990355 Studies Show Canned Food Great Nutition Source

Pittsburgh, PA - Now that National Nutrition Month is underway, the Canned Food Alliance wants to make sure all American consumers are aware that canned food can be a great-tasting way to add essential nutrients to the diet. A series of University of Illinois studies, comparing the nutrient content of canned, fresh and frozen food, revealed that canned food is as nutritious -- and in some cases, more nutritious -- than its fresh and frozen counterparts. The 1997 study, along with great recipe ideas and suggestions for improving your family's diet with canned food, can be found at the new Canned Food Alliance Web site www.mealtime.org/nutrition/qandh.html.

The nutrition studies, conducted by the University of Illinois Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, found canned fruits and vegetables are a convenient weapon in helping to combat the risk of heart disease and some types of cancer. The 1997 study, Nutrient Conservation in Canned, Frozen and Fresh Foods, expanded upon the original 1995 study, broadening the food categories studied and extending the comparison to include additional essential nutrients. These results were important factors in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s decision to allow canned fruits and vegetables to carry “healthy” label information.

Despite these findings, National Family Opinion (NFO) poll research reveals consumers continue to believe that canned food is not healthy. According to the NFO survey, less than one percent of shoppers think nutrition is an advantage of canned food.

The 1997 study evaluated existing nutrient data on 35 canned fruits and vegetables, legumes, poultry and fish, and compared them with data on their fresh and frozen counterparts. The results were based on data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's nutrient data bank and manufacturer product labels that meet the latest labeling requirements of the FDA. The study was conducted for the Canned Food Alliance.

Among the findings:

-- Many canned fruits and vegetables are high in vitamin A and related carotenes, antioxidants that provide essential protection for the body's cells. Canned products packed with carotenes include: green and yellow vegetables, spinach, sweet potatoes, carrots, peaches, pumpkin and apricots.

-- Canned tomatoes, in particular, contain an important carotenoid called lycopene, which other studies have found appears to help prevent prostate cancer. In fact, some analyses show lycopene is more effective when eaten after heating or canning the tomatoes.

-- The vitamin C in a serving of canned pineapple, like fresh, supplies more than 20% of the Recommended Daily Intake (RDI), while offering the convenience of being ready to eat and available year- round. -- Canned poultry and fish stack up well against fresh and frozen versions, with similar levels of protein and vitamins. Canned salmon is higher in calcium _ a vital nutrient needed to maintain strong bones and teeth _ than fresh or frozen salmon.

-- Recipes with canned ingredients provide comparable or greater nutritional value. For instance, a spaghetti sauce recipe made with canned tomatoes provides more fiber, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium and iron than the same recipe using fresh tomatoes.

-- Many canned fruits and vegetables, particularly varieties of beans, are a valuable source of soluble fiber, which other research has shown reduces blood cholesterol and gastrointestinal problems that increase the possibility of certain cancers. The researchers also stated the heating process during canning appears to make fiber more soluble, and therefore, more useful to the body.

-- A serving of canned carrots provides at least 100% of the RDI for vitamin A, with some brands providing triple the RDI, surpassing fresh and frozen altogether. The higher vitamin A content in carrots, potatoes, spinach and pumpkin may be attributable to the fact that some food processors select or grow varieties known to be higher in vitamin content.

-- Most vitamin C is retained after canning and remains stable during the one- to two-year shelf life of the product. Significant sources of vitamin C include canned apricots, asparagus, oranges, grapefruit, pineapple, strawberries, spinach and tomatoes.

-- Folate is an important nutrient that helps to regulate blood pressure and kidney functions. Recent studies indicate folic acid also plays a key role for women in prenatal care and during pregnancy. Look for significant levels of the RDI of folate in canned beans (20% to 40%) and asparagus (25%).

“The stamp of approval from the FDA confirms what we've known all along (you can count on the nutritional quality of canned food,” said Barbara Klein, Ph.D., professor of food science and nutrition at the University of Illinois at Urbana and the study author. “But, even with the FDA decision, consumers are not aware that the canning process allows food producers to pick fresh foods at their peak, and pack them immediately to preserve both the flavor and the high nutrient content.”

Convenience Another Benefit

“Many Americans still fail to meet the '5 A Day' recommendation of the National Cancer Institute, so they are missing out on lots of essential nutrients and fiber,” Klein added. “Eating canned food, like legumes, fruits and vegetables is an easy and convenient way to nutritionally 'pump up' your diet.”

The study revealed, for example, that canned red kidney beans rank first in fiber content among 35 product categories analyzed, providing 9.2 grams of fiber per one-cup serving, followed by other canned legumes, peas and blackberries. As any busy cook knows, using canned legumes (or any canned ingredient for that matter (dramatically shortens food preparation time, providing a short-cut to healthy meals.

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