Canned and frozen vegetables provide a variety of vitamins and minerals, are low in fat and provide much needed fiber to your diet. At a fraction of the cost of fresh vegetables, they are an attractive alternative for many cost-conscious shoppers. While both have nutritious aspects, most frozen vegetables have the upper hand when it comes to retaining the maximum amount of vitamins and nutrients.
Canning Process
Vegetables lose much of their nutrients during the preservation or canning process. There are a few exceptions to this rule -- namely tomatoes and pumpkin.
Flash Freeze Process
Frozen vegetables tend to retain more vitamins than their canned counterparts and may even be healthier than fresh vegetables thanks to timing. Manufacturers process frozen vegetables at the point of peak ripeness, which is when they have the most nutrients. Although the first step of vegetable freezing causes some vitamin B and C depletion, the second step known as flash-freezing locks in the rest of the nutrients. For maximum nutritional value, it is best to eat frozen vegetables sooner rather than later. Over time, nutrients in frozen vegetables will degrade.
Preservatives
Many people opt for canned vegetables because they can be conveniently stored on a shelf for a long time. Food manufacturers use salt, sugar and other items to help in this preservation process, which helps them maintain their long shelf life. These additional items add unhealthy components to the vegetables.
Tips to Maximize Nutrition
Canned and frozen vegetables vary in quality. To help you shop, use the U.S. Department of Agriculture grading standards used to measure quality. Packaging labeled "USDA U.S. Fancy" tend to be more nutrient-rich than lower grades labeled "U.S. No. 1" or U.S. No. 2." When preparing vegetables, you can help minimize vitamin loss by steaming or microwaving rather than boiling.
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