Candida Cleanse by Sondra Forsyth

Author:Sondra Forsyth [Forsyth, Sondra]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ulysses Press

Chapter 13

Fruits and Vegetables: Fresh vs. Frozen and Canned

You can thank Ronald Reagan for the fact that March is officially Frozen Food Month. Back in 1984, the president, issued a proclamation designating March 6 as Frozen Food Day. This odd observance stemmed from his fondness for TV dinners. The day has since expanded to embrace the entire month of March, which also happens to be National Nutrition Month.

Somewhat surprisingly, that juxtaposition turns out to be fitting. Plenty of people assume that fresh produce is healthier than the frozen and canned versions, but that’s not always the case. Flash-frozen fruits and vegetables are actually better for you than most fresh produce. The same goes for many canned vegetables if the salt content is low, and for many canned fruits if no sugary syrups are added. (Tip: Rinse canned vegetables to lower the salt content, and buy canned fruits packed in their own juice.)

Why Frozen and Canned Products Are Healthy

Fruits and vegetables that end up in your supermarket were almost always picked before they were ripe, so they never reached their full nutrient potential. Adding to the problem, the antioxidant content gradually diminishes when the produce is shipped and while it sits in a store waiting for you to buy it. Unless you grow your own veggies and fruits or you frequent farmers markets and stop at roadside farm stands, you’re better off buying produce that was flash-frozen or canned at peak nutrition. That means the produce needs to be frozen or canned right after being harvested, before its nutrients begin to degrade. A 2007 study at the University of California, Davis found that the loss of nutrients in fresh products during storage may be even more significant than most people realize and that exclusive recommendations of fresh produce ignored the nutrient benefits of canned and frozen foods.

In 2006, the American Dietetic Association, since renamed the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, came out with a statement in favor of canned fruits and vegetables as good substitutes for fresh produce. It noted that canned produce might sometimes be healthier because it’s picked and canned at peak freshness. Heating during canning does destroy some vitamins, but most of the nutrients remain. The statement went on to say that—as a result of the canning process—canned tomatoes, corn, and carrots provide higher levels of some antioxidants than their fresh counterparts.

Keep in mind also that the nutritional value of fresh produce varies depending on the season. In Mediterranean countries, for example, people generally eat only local produce during the time of year each fruit or vegetable is available. In the United States, however, shoppers take it for granted that produce will be brought in all year round from far-flung areas of the country or indeed the world. Because of this practice, we have an abundance of choices every day of the year but few of us realize that the bulk of what’s available is not really “fresh” anymore. Nutrients including thiamine and vitamins A and C are often destroyed by the time we buy the produce.

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