Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

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I'm considering buying a bunch of meat and veggies to freeze for the winter so that I don't have to go shopping as much. Paleo people, especially equatorial ones, did not freeze food. But that doesn't necessarily matter.

I've never seen anything significant about frozen meat detriments. Are there any? Frozen veggies can have greater nutrient content than their "fresh" counterparts, but I'm not sure about meat. Specifically, how do these components react to being frozen then thawed: fatty acids, amino acids, vitamins, minerals.

Maybe we want some nutrients from animals to be more "alive" when we eat them? We can't thaw cybernetically frozen humans because of cell wall damage and such, so does that apply to animals? I have no idea what I'm talking about, but please chime in if you do.

edited Sep 22 2010 at 17:57

asked Sep 22 2010 at 17:51

Kamal♦
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"Apart from flavour alteration, lipid oxidation may affect texture and nutritional properties of frozen meat. Lipid oxidation is definitely on of the principal limiting factors for frozen meat shelf life. During freezer storage...lipid oxidation begins, first in the highly unsaturated phospholipid fraction in cellular biomembranes...in addition, triglycerides and cholesterol can be oxidized." – Kamal♦ Sep 22 2010 at 18:26

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The above is from "The Handbook of Food Science, Technology, and Engineering" – Kamal♦ Sep 22 2010 at 18:26

Interesting! So make sure you keep the meat sealed tight! – Ben Sep 22 2010 at 19:24

Adam Crafter · Answer 1 · 2010-09-22 18:13:33Z UTC

Well, I get brain-freeze when I forget to thaw it and just start gnawing.... 8^}

My short thought on this is that if freezing causes some cell membrane damage, that just makes it easier to digest.

I do not know of any disadvantages to this.

Cory151 · Answer 2 · 2011-12-10 16:00:18Z UTC

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Its fine Ive eaten venison that was killed over 3 years ago. A good vacuum sealer is your best friend in my opinion.

answered Dec 10 2011 at 16:00

Cory151
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Eva · Answer 3 · 2010-09-23 04:12:21Z UTC

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Paleos that lived in cold climes most assuredly used snow and ice as a natural refrigerator/freezer. All you have to do is keep the animals off of it and then if you catch something big, you can be eating it for weeks or months if there is snow out! So I think it is totally paleo.

However, try to research preparation methods. I read that frozen veggies often have chemicals sprayed on them to preserve their pretty colors despite freezing. WHo knows what other crap they do to em!

answered Sep 23 2010 at 4:12

Eva
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	My Paleo ancestor never made it up to Europe. Also, the majority of evolution was down in Africa. Have you heard anything about meat quality after freezing? I'm still curious as to how equivalent it is with unfrozen meat, with regards to oxidation and stuff. – Kamal♦ Sep 23 2010 at 13:30
	I lived in the far north most of my life, Kamal. Wild animals make free use of frozen kills that have any unconsumed meat. IMO it's more about how you defrost than the fact it was frozen. Going too fast will cook it, while cold water running over it seems to work fine. Thawing well-sealed in the fridge is fine but if loosely sealed can make it mushy. It's definitely better to freeze and thaw than to leave it raw in the fridge too long! – Nance Dec 10 2011 at 16:59

NWHamilton · Answer 4 · 2010-09-23 14:32:46Z UTC

I have only actually read about possible advantages. Such as if you are going to eat it raw, which I do occasionally, freezing the meat for 2 weeks will kill any parasites that might be present in the food. Of course, knowing your farmer and butcher and knowing the meat is clean also helps. Flash freezing in small quantities also helps reduce or eliminate cell membrane damage and should get rid of any possible negative side effects.

BTW, this is the same process many sushi places use to ensure the fish is parasite free. All in all, I would say there are some serious advantages.

coprophagous · Answer 5 · 2011-12-10 14:25:35Z UTC

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frozen meat has an off taste. but i will consume frozen sausage

answered Dec 10 2011 at 14:25

coprophagous
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Alex · Answer 6 · 2011-12-10 15:47:33Z UTC

Because I have to drive an hour away to get some of my pastured meat, I do buy meat and put it in the freezer. But, typically, the longest it'll stay in there is a few months. And, it's a deep freeze with no defrost cycle. Frost free freezers are a lot harder on frozen foods than their frosty brethren.

Ben · Answer 7 · 2010-09-22 18:19:04Z UTC

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Any beneficial bacteria is frozen, and thawed just like the meat. Any "fatty acids, amino acids, vitamins, minerals" are part of the composition and shouldn't be affected.

It might not taste as good, but there isn't any huge disadvantage from freezing meat.

answered Sep 22 2010 at 18:19

Ben
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	If it affected taste, then biochemically it has been changed... – Stephen-Aegis Sep 22 2010 at 18:45
	Right. It was frozen, then unfrozen :-) – Ben Sep 22 2010 at 19:07

FanOfSunshine · Answer 8 · 2010-09-23 02:04:22Z UTC

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I think it is the next best thing to fresh and cost effective. I do it and would recommend it.

answered Sep 23 2010 at 2:04

FanOfSunshine
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Disadvantages of frozen meat?

8 Answers