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The producers provide mostly stems in the frozen package," Irby said. "The stems are rubbery and poor quality."
Jessica Randhawa, head chef, recipe creator, photographer, and writer behind The Forked Spoon, went further by saying broccoli is a delicate vegetable that does "not hold up well in the frozen food chain." She notes that the cruciferous veggie loses a lot of its flavor when frozen.
What's worse, a delicate vegetable like broccoli tends to lose its nutrients when frozen, says Eric Sornoso, a chef and recipe blogger with MealFan.
"Freezing can create ice crystals and rupture the cells. This can lower water activity and promote the loss of nutrients," Sornoso said. "So, when you consume these frozen veggies, you're not getting the nutritional benefits."
The general consensus from all of these chefs is to always buy broccoli fresh.