Are canned foods the ticket to a healthy diet?

Many people purchase fresh produce over canned due to an assumption that it’s better for health. However, this is not always the case! Including canned foods (like fruit and veggies) in your diet can be an affordable and easy way to bump up the nutrient content in your diet. Learn more about how canned foods can be the ticket to a healthy diet.

It is no secret that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is good for you, as it’s associated with a reduced risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. However, purchasing abundant quantities of fresh produce may not be feasible for people and can be their biggest barrier to consuming a healthy diet. Additionally, many people view processed vegetables as less nutritious or even unsafe. However, this is a false notion. Processing foods does not automatically imply that it becomes healthy–in fact, it can improve digestibility, nutrient bioavailability, and food safety [1].

You may be asking yourself how canned tomatoes can be part of a healthy diet. After all, did you know that tomatoes are the second most consumed vegetable in the USA [1]? This could be due to their affordability, versatility, and nutritionally dense content from lycopene. This flavonoid provides many benefits, including anti-inflammatory and caner fighting properties. Canned tomatoes have a higher lycopene content than their fresh counterparts because of the canning process. When tomatoes are heated it increases the lycopene content thanks to the cells inside of the tomatoes exploding during the heating process [1]. This allows them to release their compounds which can then be absorbed by our body and used to fight disease!

The next time you stock up on canned goods, don’t forget to pick up a few cans of tomatoes to boost flavor and health! After all, canned foods can be part of a healthy diet.

Learn more about the health benefits of canned tomatoes here:

Lycopene and Canned Tomatoes May Help with Cancer Prevention
Health Connection Between Tomatoes and Lycopene
The link between canned tomatoes and higher nutrition intake

References:

1. Wu, X., Yu, L., & Pehrsson, P. R. (2021, October 19). Are processed tomato products as nutritious as fresh tomatoes? scoping review on the effects of industrial processing on nutrients and bioactive compounds in tomatoes. OUP Academic. Retrieved December 16, 2021, from https://academic.oup.com/advances/advance-article/doi/10.1093/advances/nmab109/6403479?login=true