Seeing that summer has entered the countdown, many fruits exclusive to summer are about to say goodbye to us, how can we keep them longer, seize the last wave of opportunities, and make some frozen fruits! Freezing the sweet and silky fruits in summer seems to seal the coziness in the summer heat~
Frozen fruit, what is the good thing?
(1) Greatly extend the shelf life of fruits
Generally, the sweeter the fruit, the higher the sugar content (there are also some fruits that are sweet, but the sugar content is not high, such as watermelon, peaches, etc.), and the more susceptible they are to bacteria and spoilage. However, the low temperature of freezing can greatly delay or even block the deterioration process of fruit, so that we can taste the original sweetness of summer fruits after a long time.
(2) Better retain the nutrients of food
Studies have found that the nutrient loss of quick-frozen fruits is extremely slow, and even when stored for several months, there is not much difference between various nutrients and fresh fruits [1].
Temperature and storage time have a great influence on the various nutrients in the fruit, especially the content of vitamin C and B groups. The higher the temperature and the longer the storage time, the more serious the loss of vitamins. With the continuous development of food industry technology, the low-temperature quick-freezing method can stop the metabolism and respiration of the cells inside the fruit in a very short time, thereby curbing the consumption and loss of nutrients [2-3]. Even fruits that are frozen hard are not compromised in nutrition.
(3) After freezing, the sweetness is higher and the taste is new
Although the storage method of freezing has an impact on the flavor of fresh fruit, the sweetness is still the same, or even higher. Since the fructose in fruits will increase the sweetness at low temperatures, many fruits, such as watermelon, lychee, grapes, cantaloupe, mango, etc., are sweeter after freezing than at room temperature.
In terms of texture, although frozen fruits lose the crispness or softness of fresh fruits, they also have a special taste similar to ice cream or popsicles and smoothies, and are much lower in fat and sugar, healthier and more natural than the vast majority of ice cream sold on the market, and it is fun to eat.
In short, frozen fruits as a whole, whether it is nutritional value or taste, are not much inferior to fresh fruits. As a way to greatly extend the preservation time of fruit, I vote for it with both hands.
Delicious frozen fruit,
Choosing the right species is important
If you want to make delicious and nutritious frozen fruits, choosing the right fruit is an important first step. Because, not every fruit is suitable for freezing, and the taste obtained by different fruits after freezing is very different.
(1) To have dense ice cream, choose more "dry" fruits
If you usually like ice cream with milk, cream, cheese, etc. as the main raw materials and a dense and delicate taste, then it is recommended that you choose bananas, durian, mangoes, papayas, jackfruit and other fruits with relatively low moisture content and high "dry goods" content. Especially bananas and durians, the taste after freezing is not inferior to those expensive "ice cream assassins".
These fruits are frozen and the flesh is more dense and sweet, and there will be no large ice ballast, nor will it turn into water while nibbling. After taking it out of the freezer, it can be slowly dug up with a spoon after a little warming, and it is absolutely delicious.
(2) To be sweet smoothies, choose fruits with high sweetness and more moisture
Friends who like to eat smoothies can freeze more fruits with higher sweetness and more moisture. Such as pineapples, cantaloupe, watermelons, kiwis, pears and so on. Although these fruits are a little hard after freezing, they are a bit of a test for the teeth to gnaw. But as long as you use a blender or wall breaker to whip it a little, you can get a fruit smoothie that bursts with sweet juice in your mouth, whether you eat it directly or with fresh fruit, milk, or yogurt.
How to eat frozen fruit
The first problem to be solved is whether the frozen fruit needs to be thawed.
In fact, no matter what kind of frozen fruit, as long as the teeth and stomach tolerate, you can eat it directly without thawing (the same as eating ice cream), or you can leave it for a few minutes and eat it when the surface is slightly thawed. If you feel that the temperature of frozen fruit is too low, frozen too hard, or the stomach and intestines do not tolerate low temperatures, you can put it in the refrigerator and thaw it a little before eating.
Let's answer the question of how to eat tricks. In addition to eating directly, making smoothies, and making ice drinks as ice cubes, frozen fruits can also be eaten with milk and yogurt. For example, add yogurt to fruits such as raspberries and lychees, freeze them together, and after freezing it is yogurt fruit ice cream.
Another example is to mix frozen watermelon, cantaloupe, pears and other fruits with yogurt and milk into a milkshake to make a yogurt/milk fruit smoothie. If it is simple, you can eat it directly with frozen fruit mixed with yogurt, and the taste is also good.
If you want to give children something different, you can also wrap yogurt with larger frozen fruits such as frozen durian and frozen mango just taken out of the freezer, and when the yogurt solidifies slightly at low temperature, sprinkle a layer of low-sugar cereal/oatmeal rings to bring a richer taste experience.