1. More Than Mystery Meat
Don't write off cans as an inferior form of packaging for food. The sterilization that can be contained by steel cans is one of the most superior forms of storage ever invented. The preparation of the canned stuff can follow any number of processes, including, but not limited to, boiling, baking and par boiling. Spices and seasonings can be added with little concern for spoilage. With canned goods, the time delay between the cooking and the packaging is small, thus limiting the chances for contamination ever further. The cans also prevent spoilage from light and oxidation. Meat packaged in cans will remain in good condition for consumption for up to two years.
2. Read Up
Learn to read the labels on all food. The government now requires that nutritional values be printed on all packaged food, more than we get from the fresh food we buy in the grocery store. While fresh seems to be the best choice when buying meat, there is no way to know how many chemicals went into the feeding and preparation of a certain cut of beef or chicken. However, the label on a canned meat product must include any and all chemicals that are in the product. Start with the portion size to figure out the amounts that you will actually consume. A small can of deviled meat may actually contain two or three servings. If you eat the whole can, you can multiply the nutrients on the label by the number of servings you consumed.
3. Figure out the Numbers
The percentages on a can of meat refer to a 2,000-calorie diet. They are perhaps the least reliable numbers that you can use on a label to gauge the nutritional value. Instead look for grams and milligrams and know how much you need or want in your diet to decipher the proper nutrition content that you are seeking. If you are shooting for 30 grams of protein in your daily diet, then you can figure out for yourself what percentage a can of meat with 10 grams of protein will provide for you. Check fat contents, an important feature in any diet, whether you are trying to lose weight, maintain a healthy heart or avoid illness. The fewer grams of saturated fats in a can, the better. Calories again must be calculated according to the serving size. For example, a 12 ounce can of chicken may show 50 calories on the label, yet the serving size on the can is six. You would consume 300 calories if you eat the whole can.
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