Which is Healthier: Canned or Frozen Foods?

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Sure, we always prefer fresh produce, but if you’re looking to save some money and for your foods to last longer, frozen and canned foods are the way to go. While both are healthy options, there are pros and cons to each and here’s what you should know before buying them.

Frozen Foods

Pros

Frozen fruits and vegetables are typically frozen after harvest and seafood and fish is frozen after it’s caught. The calories and macronutrients don’t differentiate between them and their fresh counterparts, but frozen fruits and vegetables usually have higher nutrient contents because they haven’t spent time in shipment or sitting on shelves in grocery stores.

With frozen foods, you have more options like blended ones with many different types of fruits and vegetables that are prepackaged for stir-fries or smoothies. They’re also usually cheaper than fresh options and you don’t have to cut, peel, chop, or sort them.

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Cons

Although frozen options are more convenient and cost-effective, they often have added sugar, salt, and preservatives. Just make sure you read the nutrition labels and look for as few ingredients as possible.

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Canned Foods

Pros

Canned foods have a much longer shelf life, they’re affordable, and they’re easier to store than frozen ones. Like frozen foods, they’re time-saving as you don’t have to cut, boil, simmer, or season them.

Cons

Many people don’t enjoy the taste and texture of canned foods and there’s also lots of salt, sugar, and preservatives added. For canned fruits, they often are packaged in their own juices, which adds tons of sugar to them. Like frozen foods, just read the labels and choose options that contain less sodium and sugar.

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