Is Canned Food Good or Bad?

Canning is a way of processing food (fruits and vegetables) to extend its shelf life. 

Canning is usually done within hours after picking. Some procedures may vary depending on the food item, but it goes through three major steps:

1. Processing: Fruits and vegetables are washed, peeled, cut, chopped, pitted, or cooked before canning. Once the food is prepared, the cans are filled with either water or juice and seasoned accordingly.
2. Sealing: Food is put into airtight cans, and the lid is sealed.
3. Heating: Once the can is sealed, it is quickly heated to a precise temperature for a specified amount of time to kill harmful bacteria and prevent spoilage. 

Some examples of canned foods from each food group include:

• Fruits: Canned peaches, pears, Mandarin oranges, pineapple, pink grapefruit, and fruit cocktail
• Vegetables: Canned corn, green beans, mushrooms, carrots, beets, asparagus, pumpkin, tomatoes, and okra
• Grains: Canned pasta, noodle soup, and barley soup
• Dairy: Evaporated milk
• Protein: Canned tuna, shrimp, sardines, salmon, chicken, baked beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, and lentils

Canned foods can be just as nutritious as fresh and frozen foods because canning preserves many nutrients. 

Although the quality and quantity of minerals, fat-soluble vitamins, protein, fat, and carbohydrate remain relatively unchanged by the process of canning, some water-soluble vitamins such as vitamins C and B can be damaged due to high heat involvement in canned foods.

Canned foods are good sources of important vitamins and minerals, which can provide nutrient levels equivalent to those of their fresh or frozen counterparts.

People who consume more canned foods tend to have a higher intake of fruits, vegetables, and nutrients than those who consume fewer canned fruits and vegetables.

1. Best flavor and nutrient quality are ensured:
   • Canned foods can be just as nutritious as fresh and frozen foods because canning preserves many nutrients.
   • The process of canning does not change the number of minerals, fat-soluble vitamins, protein, fat, and carbohydrates.
   • The heating process may increase the antioxidant content. Canning increases the amount of lycopene in tomatoes.
2. A convenient and affordable way to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into the diet:
   • Canned foods are helpful for people who live in remote areas where fresh foods are not readily available.
   • The process of canning ensures a long shelf life of at least one to five years. 
   • This may prevent individuals from throwing away fresh produce due to spoilage, thus helping reduce food wastage.
   • In addition, using canned foods can cut down on meal preparation time, while still offering nutritional value and a delicious taste.
3. Help you make wise choices:
   • When purchasing canned fruit, choose varieties that are canned in water, 100 percent juice, or in their juices to avoid consumption of added sugar.
   • Choose canned vegetables without added salts, labeled “no salt added” or “low sodium. Draining and rinsing canned beans and vegetables can reduce the sodium content.
4. May increase fiber intake:
   • Fiber is essential for digestive health, and studies have even linked increased intake to significant weight loss.
   • Studies have reported that canning helps make fiber in certain vegetables, such as beans, more soluble and more useful to the human body, which can have a positive effect on health.
5. Has a similar nutritional value when compared with fresh and frozen:
   • Because they are harvested and canned at the peak of ripeness, canning can preserve the same flavor and nutrients as if eaten fresh or frozen.
   • Canned foods are handy to have when you do not have time to go to the store and buy fresh foods without compromising nutrition.
6. Cans are lightweight, durable, and easy to store, carry and dispose of:
   • Because of all these properties, these cans can protect food from exposure to oxygen and against excessive exposure to light.

Disadvantages of canned foods include:

• High salt content:
  • Dissolved salt is often used in the canning process, resulting to be a major source of dietary salt.
  • Excessive salt consumption increases the risk of health problems, including high blood pressure, which may boost the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
  • Choose canned products that are available in low-salt and no-salt alternatives.
• May contain added sugar:
  • Many varieties of fruits come packed in light or heavy syrup, which equates to added sugars.
  • Choose fruits that are canned in water or 100 percent fruit juice, instead of heavy or light syrup that contains added sugars.
• May cause botulism:
  • Foodborne botulism results from contaminated foods in which Clostridium botulinum spores have been allowed to germinate and produce botulism toxin.
  • Canned foods are nonacidic because it does not receive a strong enough thermal heat treatment, which may allow the bacteria to grow and thrive in them.
  • Avoid cans with dents, bulges, cracks, or leaks, which may be a sign of the bacteria that cause botulism, a serious illness that can lead to paralysis and can be life-threatening if left untreated.
• May cause tissue damage:
  • Manufacturers often add sodium phosphate to canned soups to help with preservation and flavor enhancement.
  • Although phosphates are necessary for diets, inorganic phosphates used in canned foods have been found to disrupt hormone regulation, which can ultimately result in tissue damage, and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, renal impairment, and bone loss.
• Preservatives may be added:
  • Because the canning process requires high heat, canned goods may have fewer water-soluble vitamins such as vitamin C and B vitamins.
  • In some cases, plenty of preservatives are added to the canned food to make it more durable.
• May contain Bisphenol-A (BPA):
  • BPA is a chemical often used in food packaging, including cans, which can migrate from the lining into the food.
  • Some human studies have linked BPA to health problems such as heart disease, type II diabetes, and male sexual dysfunction.
• Metallic taste:
  • Sometimes, the metal from the cans may leach inside the food, causing a metallic aftertaste.