Health
Canned food myths debunked
The affordability of canned foods entices many
people to stock up on the essentials. However,
there are some people who still harbor concerns
about the safety of canned foods. Getting to the truth
about canned foods can assuage some of those concerns
and help those on the fence stock up on these
budget-friendly staples:
Myth #1: Canned foods are not as healthy
as fresh foods.
Fresh foods, once harvested, have a fi nite shelf
life. Plus, once fruit or vegetables are picked, their
vitamin and mineral content decreases each day
that they are not consumed. Many canned foods are
picked and processed on the same day, helping to
retain nutrients at their peak and lock them in for
many months.
Also, according to the Hy-Vee supermarket chain,
sometimes canned foods are packed with additional
nutrients, such as increased lycopene in canned tomatoes.
Myth #2: They are full of preservatives.
The perception that canned foods are “processed”
foods often leads people to believe they’re full of unsavory
ingredients. The term processing is used to
describe any food that has been changed from its
natural form. So removing corn from a cob counts
as processing, as is baking or boiling potatoes.
Canned foods are preserved by heating the items
and sealing them under pressure. No other preservatives
are needed to keep them fresh.
Myth #3: Can linings are dangerous.
There has been controversy concerning BPAcontaining
plastics for many years. Even though the
Food and Drug Administration, as well as other international
food safety agencies, has evaluated the
extensive body of science and continue to affi rm
BPA’s safety in food packaging, some manufacturers
are voluntarily moving away from it.
Consumers can fi nd many foods packed in cans
with non-BPA linings. However, even foods packaged
in BPA are considered safe for consumption.
Myth #4: Canned foods are full of sodium.
Some canned foods will contain salt as an added
ingredient to improve taste and act as a freshness
Getting to the truth about canned foods
can assuage some of those concerns
and help those on the fence stock up on
these budget-friendly staples.
preservative. But canned foods do not rank among
the biggest offenders in regard to excessive amounts
of sodium.
In 2012, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
released a study that identifi ed the top 10
food categories that contribute to high sodium diets.
Pizza, cured meats, cold cuts, and rolls made the list,
while canned foods did not.
Myth #5: They do not taste good.
Because foods are canned when they are at peak
freshness and ripeness after harvest, they retain
full fl avor if properly stored.
Myth #6: All dented cans are unsafe.
Cans can become dented in transit. Drop a can
and it will dent. But that doesn’t necessarily mean
foods inside dented cans are unsafe to eat. If a can
is bulging or if the top or bottom of the can moves or
makes a popping sound, the seal has probably been
broken or compromised by bacteria and should be
thrown out.
Canned foods are safe and can make for valuable
additions to any pantry.
Schneps Media TVG April 4, 2019 27