either:
Fruit and vegetable plants absorb the majority of their nutrients from the soil in the early stages of growth, and can continue to synthesise macronutrients and micronutrients after they’re harvested.
But, does this make freshly picked food the most nutritious option every time? Well, it depends.
Much of the food’s nutritional value is down to the soil content, so if you’re buying local and organic, and consuming shortly after harvest or ripening, then yes, this is the way to consume your fruit and vegetables to ensure maximum nutrition.
However, fresh produce spoils much more quickly than frozen or tinned counterparts.
Freezing 'locks in' freshness, right? Well, that's largely determined by the food itself and the processes used in production.
As a rule, frozen fruit and vegetables are ripened and undergo minimal processing before freezing, though some are blanched in hot water to deactivate enzymes that can alter nutritional state, colour, smell and flavour.
Because of this, frozen fruit and veg can be as nutritional as fresh goods. Good news for anyone turning to the frozen aisle for help hitting their 5+ per day.
In fact, if you’re not eating the freshest food, frozen could be the way to go.
In one study, fresh peas were found to lose 15 percent of their vitamin C after seven days when stored in the fridge, and 60 per cent when stored at room temperature. However, when frozen, they only lost 10 per cent after 12 months.
Tinned fruit and vegetables tend to have a bad reputation due to the fact that some undergo a lot of processing to lengthen their shelf lives, such as blanching and the addition of salt, syrup or additives.
These processes can also affect nutrients, particularly water-soluble nutrients such as vitamin C. For example, the heating process used in preserving tinned tomatoes makes the antioxidant lycopene more bioavailable.
The bottom line? The best fruit and vegetables are the ones you can get your hands on. And, the frozen varieties especially, could have added health benefits.
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