Canned Foods; Nutritious, Delicious, and Cost Effective!

It's such a beautiful day out and I want to capture it and keep it forever :) I hope everyone is doing well. Today I have been working hard at preparing a poster for a nutrition research symposium coming up in June. I have never prepared a poster, or even written a thesis, so to say the least I am stressed!

Today I have decided to stick with the theme of "saving time", and discuss an article I read in Today's Dietitian magazine about canned foods.


Canned Foods!





For years I have been eating canned foods. My mom always had, and still has, a cupboard full of canned foods and my grandma even used to make her own! Often I get asked the question "are canned foods healthy?", to which I answer "yes and no, it depends". It's true, it really depends on the type of canned food. So many canned foods are full of sodium and/or sugar and really provide little nutritional benefits, but if you find the right ones you can really save money, time AND contribute to your healthy diet.

Cost Example:
Fresh green beans $3.14 vs. canned green beans $1.09

Ok, so fresh green beans probably taste better, but when you are in a hurry canned green beans can be so convenient! Not to mention the two dollar savings, it's a nice perk.

Research:
A recent University of California, Davis study found that all forms of fruits and vegetables; canned, cooked fresh, and frozen, were nutritionally similar!

Canning actually locks in many nutrients since canning is done soon after fruits and vegetables are harvested. Some vegetables, such as green beans and spinach, can loose up to 70% of their vitamin C within seven days of harvest! When the vegetables are canned, however, this vitamin is locked in. In some instances canned foods can even have more nutrients, such as vitamin A in pumpkin. Also cooking and canning of tomatoes has been shown to increase the heart-healthy antioxidant lycopene.
Source: Today's Dietitian Magazine

Canned Foods From My Cupboard:

Glory Foods are a great brand of food. I would recommend sticking with their "low sodium" choices, such as these mixed greens. If you buy canned foods that are not low sodium, simply dump them in a strainer and rinse them, it makes a huge difference in the sodium and sugar content!


Noteworthy nutrition facts:
Serving size 1/2 cup
240 mg sodium
2 grams fiber
110% vitamin A
35% vitamin C
4% iron


Pizza Sauce:
Noteworthy nutrition facts:
Serving size 1/4 cup
270 mg sodium (yeah, this is high considering no one only uses 1/4 cup on their pizza, but if you only eat 1-2 slices, this isn't so bad!)
10% vitamin A
10% vitamin C

Black Beans:
Noteworthy Nutrition Facts:
Serving size 1/2 cup
370 mg sodium (not bad, but if you rinse the beans this number will drastically decrease)
340 mg potassium (10%)
7g dietary fiber
15% iron

Other Canned Food Favorites

Baked Beans
Spinach
Carrots
Mushrooms
Mustard greens

Pineapple in light syrup
Peaches in light syrup

Tuna (not a fruit or vegetable, but oh so convenient, tasty, and cheap!)

Bottom Line: Fresh is always best, but if you want to save time and money, consuming canned fruits and vegetables isn't such a bad idea! The nutritional content is often similar and sometimes better than fresh, so enjoy a canned good every once in a while!


Have a wonderful day :)