Frozen, Canned Or Fresh Foods

I just bought a variety of canned vegetables for the first time in about a decade. I prefer frozen for most produce except bananas, onions and peppers. But I wash, cut my peppers into slices, then freeze them. I gave up on finding a decent tasting apple a couple of years ago so now I buy Motts organic, unsweetened apple sauce. We get freshly cooked potatoes as part of some of our meals at the senior center. I usually bring home leftovers, so I don't buy potatoes except the instant mashed which I hook up so they taste like the real deal. We often get fruit cups at the senior center and sometimes fresh fruit.
 
Got this from The International Food Information Council Foundation:
Looking at the nutrition information between canned and fresh green beans revealed that the nutritional content is pretty similar between the two. However, one of the primary differences is sodium content, with canned green beans having more than fresh vegetables. Sodium is used in canned foods to “enhance flavor and texture, prevent microbial growth, and increase shelf life.” You can reduce the sodium content of canned vegetables by draining and rinsing with water prior to cooking. This can reduce sodium by as much as 41 percent.
Canned fruit and vegetable consumption is associated with “higher-quality diet, lower body weight, and lower blood pressure.” Canned vegetables have just as much nutritional value as fresh vegetables and can taste just as good. Canned vegetables are picked at the peak of ripeness and immediately canned, locking in flavor and nutrients.

IMO: Frozen is the best way to go because we never know how long it takes for the fresh produce to arrive at the stores especially when so much comes from Mexico. Freezing takes place immediately after harvesting now and so does canning. Either way the difference is not a life or death issue.
 


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