It’s no secret that eating an ample intake of vegetables can greatly aid your weight loss journey. Many of us don’t have time to frequent our local grocery store’s produce section for fresh picks, so we might grab packaged, frozen vegetables that often last long and are certainly convenient.
As we age, our metabolisms slow down, making weight loss much more difficult (but not impossible!) Since many people trying to lose weight have to analyze and revaluate their diets, we checked in with registered dietitian Dana Ellis Hunnes, PhD, MPH, RD.
Read on for expert answers to several commonly-asked questions, such as, are frozen vegetables worse for your health than fresh produce? Are there any kinds out there that can deter your metabolism from being the swiftest it can be? We gathered helpful, dietitian-approved tips for weight loss and broke down what is and isn’t true when it comes to healthy weight loss, your metabolism and your frozen veggies.
Tip #1— Take A Closer Look At Frozen Veggies In *Sauces*
When looking and shopping for frozen vegetables, Hunnes encourages purchasing simply the frozen "vegetable(s)" and not frozen vegetables that are *in* sauces. This is better for your metabolism in the long run, as keeping a consistent, healthy and structured diet can help you lose and/or maintain weight when planned out for your own needs.
Hunnes notes that vegetables that come in sauces or TV dinners add a lot of calories that your body doesn't recognize, "so you are simply eating more calories than you can burn, which can lead to weight creep," she says.
To avoid this, Hunnes offers a good tip to keep in mind. "You can add your own sauce later and control the amount you are putting on if you desire," she adds. "It's always better to buy the simple frozen vegetable or fruit rather than anything with added sauces or sugars."
Tip 2. Be Wary Of Frozen Potatoes & Creamed Spinach
Frozen potatoes, Hunnes says, can be more fattening than other options, like cauliflower. "Like anything in life, there are better choices than others," Hunnes adds. She notes that frozen potatoes in some kind of sauce or coating (especially if they are in a salty/fatty/deep-fried state) are going to be "worse for weight loss and health" than simply unseasoned frozen potatoes or "frozen cauliflower" (which is extremely low in calories).
Something else to look out for is creamed spinach, which Hunnes says is going to be "far less healthy or beneficial for weight loss" than regular frozen spinach. This, like with other frozen options, is due to the fact that the cream sauce adds a lot of calories, sodium, and potentially unhealthy fats, "like saturated fats."
Overall, the good news with frozen vegetables and your metabolism is that unseasoned, plain and simply packaged frozen veggies are just as healthy as their fresh counterparts, and often are available year-round due to their frozen status. Additionally, Hunnes adds, "many frozen vegetables are picked at their peak freshness, blanched quickly and then flash frozen for long-term storage." It's important to know what's really on your plate and bowl, and this can be found by checking what is in the sauces, dressings or coatings that often accompany frozen vegetables.
