What we also know: Most of us don’t eat enough of them.

We know why: We’re in the habit of reaching for an easy snack and habits are hard to change. Fruits and vegetables can be more expensive than other foods. And sometimes, they’re just boring.

Dr. Alison Duncan, registered dietitian and professor in the Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Guelph, Ontario, gave us some useful ideas to get more of these foods in our diet. First, a look at the benefits.

“Fruits and vegetables are packed with essential nutrients and phytochemicals that can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer.  There is no downside to consuming fruits and vegetables and the good news is there are so many choices, so many forms and they make your diet so interesting and colourful,” Dr. Duncan said.

That’s more than enough motivation to achieve the daily goals of fruits and veggies. Canada’s Food Guide recommends 7 to 10 servings per day; USDA My Plate recommends four to five cups. A common phrase says, “fresh is best,” however, fresh produce spoils relatively quickly and is often more expensive. We asked Dr. Duncan how frozen or canned products compare.

“Fruits and vegetables can be enjoyed as either fresh, frozen or canned with all of their nutritional value.  In fact, fruits and vegetables are often frozen or canned when they are at their peak in quality,” she said. “Dietary fibre content does not change in processing, storage and cooking of fruits and vegetables and so is similar among fresh, frozen and canned.”

She noted that dietary fibre content can decrease when the peel is removed in processing.

Not only do frozen and canned fruits and vegetables have the same nutrients, they also offer some advantages.

“The number one advantage of consuming frozen or canned produce is convenience.  You can easily store them at home and have them on hand at all times,” Dr. Duncan said. “Another advantage is cost.  You can often get frozen or canned produce on sale and since they are frozen or canned, you can buy them in larger quantities and store them so you do have them available.  A third advantage is that it means you are consuming fruits and vegetables, and this is the best advantage of all since it benefits your personal health.”

During the summer, it seems easy to get those fruits and vegetables in our diet. But other times of the year, it is more of a challenge. We asked Dr. Duncan to share some good ways to achieve the goal.

“Absolutely take advantage of the frozen and canned options!  There are so many options to choose from, we are so lucky.  For example, you can enjoy frozen Canadian wild blueberries in the winter and frozen butternut squash in the spring,” she said. “There are no excuses to not consuming fruits and vegetables all year round, they are affordable, accessible and delicious!”

Dr. Duncan shared two of her favorite recipes.

“For a delicious breakfast or snack, I love using frozen berries mixed into yogurt with granola.  My favourite vegetable is sweet potato, simply washed then pierced with a fork a few times, wrapped in a damp paper towel and microwaved 6 minutes, turn over, another 6 minutes.  Then cool for a bit and cut in half and eat as is. Delicious!”

She also offered some advice for getting out of the vegetable rut, where we eat the same standby foods so often they get boring.

“The frozen aisle is now full of interesting fruits and vegetables.  Try frozen mango, cherries or peaches.  Or add some canned sliced pineapple to your next meal.  For vegetables, include some frozen cubed butternut squash, or try enjoying some canned beets!” she said.

Reading labels is important when shopping. Dr. Duncan said in the freezer section, choose fruit without added sugar and frozen vegetables without added salt or sauces. In the canned goods aisle, choose fruit canned in fruit juice rather than syrup. Look for vegetables with low sodium. Another option is to rinse the food before consuming to reduce sodium.

“We are extremely fortunate to have access to fresh, frozen and canned fruit and vegetables, and we should consider all of these options as part of a healthy diet,” Dr. Duncan said.

The post Canned, Frozen Fruits and Vegetables Offer Advantages appeared first on Best Food Facts.

We asked a few experts for their thoughts on this topic.

True? Or not? “Fresh fruits and vegetables are better than canned or frozen produce.”

Use these simple ideas to incorporate blueberries and green beans into your meals:

Check out this video featuring Registered Dietitian Carolyn O’Neil, that asks the question: Which is best: Fresh, Frozen or Canned?

This topic was covered during the True? Or Not? Your Food Questions, Expert Answers webinar. Check out the webinar slides here.

_{“North Charleston Farmers Market” by North Charleston is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.}

The post “Fresh fruits and vegetables are better than canned or frozen produce.” appeared first on Best Food Facts.

What are your thoughts on this person’s concerns?

