Eating fresh vegetables is not what most of us can do each day. In those days, our mothers already know that fresh supplies are the best in nutritional values. These days more worrying is the quantity of pesticides introduced into such produce. Go organic is what those affordable and health-conscious individuals would do.
As for the majority of us, the budget is an issue. So are those canned and frozen vegetables on the shelves of the retail outlets good enough? Most would agree that it is better to eat anything we can grab hold of than nothing.
Frozen vegetables
Contrary to what most of us think, frozen vegetables can be more nutritious than some of the fresh produce as they are usually picked at their peak ripeness to be frozen. On the other hand, fresh vegetables are harvested before maturing, to allow for ample shipping time. Hence, there is less time to develop or accumulate all their nutrients. Along the way, delicate nutrients like vitamin B and C can also evaporate. The loss of nutritional value can be as high as 80% due to distribution and storage deficiencies.
While the first step of freezing vegetables—blanching them in hot water or steam to kill bacteria and arrest the action of food-degrading enzymes can cause some water-soluble nutrients like vitamin B and C to break down or leach out, the subsequent flash-freeze locks the vegetables in a relatively nutrient-rich state.
An advantage of taking frozen vegetables is that they may have the outer cellulose layer already broken as a result of the freezing, making it easier for your body to digest the vegetables.
Canned vegetables
Canning is a method to preserve food for long-term storage by sealing it in an airtight container with minimal chemical preservatives added. Instead, a variety of methods are used to prevent the food from spoiling, such as heating, freezing or drying.
Generally, low-acid foods like vegetables, seafood and meats require sterilization to kill harmful bacteria by raising high temperatures to create steam while under pressure using a pressure canner. High-acid foods, like fruits or pickled vegetables, can be safely canned in a boiling water bath since the acidity of the foods gives additional protection against bacteria.
Canned foods are undoubtedly less nutritious than fresh vegetables, because they are cooked for a very long time, and then packaged with a great deal of salt, raising the salt content by as much as 5-10 times the fresh ones.
Their popularity is cost and durability. Mass production helps to lower cost for consumers. Canned foods can also be stored safely for several years. High-acid foods like tomatoes and fruits can be stored for up to 18 months while low-acid meats and vegetables can be stored anywhere from two to five years. Always store them in a cool, clean and dry place, and never above the stove, under the sink or in a damp garage or basement.
While extremely rare, canned foods may contain a dangerous toxins produced by the heat-resistant Clostridium botulinum bacteria. A small dose of botulinum toxin is enough to cause the deadly paralytic illness known as botulism. Applying high temperatures should be enough to kill this fatal bacteria. However, contamination is still possible if the integrity of the can is compromised in some way.
To be safe, never eat from cans that show the following:
+ Select a variety of foods from a variety of sources to give you a better mix of nutrients and reduce your likelihood of exposure to a single pesticide.
+ When vegetables are in-season, buy them fresh and ripe. “Off-season,” frozen vegetables will give you a high concentration of nutrients.
+ Eat the vegetables soon after purchase as over many months, nutrients in frozen vegetables do inevitably degrade.
+ Steam rather than boil your produce to minimize the loss of water-soluble vitamins. The less the vegetables are boiled, the more vital ingredients are retained. Making a vegetable soup is fine. Any leftover liquid of boiled vegetables can be utilised to make stocks and gravies.
+ As to whether organic produce is more nutritious or safer, the findings are as follows:
- “A recent study examined the past 50 years’ worth of scientific articles about the nutrient content of organic and conventional foods. The researchers concluded that organically and conventionally produced foodstuffs are comparable in their nutrient content.”
- “According to the USDA, organic produce carries significantly fewer pesticide residues than does conventional produce. However, residues on most products — both organic and nonorganic — don’t exceed government safety thresholds”. (Note the variation of standards worldwide to assess the risk involved)
- One common concern with organic food is cost. Organic foods typically cost more than do their conventional counterparts due to more expensive farming practices. Also, organic fruits and vegetables are not treated with waxes or preservatives and thus may spoil faster.
Source: http://www.askmen.com/sports/foodcourt/37_eating_well.html
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/organic-food/NU00255/NSECTIONGROUP=2
As for the majority of us, the budget is an issue. So are those canned and frozen vegetables on the shelves of the retail outlets good enough? Most would agree that it is better to eat anything we can grab hold of than nothing.
Frozen vegetables
While the first step of freezing vegetables—blanching them in hot water or steam to kill bacteria and arrest the action of food-degrading enzymes can cause some water-soluble nutrients like vitamin B and C to break down or leach out, the subsequent flash-freeze locks the vegetables in a relatively nutrient-rich state.
An advantage of taking frozen vegetables is that they may have the outer cellulose layer already broken as a result of the freezing, making it easier for your body to digest the vegetables.
Canned vegetables
Canning is a method to preserve food for long-term storage by sealing it in an airtight container with minimal chemical preservatives added. Instead, a variety of methods are used to prevent the food from spoiling, such as heating, freezing or drying.
Generally, low-acid foods like vegetables, seafood and meats require sterilization to kill harmful bacteria by raising high temperatures to create steam while under pressure using a pressure canner. High-acid foods, like fruits or pickled vegetables, can be safely canned in a boiling water bath since the acidity of the foods gives additional protection against bacteria.Canned foods are undoubtedly less nutritious than fresh vegetables, because they are cooked for a very long time, and then packaged with a great deal of salt, raising the salt content by as much as 5-10 times the fresh ones.
Their popularity is cost and durability. Mass production helps to lower cost for consumers. Canned foods can also be stored safely for several years. High-acid foods like tomatoes and fruits can be stored for up to 18 months while low-acid meats and vegetables can be stored anywhere from two to five years. Always store them in a cool, clean and dry place, and never above the stove, under the sink or in a damp garage or basement.
While extremely rare, canned foods may contain a dangerous toxins produced by the heat-resistant Clostridium botulinum bacteria. A small dose of botulinum toxin is enough to cause the deadly paralytic illness known as botulism. Applying high temperatures should be enough to kill this fatal bacteria. However, contamination is still possible if the integrity of the can is compromised in some way.
To be safe, never eat from cans that show the following:
- Leaking
- Bulging
- Denting
- Cracking
- Discoloration
- Foul odors
+ Select a variety of foods from a variety of sources to give you a better mix of nutrients and reduce your likelihood of exposure to a single pesticide.
+ When vegetables are in-season, buy them fresh and ripe. “Off-season,” frozen vegetables will give you a high concentration of nutrients.
+ Eat the vegetables soon after purchase as over many months, nutrients in frozen vegetables do inevitably degrade.
+ Steam rather than boil your produce to minimize the loss of water-soluble vitamins. The less the vegetables are boiled, the more vital ingredients are retained. Making a vegetable soup is fine. Any leftover liquid of boiled vegetables can be utilised to make stocks and gravies.
+ As to whether organic produce is more nutritious or safer, the findings are as follows:
- “A recent study examined the past 50 years’ worth of scientific articles about the nutrient content of organic and conventional foods. The researchers concluded that organically and conventionally produced foodstuffs are comparable in their nutrient content.”
- One common concern with organic food is cost. Organic foods typically cost more than do their conventional counterparts due to more expensive farming practices. Also, organic fruits and vegetables are not treated with waxes or preservatives and thus may spoil faster.
Source: http://www.askmen.com/sports/foodcourt/37_eating_well.html
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/organic-food/NU00255/NSECTIONGROUP=2
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