Frozen mixed vegetables are a versatile, vitamin-rich item to have in your freezer as a stand-alone side dish or for use in soups and casseroles. Frozen mixed vegetables usually include carrots, corn, green beans, lima beans and peas. While canned vegetables tend to lose a lot of nutritional value during the canning process, frozen ones may even be more nutritious than fresh. Frozen mixed vegetables contain several important vitamins central to a healthy, well-rounded diet.
Vitamin A
According to "Self" magazine's Nutrition Data, one serving of cooked frozen mixed vegetables contains 11,763 international units of Vitamin A. That's 235 percent of the recommended daily allowance. Vitamin A, or beta carotene, is a powerful antioxidant that protects cells from damage caused by free radicals. Consumption of Vitamin A in frozen mixed vegetables could help your body fight chronic disease and the degenerative process of aging.
Vitamin C
Frozen mixed vegetables also contain about 15 percent of the recommended daily amount of Vitamin C, another powerful antioxidant. Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron, promotes healing and is important for your skin, bones and connective tissues.
Vitamin E
Frozen mixed vegetables contain a small amount of Vitamin E--only about 1 mg of alpha-tocopherol per serving. This amounts to about 5 percent of the daily value but is still an important addition. Vitamin E is another powerful antioxidant that plays a role in the body's immune system and metabolic processes.
Vitamin K
Frozen mixed vegetables also contribute a significant amount of Vitamin K in each serving. According to "Self" magazine Nutrition Data, there are 64.6 micrograms of Vitamin K, or about 81 percent of the recommended daily amount, in every serving of cooked mixed vegetables. Vitamin K helps the body produce proteins that aid in blood clotting.
B-Complex Vitamins
The B-vitamins found in frozen mixed vegetables are thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, B6, pantothenic acid and folate. These vitamins help the body make or get energy from food and helps form red blood cells. However, frozen mixed vegetables do not contain Vitamin B-12, a vitamin lacking in many vegetarian diets.
Iron and Calcium
Perhaps a little surprisingly, frozen mixed vegetables also contain fairly significant amounts of iron and calcium. One serving contributes 2.3 mg of iron, 13 percent of the recommended daily amount. There are 68.7 mg of calcium per serving of mixed vegetables. That accounts for only 7 percent of your daily amount of calcium, but getting it from a vegetable food source is a good way to boost your daily totals.
References
- "Self" Nutrition Data: Vegetables, Mixed, Frozen, Boiled, Drained, With Salt
- Texas AgriLife Extension: Canned and Frozen Vegetables--Getting the Most Nutrition for Your Money
- Eating Well: Fresh vs. Frozen Vegetables--Are We Giving Up Nutrition for Convenience?
- MedLine Plus: Vitamin A
- MedLine Plus: Vitamin C
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