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Proof is in the Cantry®
Canned foods provide nutritious, safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable options for people trying to make smart food choices for their health and the environment. In fact:
Canned fruits and vegetables are on par nutritionally with fresh and frozen, and in some cases even better.1 For example, canned tomatoes have more lycopene, which is associated with reducing cancer risk, and more B vitamins than fresh tomatoes. Canning also helps make fiber in certain vegetables, like beans, more soluble and therefore more useful to the human body.
The canning process locks in nutrients at the peak of ripeness —just hours after picking. When foods go through the canning process, nutrients are locked in so the amount of vitamins and nutrients in the food is the same on the day it was canned as it is a year from the canning date.
The can is a protective container sealing out foodborne pathogens. The high-heat canning process is one of the safest processes for preserving food because it prevents the growth of microorganisms that cause foodborne illnesses. This is an important safety benefit considering that at least 128,000 Americans are hospitalized every year with foodborne illnesses.2
Families can stretch their grocery budgets by choosing canned produce. Canned vegetables are often more affordable than fresh and frozen varieties, saving up to 50 percent of the cost of frozen and 20 percent of the cost of fresh, with virtually no sacrifices in nutritional quality.1
Cans help waste less food, saving us time and money, and reducing our impact on the environment. Americans throw away approximately 15 to 20 percent of fresh fruits and vegetables they purchase every year.3
In the Resource Center, you’ll find research on the benefits of canned foods and their role in a healthy diet, as well as educational videos and downloadable fact sheets and infographics.
References
- Miller S and Knudson B. Nutrition and Cost Comparisons of Select Canned, Frozen and Fresh Fruits and Vegetables. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. 2014. 8(6): 430-437.
- CDC Estimates of Foodborne Illness in the United States. http://www.cdc.gov/foodborneburden/2011-foodborne-estimates.html. Last updated: January 8, 2014. Accessed February 16, 2016.
- Buzby, et al. The Value of Retail – and Consumer – Level Fruit and Vegetable Losses in the United States. Journal of Consumer Affairs, Fall 2011: 492-515.