Myth busting: Canned vegetables provide vital nutrients

Despite the myths surrounding canned vegetables, they can be more nutritious than fresh vegetables in some cases.  

There’s a misconception that canned vegetables have additives or preservatives, said Kimberely Challoner, Director of Tech Service with Seneca Foods Corporation. The canning process includes cooking the vegetables using high heat, which allows vegetables to be canned without the use of preservatives. 

“Cans are shelf stable because of the process, not because there are added preservatives, “ Challoner said. 

Many options are available that include only vegetables and water, Challoner said.  

The canning process is also quick. Typically, vegetables are canned within four hours of harvest, she said. This allows nutrient contents to remain high for consumption.  

This time of year, Challoner said that in many cases fresh produce has been harvested days before it arrives to the consumer because of where fresh food can be grown during the winter months. Canned vegetables, however, are typically harvested and processed within miles of each other.  

There is about a 4-hour window from harvest to the end of the canning process, Challoner said. The breakdown of nutrients in canned vegetables is significantly reduced because of the processing timeline. 

A National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that people who consume canned vegetables eat 17 percent more vegetables and consumed 7 percent more dietary fiber and 5 percent more potassium than people who did not consume canned vegetables. 

Research has shown that by the time they are consumed, all forms of fruits and vegetables contribute important nutrients that people are lacking, said Katie Calligaro, Marketing and Communications Director of Produce for Better Health Foundation.  

“There are very specific foods that actually improve when they are in a can,” Calligaro said. “There are certain nutrients that are more bioavailable.” 

Calligaro said one of the biggest myths she has experienced is the misconception of sugars and salts in canned vegetables.  

Many processors offer no salt-added and no sugar-added canned options. Even when consumers choose salt-added options, Calligaro said that more than 40 percent of the added sodium can be removed by rinsing the vegetables before cooking. Consuming canned vegetables allows people to have access to nutrients that are vital to their overall health. 

“When people include all forms of fruits and vegetables, they tend to eat more of them throughout their day,” Calligaro said. 

Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, Produce for Better Health Foundation CEO and President, said to eat more vegetables, people must have them available.

“Research shows if they purchased all forms, they were also more likely to consume them,” Reinhardt Kapsak said. “Different applications or different forms lend themselves well for different eating occasions. Not only are they nutritious, but they also present ways to increase fruit and vegetable eating behaviors.” 

It is important for people to consume vegetables, and the biggest takeaway is that vegetables provide necessary nutrients in any form, Calligaro said. 

This article is part of content for February’s National Canned Food Month.