My friend Steve called me in a panic. Seems he and his girlfriend are divided over one important issue. He (a chef) always selects fresh produce for his cooking. She says frozen is better. “Can you help us?” he asks.

Yes … no … maybe. Here are the pros and cons of this matter from food technology experts:

Bottom line: Start with the freshest whole foods you can find and treat them respectfully. Don’t banish them to long-term storage or drown them in water. Cut fresh fruit right before you eat it to reduce exposure to air, which destroys vitamin C. Whichever form you buy them in, cook vegetables quickly in as small amount of water as possible.

“When properly processed, packaged and stored, a given fruit or vegetable can be as healthful, or more so, than a fresh counterpart,” say researchers from the University of Minnesota Department of Food Science and Nutrition.

Now go in peace and enjoy your produce.