Fruit provides a huge amount of vitamins, nutrients, and natural sugars that fuel and benefit out bodies. It is a big part of a healthy diet. There are two very popular ways to buy and consume fruits, these are fresh, of course, and canned. Many people believe that canned fruits are not as healthy for you as fresh. If you are trying to decide which type is right for you and your lifestyle it is important to understand the facts.
Things To Know About Canned Fruit
1. Basics
Canned fruit is any type of fruit that has been processed and canned in order to preserve it. It is a very common way that many people obtain their fruit nutrients and vitamins. They offer a comparable amount of health benefits as fresh fruit, possibly even more.
2. Nutrients
Canned fruit does not lose a large amount of their nutritional value during the canning process, if any. This is because when they are canned the decomposition of the fruit is stopped until the can is opened again. The amount of nutrients that are lost depend largely on how quickly after harvesting they are canned. The sooner they are canned, the more nutrients they contain.
3. What It’s In
One big thing that effects the amount of calories and sugars in your fruit is what it is canned in. Many fruits are canned in syrup, which contains a very high amount of sugar and adds empty calories into the fruit. Other better options to choose when buying canned fruit is fruit that is canned in it’s own juice or in water.
4. Not Seasonal
A big plus to buying canned fruit is that you can enjoy fruits that are no longer in season or you cannot obtain. For this reason alone canned fruit is highly popular.
5. Best To Choose
Some fruits retain their texture and taste better than others when canned. If you are trying to choose the best canned fruits then you may like pineapple, peaches, pears, and apricots.
Fresh Fruit Facts
1. Basics
Fresh fruit is defined as fruit that has not been processed or preserved at all. It remains unaltered at all and still has it’s skin and seeds. It is commonly thought to be the best way to consume fruits or vegetables.
2. Nutrition
Fresh fruit contains all of the natural nutrients that are present in each different fruit. The nutrients begin to diminish shortly after picking however. This means the longer it takes from picking to consuming, the less nutrients that are pleasant in the fruit.
3. Taste
Fresh fruits have a great and unchanged taste. Their texture is also just the way it is intended to be, making it a wonderful and delicious snack.
4. Seasonal
One thing that can hinder a fresh fruit experience is if the fruit you are purchasing is “out of season”. Most fruits go through seasons in which they are harvested and are at peak time. This can also effect their cost as well, making fruits that are out of season more expensive.
Differences Between Canned Fruit and Fresh Fruit
1. Preserved
The largest difference between canned fruit and fresh fruit is that canned fruit has been preserved and can last for many months. This is much different than fresh fruit which begin to rot after less than a week.
2. Nutrients
The nutrients in canned and fresh fruit are also different, but not the way you’d think. Many studies have shown that canned fruit actually offer more nutritional value than fresh fruit. The cause of this is because canned fruits are canned at peak freshness, and nearly no nutrients or vitamins are destroyed in the process. Fresh fruit begins to lose nutrients right after they are picked.
3. Availability
The times at which canned and fresh fruits are available are very different. Fresh fruits are only available at the times when each different fruit is in season, and the ones that are available during their off season as well are usually much more expensive. Canned fruits are available all year round.
4. Variety
The amount of choices you have to choose from is also different with canned and fresh fruit. There is a much wider variety with fresh fruit than canned. This is because many fruits do not store well in cans.