Fresh ingredients are always better for preparing healthy food, when compared to processed ingredients. Fresh ingredients are basically those that haven’t been exposed to chemicals or processed in any way to increase their shelf life. They have to be consumed on the same day or within a day or two. Fresh ingredients, including fresh vegetables, meat, spices like basil, cilantro, tomatoes, garlic also retain their nutritious value when you cook them right. Unlike processed foods, they are pure and not adulterated in any way, by exposure to preservatives and other such chemicals.
Food cooked with fresh ingredients is healthier than food cooked with processed ingredients or those stored using preservatives.