Why the Bad Rap on Canned Veggies ?

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  • bethlaf
    bethlaf Posts: 954 Member
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    sodium and BPA -

    but that being said for me
    its an expense/recycling issue too !


    (keep in mind i have 7 people at home)

    so for dinner i routinely cook 2-3 lbs of frozen vegetables (yes you read that right)

    so to do canned that would be between 6-9 cans or about 1 per person ...
    unless thats on some great sale -frozen actually costs LESS than canned . and less cans of recycling to deal with ...
    i cant imagine my recycle bin after 2 weeks of canned vegetables ....
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
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    there really isn't a whole lot of nutritional value in canned veggies.

    That's not true at all. It's the same nutrition value, pretty much, they just add too much salt.
  • HypersonicFitNess
    HypersonicFitNess Posts: 1,219 Member
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    there really isn't a whole lot of nutritional value in canned veggies.

    That's not true at all. It's the same nutrition value, pretty much, they just add too much salt.

    Actually it is true - raw has all the enzymes; canned has lost most if not all of the vegetable's enzymes. Frozen are missing some enzymes b/c they are blanched before frozen.
  • Deroboy
    Deroboy Posts: 6 Member
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    there really isn't a whole lot of nutritional value in canned veggies.

    That's not true at all. It's the same nutrition value, pretty much, they just add too much salt.

    Actually it is true - raw has all the enzymes; canned has lost most if not all of the vegetable's enzymes. Frozen are missing some enzymes b/c they are blanched before frozen.

    While that's true that some nutritional value is lost due to the canning process, some products actually gain nutrients. Tomatoes are the most notable example, with the levels of antioxidants (mainly the carotenoid lycopene) increased after processing due to the liberation of trapped compounds from within the insoluble fractions of the fruit.
  • threshkreen
    threshkreen Posts: 79 Member
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    Ick, besides the salt,canned taste etc, the texture is just so gross. Mush. I grew up hating veggies because my mom either served canned or frozen and then cooked them to death.

    Only since I have started barely cooking them can I eat things...like I now eat brussel sprouts and asparagas. Those were my big "I refuse to put one bite of that mush in my mouth" veggies.

    Still kinda gag on oatmeal tho....it has to be really firm for me to eat it...just a texture person I guess.
  • just_Jennie1
    just_Jennie1 Posts: 1,233
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    Read the labels and get them with lower sodium and no sugar in them. They are out there.

    There is absolutely nothing wrong with canned vegetables.
  • Trisha178
    Trisha178 Posts: 1
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    I recently found out I was prediabetic - so off to a nutrition class I went. What they told us is of course fresh is best - but if it's can vegetables - pour out the water they come packed in - yep rinse - it removes the high sodium - just add in your own water- heat and eat.
  • joaniej75
    joaniej75 Posts: 136 Member
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    I'd rather have canned green beans over fresh ones---I tried to cook fresh green beans and didnt like the taste--not that I really like the taste of canned one but I will eat them.....but everything else I like frozen
    especially fresh peas and corn....
  • joaniej75
    joaniej75 Posts: 136 Member
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    I've never thought about pouring out the water and rinsing--I will try that----
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    Read the labels and get them with lower sodium and no sugar in them. They are out there.

    There is absolutely nothing wrong with canned vegetables.

    Canned are not my preference (it's a texture thing for me) .....you can also rinse your canned veggies to reduce the sodium.
  • ValerieMartini2Olives
    ValerieMartini2Olives Posts: 3,041 Member
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    Canned green beans especially look so awful... my mom served a lot of canned veggies. I couldn't believe how GOOD a lot of veggies tasted when I grew up and had them FRESH!

    Yep. I thought I didn't like green beans or peas. Turns out, I didn't like *canned* green beans or peas.

    QFT
  • ashandloggiesmom
    ashandloggiesmom Posts: 92 Member
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    Canned or fresh, or frozen, if your eating vegetables at all it is better for you than if you did not eat them, sodium and or not. Get in all the veggies you can!
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    I find most canned veggies overcooked. OMG canned greens are the worst! Just mush. But I use a lot of canned beans. I'm not much for planning meals ahead so when I decide to make something with beans, I don't want to wait 4 hours to eat.

    If sodium is a problem, just buy low sodium or 'no salt added' canned veggies.
  • melgillis
    melgillis Posts: 75 Member
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    I too prefer frozen. I think I heard somewhere the nutrients are preserved in the freezing process. Even more so than if you buy fresh and keep them in your refrigerator for five days. As far as sodium in canned, a rinse in the colander before cooking usually helps that.
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
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    they taste vile!!!

    as others have said..... they are heated to high temperatures as part of the canning process, which removes some of the nutritional value as some vitamins are heat sensitive. Also, they often add salt. IMO both these things affect the flavour so i tend not to use canned veggies, although I do sometimes. They're not going to kill you, unless you already have serious health problems from too much sodium. Fresh or frozen are better, due to no added sodium and containing more vitmains, however canned is way better than no veggies at all. If you're eating fresh fruit then whatever vitamins are not in the canned veggies will be in the fresh fruit.
  • fitacct
    fitacct Posts: 238 Member
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    I use no-salt-added/no-sugar-added canned fruits and vegetables all the time, in addition to frozen fruits and veggies, whenever I am out of fresh produce or when I'm in a hurry. You might be interested in reading these articles as they support the fact that canned and frozen veggies/fruits are usually packaged at the peak of freshness and are loaded with nutrients:

    http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/27/really-the-claim-fresh-produce-has-more-nutrients-than-canned/

    http://www.newstribune.com/news/2012/sep/30/fresh-frozen-and-canned-vegetables-there-really-di/
  • BlueBombers
    BlueBombers Posts: 4,065 Member
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    Other than canned tomatoes for sauces, I just find I don't like the way they taste...icky.

    Fresh or frozen any day!
  • action_figure
    action_figure Posts: 511 Member
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    Some people just can't use all the fresh veggies within the week !
    Let alone spending gas money to and from the store.

    BPA, sodium and they taste like *kitten*. Frozen veggies are better than canned.
  • BlueBombers
    BlueBombers Posts: 4,065 Member
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    BPA, sodium and they taste like *kitten*. Frozen veggies are better than canned.
    [/quote]

    Hah! Loved how you described the taste :)
  • action_figure
    action_figure Posts: 511 Member
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    BPA, sodium and they taste like *kitten*. Frozen veggies are better than canned.

    Hah! Loved how you described the taste :)
    [/quote]

    I'm here to help. ;)

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