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Living Well in Yalobusha County

Canned Foods Are Nutritious

By: Pamela Redwine,
MSU Nutrition and Food Safety Area Agent

 

Did you know that canned foods are very nutritious?  Fruits and vegetables destined for canning are picked at their peak and processed within hours.  What a great way to preserve nature’s bounty!  They are also convenient for those who lack freezer space.

Researchers who have looked at the nutritional value of canned foods have found that nutrient losses are minor, much as you would get with home cooking.  The biggest losses occur with heat-sensitive and water-soluble nutrients, such as vitamins B and C, but even here there is usually not much nutritional difference and many canned foods are good sources of these nutrients.

A study at the University of Illinois found that some of the canned foods were even more nutritious than fresh! Canned salmon, for example, has more calcium than fresh salmon because during processing the small bones are softened enough to be eaten.  Lycopene, a powerful antioxidant in tomatoes, becomes more potent with canning.  And legumes such as kidney beans actually have an increase in soluble fiber during canning.  This could translate to a lower risk for heart disease.

The two biggest nutritional differences between canned and fresh are the salt and sugar that are sometimes added to canned foods. You can reduce the sodium content of canned foods by up to 40% by rinsing them thoroughly under cold running water.  Many low-sodium canned goods are also available for purchase in grocery stores and whole food markets.  To avoid excess calories from sugar, look for fruit packed in water or in its own juice.

Canned foods taste good, too.  At the University of Massachusetts, 12 favorite American recipes were each prepared in two versions, one using canned foods and one using fresh foods.  When the dishes were rated on taste, appearance, aroma, texture and nutrition, the canned food versions did very well – they were usually liked as much as those prepared with fresh foods, and sometimes the canned foods were preferred!

Canned foods also put international delicacies at your fingertips.  Meals that use water chestnuts, pineapple, mandarin oranges, or artichoke hearts would not be possible for most of us if we didn’t rely on canned foods.

Most canned food is shelf-stable for at least one year as long as they are properly stored.  Store canned foods in a cool, dry place and avoid storing them at hotter temperatures.  Never use cans that are rusted, leaking, deeply dented (especially on the seams), or bulging to avoid deadly botulism.  Once opened, canned foods are perishable and should be stored in a covered, food safe container in the refrigerator.

Recipe of the Week

Carolyn’s Mandarin Salmon Salad

1 Skinless salmon fillet (8 ounces)
1/4  teaspoon each salt and pepper
4 cups spring greens salad mix
1 can (8 ounces) mandarin oranges, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons roughly chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1. Season fillet with salt, if desired, and black pepper.  Broil, grill or pan-fry salmon about 4 minutes per side, depending on thickness of fillet, or until meat if firm to touch and flakes when tested with fork.

2. Divide greens between 2 plates.  Cut fillet in half; place half on each plate over greens.  Sprinkle with orange segments and walnuts.  Combine mustard and vinegar in small bowl.  Drizzle over each salad

Makes 2 servings

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