Does freezing spinach destroy nutrients?
In this article, we will answer the question “Does freezing spinach destroy nutrients?”, how to freeze spinach for future use, and what makes frozen spinach the best food ever.
Does freezing spinach destroy nutrients?
No, freezing spinach destroys some of its nutrients. In 2017, “The Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture”, published a report on the nutritional comparison of fresh, frozen, and canned spinach.
The study showed that the spinach stored at room temperature lost all of its ascorbic acids in under 4 days. On the other hand, fresh spinach has the highest content of ascorbic acid.
Flash freezing preserves the Vitamin C content of the spinach. Therefore, frozen spinach has more nutrients than fresh spinach after a certain period of storage.
However, prolonged freezing does quite the opposite of preserving the nutrients. Therefore, frozen spinach should be used within 6 months for the best quality and nutrition.
How to freeze spinach for future use?
Method 1: Fresh freezing
Wash the spinach leaves thoroughly with cold water. Pat the leaves dry using paper towels. Transfer the washed and dried spinach leaves to a freezer bag. Squeeze as much air as possible from the bag. Seal the bag and chuck it in the freezer.
Freezing bagged spinach
If you bought pre-washed spinach in bulk and now you are worried the leaves will wilt before you manage to use them, freeze them in a plastic bag. Since the spinach is already washed, you do not need to wash or dry it again.
Make sure to suck the air out of the bag to create a vacuum-like condition. This will preserve the freshness of the leaves for longer.
Using frozen greens for smoothies
Frozen spinach does not need to be thawed if you intend to use it in smoothies. Blending frozen spinach into a smoothie eliminates the need for adding ice.
Using frozen spinach in recipes
Thaw and pat dry the spinach if you intend to use them in baking. This is important because baking is a science and even a little deviation from the recipe can badly affect the quality of the finished product.
Thawing is not necessary for using spinach in cooking. Depending on what you are cooking, you can decide whether or not you need to thaw and blot dry your spinach before use.
Method 2: Pureeing and freezing spinach
Freeze pureed spinach to save yourself the hassle of thawing the spinach leaves. The ready-to-use pureed spinach can be made as per your smoothie recipe to make things easier.
Blend 3 handfuls of spinach with 1½ cups water in a food processor. Pour the pureed spinach into an ice-cube tray. Flash freeze the pureed spinach.
When the cubes are rock solid, transfer them to a freezer bag, squeeze out the air from the bag, and voila! Frozen cubes of pureed spinach are ready to use.
What’s more convenient – Fresh or frozen spinach?
If you do not cook your meals at home very often, you should not buy frozen spinach. Because fresh veggies have a ticking shelf-life and you do not want them going to waste. To save your money and resources, opt for frozen veggies or spinach.
However, if you like the idea of cooking at home, fresh spinach is better since it does not require any thawing before use.
What makes frozen spinach the best food ever?
Utility
Whether it’s pasta or scrambled eggs, frozen spinach makes for a great addition. Moreover, compact frozen spinach is easy to handle in cooking large batches of meals. The bottom line is that frozen spinach is super convenient to use whether you are making pizza or pesto.
Spinach is full of nutrients
Spinach is a powerhouse of important nutrients. It is particularly rich in Iron, Vitamin K, and calcium. Fresh spinach quickly loses its nutrients with time. Freezing temperature slows down the rate of nutrient loss in frozen spinach.
Frozen spinach has a long shelf-life
Fresh spinach barely lasts a week in the fridge. Extended storage makes the frozen spinach superior to its fresh counterpart. You may not always have fresh spinach at hand or may not have the time to go to the market to buy fresh spinach. This is where frozen spinach comes to the rescue.
Frozen spinach is economical
A box of frozen spinach has as many as 3 more bunches for the same price of fresh spinach. This is what makes frozen spinach a cheap, and healthy choice.
Other FAQs about Spinach that you may be interested in.
What happens if you eat too much spinach?
What is the difference between baby spinach and regular spinach?
Can you freeze sauteed spinach?
Conclusion
In this article, we answered the question “Does freezing spinach destroy nutrients?”, how to freeze spinach for future use, and what makes frozen spinach the best food ever.
