Canned veggies?
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2007-08-02 10:05 AM |
Expert 1022 In limbo | Subject: Canned veggies? Nutritionally, is there a difference between canned veggies and fresh ones? Also what about frozen ones? I'm trying to get more veggies in my diet but I still tend to go for the easiest options possible. |
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2007-08-02 11:04 AM in reply to: #910945 |
Master 3546 Millersville, MD | Subject: RE: Canned veggies? Salt! But I add that to the fresh one's anyway. I also think fresh is better in terms of vitimins... many of those break down not long after being picked. |
2007-08-02 1:17 PM in reply to: #910945 |
Melon Presser 52116 | Subject: RE: Canned veggies? Sorry, Josh ... you're only ever wrong 1/1000 times, but this is it (so you're good for at least the rest of the year I'd say). In many cases canned (especially) and frozen actually have higher nutritive values because they're picked/harvested at peak and then preserved. Linkie to summary of UC Davis study on this (has links to open UCD PDFs of study): |
2007-08-02 1:49 PM in reply to: #911255 |
2007-08-02 9:19 PM in reply to: #911326 |
Veteran 247 | Subject: RE: Canned veggies? Agree that canned and frozen veggies can be considered having more nutritional value d/t being packaged at time of harvest. however, need to point out that the above study was funded by the Canned Food Alliance. Also, some frozen veggies are blanched before packaging which may affect vitamin content when it comes to canned: check sodium content, opt for 'no added salt' cans Bottom line: eat your veggies! |
2007-08-02 10:16 PM in reply to: #911255 |
Pro 4541 A farming town in MN | Subject: RE: Canned veggies? TriAya - 2007-08-02 1:17 PM Sorry, Josh ... you're only ever wrong 1/1000 times, but this is it (so you're good for at least the rest of the year I'd say). In many cases canned (especially) and frozen actually have higher nutritive values because they're picked/harvested at peak and then preserved. Linkie to summary of UC Davis study on this (has links to open UCD PDFs of study): Hmmm...another food scientist on BT? There's a few others here...buckeye66, jesswah I think...I work up in Minneapolis for a food company... In regards to canning, there are a few vits that are affected...vits A, C, ribo and thiamin (from the heating process). I think the loss can be up to half. I believe most of the other vitamins are unaffected... But I'll tell you this...I loved canned foods, because they give me an excuse to eat healthier. I commute up to an hour on bad days...fresh fruit doesn't keep in a hot car, but I throw a few of those single-serve pop-top cans of fruit in my trunk. They don't spoil, and they're always a better alternative to a Snickers bar when I need a snack... |
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2007-08-04 5:52 AM in reply to: #910945 |
Member 26 | Subject: RE: Canned veggies? Not exactly sure where I heard this. It may have been one of the many tangents my Fundamentals of Nutrition professor went on last semester. (It was an animal nutrition class, but humans are so similar when it comes to nutrition, etc. that comparisons are pretty seamless, and food quality is an even bigger issue in animal nutrition because producers want the best gain per $ spent to keep cost down.) Basically, most frozen fruits and veggies are flash frozen almost immediately after they are picked, so nutrients and preserved. If you thaw then refreeze you'll lose nutrients. Unless you are getting fresh produce from locally grown sources, the fresh produce in large chain stores can come from a long distance, and loses nutrients along the way. Canned is basically the same as frozen, but a load of salt added in, and (this is my opinion, I have no proof!) I bet some of the nutrients seep out into the preserving liquid and get lost when you drain canned veggies. With canned fruits, you have to worry about the syrups they put the fruit in. I always get fruits in 100% juice, or at the very least, the lightest syrup available. I've heard frozen spinach is one of the most cost effective ways of buying spinach, but I can't stand it! Frozen peas are easier than fresh, and taste better than the mushy green balls that canned peas are. If you ever have a perfectly ripe home grown tomato in season, you will never be able to stomach the little red rocks that are called tomatoes out of season. They are picked green, and instead of natural ripening, they are exposed to a gas that turns them red, but doesn't actually continue the ripening process. They pretty much go from unripe to rotten, and you need loads of salt to give them decent taste. If something is out of season in your area, it is probably better to get a frozen/canned version of it. All in all, I think all three are considered equal in the food pyramid. If you want to add more veggies to your diet, try keeping a bag of fresh baby spinach and use it as the base for a quickie salad before meals. It has tons of nutrients and keeps a lot longer than most lettuces. Munch on baby carrots instead of chips. There are baked veggie chips out there too, just check on the sodium, fat, etc. I eat TONS of pico de gallo. Keep bags of frozen veggies you can heat up quickly if you have no urge to cook. You can have a salad, turkey burger with tomato, pickles, little bit of cheese, etc. on whole wheat bread/bun, with sides of frozen peas and corn on the cob done before a delivery pizza comes. (And this is coming from a college student, gasp!) You just need to watch how much sauce or butter, etc. you put on plain veggie sides. I've found keeping a mixture of each fresh, frozen, and canned fruits and veggies gives me more choices and I'm more likely to eat well if there is always something quick and easy on hand to prepare. |
2007-08-04 1:56 PM in reply to: #910945 |
Master 1695 STL | Subject: RE: Canned veggies? Frozen may have more nutrients because they are usually picked "in season" Fresh is next to healthy Canned veggies have ALOT of salt. Not that I don't add salt to my veggies, but i really try to buy fresh as much as i can. Exceptions are frozen corn and i HAVE to have Del Monte Whole green beans and Beets! |
2007-08-08 10:32 AM in reply to: #910945 |
Master 1845 Athens, Ga. | Subject: RE: Canned veggies? For easiest option, I love the microwave in a bag frozen veggies. You can't get any easier than that unless someone cooked for you! If you're looking for good taste, some canned veggies taste better than others. And it's vegetable season, so, like others have said, check your local farmer's market, etc. Where I live, there are even co-ops with local farmers where you can pay a certain amount and get literally garden-fresh veggies weekly. |
2007-08-08 11:12 AM in reply to: #910945 |
Member 168 Omaha, NE | Subject: RE: Canned veggies? The lycopene in tomatoes is actually more readily available to your body when they're cooked, so canned tomatoes are a great source of this nutrient. I make a lot of dishes with low sodium diced canned tomatoes....veggie curries, pasta, chili, etc. They are even really good in homade salsa and I've never seen a pasty white canned tomato (as opposed to the "fresh" ones in the produce aisle at my grocery store.) |
2007-08-08 11:28 AM in reply to: #910945 |
Master 3019 West Jordan, UT | Subject: RE: Canned veggies? Honestly, most people don't eat near enough veggies. So I say eat them any way you can. Once you have the habits built up, worry about the production methods and quality. |
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