Which is Best? Canned, Frozen or Fresh?

Which is Best?
Canned, Frozen or Fresh?
By Pat Kendall, Ph.D., R.D.
Food Science and Human Nutrition Specialist
Colorado State University Extension
January 22, 1997
From: www.ext.colostate.edu 
Which is better for your health: fresh, frozen or canned fruits and
vegetables? The answer is: Any and all.
Canned fruits and vegetables often are considered nutritionally
inferior to their fresh and frozen counterparts. While this may be
true regarding sugar and salt content, it's not true when it comes to
other nutrients. In fact, in a recent study completed at the
University of Illinois, many of the canned fruits and vegetables
evaluated contained as much or more of certain nutrients than their
fresh and frozen counterparts.
For example, most brands of canned apricots, spinach and pumpkin
provided more vitamin A per serving than their fresh- cooked
counterparts. Also, canned asparagus, potatoes and spinach tended to
outrank or equal fresh-cooked varieties for vitamin C. On the other
hand, fresh-cooked tomatoes tended to be higher in vitamin C and
fresh-cooked carrots higher in vitamin A per serving than canned or
frozen types.
One reason canned (and frozen) fruits and vegetables sometimes rank
nutritionally superior to fresh produce is they're usually processed
immediately after harvest, when nutrient content is at its peak. This
is especially true when it comes to the vitamin C found in green
vegetables. The longer a green vegetable sits on a truck or in the
supermarket, the lower its vitamin C content. Because they are more
acidic, fresh (as well as frozen and canned) fruits are less
susceptible to loss of vitamin C during storage.
This is not to say there aren't downsides to eating canned versus
fresh and frozen products. Canned vegetables are notoriously high in
sodium and canned fruits packed in syrup are high in sugar. However,
with the growing popularity of low sodium and low sugar versions of
products, most manufacturers now offer low-sodium and salt-free
versions of their canned vegetables. In addition, juice-packed fruits
generally are available at a cost similar to fruits packed in syrup.
The other downside is taste. Many fruit and vegetable lovers simply
prefer the taste, texture and look of fresh and fresh-cooked produce.
Canned and fresh-cooked green beans simply are not the same product.
Nor are canned, frozen and fresh- cooked corn.
Still, the University of Illinois study underscores a message
nutritionists have long emphasized: canned and frozen produce is a
nutritionally sound alternative to fresh fruits and veggies. Frozen
and canned products are particularly good to have on hand for times
when you can't get to the store for fresh products or when fresh
fruits and vegetables are out of season or out of your price range.
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