Dr. Roche Wolford:

This person might have a personal preference against the taste or the texture of canned vegetables and that’s understandable. But in terms of the nutritional value of canned foods – there are certainly many benefits that are available in those foods.

 

There are concerns about processed foods being higher in sodium, fat and sugar and you want to be aware of that when consuming canned foods. But fruits and vegetables that are canned still have relatively the same amount of nutrients as fresh foods.

What role do canned foods play in a healthy diet?

Dr. Roche Wolford:

Canned foods play an important role because fresh fruits and vegetables are not available to everybody year-round. I live in Southern California where fresh fruits and vegetables are available all the time, but if you live in the northern regions, for example, you must rely on canned or frozen fruits and vegetables. And fresh fruits and vegetables can be pretty expensive – especially if they are out of season. So, incorporating canned and frozen foods into meals is a great way to maintain a healthy diet year-round.

What are the pros and cons of fresh, frozen and canned foods?

Dr. Roche Wolford:

When fresh fruits and vegetables are consumed in season they taste very good. The benefits of consuming canned or frozen vegetables is that they are affordable even when they are out of season and you’re going to get the same amount of nutrients. There might be a negligible loss of some of the vitamins due to the processing but for the most part you’re still going to benefit from the vitamins and minerals that are in processed foods.

 

Sometimes there are added sugar and salt in processed foods. Consumers should read the label and take a look at the amount of sodium that is in the product. These days there are a lot of manufacturers   offering canned vegetables and beans that have no salt added or reduced sodium. You can also rinse your canned vegetables and beans to take away some of the sodium.

 

Canned fruits are often canned in heavy syrup that contains added sugar. You might want to choose something that is packed in water or its own juice.

 

The same holds true for frozen products. You typically want to purchase those that do not contain any added sugars or salt. But you can certainly find perfectly healthy canned and frozen vegetables.

When considering canned, fresh, frozen, or dehydrated foods, what’s the best choice?

Dr. Roche Wolford:

I don’t think there’s a single best choice. To be a savvy consumer with a healthy diet you must take into consideration that fresh fruits and vegetables are not going to be available year round. You’re going to have to consider having canned or frozen vegetables when they’re not in season. Fresh fruits and vegetables don’t taste as good when you consume them out of season and they can be much more expensive. I think you need to consider all options – canned, dehydrated, frozen – to have a healthy diet year round. We’re lucky we have these products available to us and we can eat a variety of fruits and vegetables year round.

 

Here in Los Angeles we are seeing a renewed interest in home preservation. During the times of year when there are a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables available at a low cost because they are in season – or maybe they are growing their own – canning or freeze them at home is an option so that you can enjoy them year round.  And, if they are canned at the peak of their freshness they’re going to taste better.

 

If people are interested in canning, or freezing their own foods they can contact their local Cooperative Extension office. There are Master Food Preserver programs across the country and there are certain resources you can use through the USDA or the National Center for Home Food Preservation if you want to learn more. If you live in LA County, check out the Master Food Preserver Program.

While we’re talking about canned foods, what are your thoughts on concerns some people have about bisphenol A (BPA) – an ingredient in hard plastics and used to coat metal cans.

Dr. Roche Wolford:

BPA has been around for more than 40 years and over the years concerns have been raised about potential harm to humans – especially infants. Around a dozen states have passed laws requiring BPA be eliminated from products for infants or small children.

 

The Food and Drug Administration has said BPA is safe but research is being conducted to look into the issue more deeply.

 

If you are concerned about this issue, you can reduce exposure by purchasing products in glass as opposed to those that are in cans or plastic. You might want to use microwave safe ceramic or glass containers to heat foods. You may also want to examine plastic food storage containers that might have been scratched.

Click the audio icon to hear Brenda Roche Wolford talk about things consumer should keep in mind when choosing between fresh, frozen, canned, or dehydrated food products.

And speaking of fresh food… wouldn’t it be great to have access to it year-round? Check out this idea: Freight Farms*.

_{*We are not affiliated with Freight Farms or its developers. We just think it could be a great way to help people have access to fresh foods, no matter the location or climate.}

The post Fresh, Frozen, Canned, Dehydrated: Healthy Eating Year-Round appeared first on Best Food Facts.