It may be astonishing, but there are as many vitamins on
your plate whether you use frozen vegetables, vegetables in cans or fresh
vegetables bought at the market or supermarket.
There is nevertheless an explanation to what can appear to be a
paradox:
Canned vegetables:
Developed in the early 19th century by the French navy,
canning is a two step process. After being harvested, the vegetables are
transported to the factory where they are quickly washed, sorted and subjected
to the thermal treatment of sterilization.
There are therefore few losses of vitamins by oxidation linked to
storage. Next, is sterilization (more
than 150° C), taking only a few minutes (less than 5 minutes). Vitamin losses are few. As with frozen vegetables, fiber and nutrient content
usually stay high in canned foods. Some research indicates that carotenes,
which can reduce cancer rates and eye problems, may be more available to the
body following the routine heat treatment.
What’s more, canned foods are bargain foods.
Frozen vegetables: The storage time after harvest is
equally very short. A quick laundering
(hot vapor for a few seconds) sets up the natural colors of vegetables and
therefore natural deterioration of the vegetable is avoided. The frozen vegetable is put into excessive
cold so that vitamins are not destroyed.
When cooking at home, the vitamins will not diminish until the vegetable
is boiled (scarcely 15 minutes in boiling water).
Fresh market vegetables: Somewhere out there – maybe just a five minute
drive from your house, is a farmer’s market selling fresh, organic leaf spinach
that might have been growing in the soil just an hour ago. Certainly, fresh
vegetable will never be better in taste and in vitamin preservation. Prepare
fresh vegetables in a timely manner.
Cook to al dente, even though this method does not represent the majority
of ways vegetables are served. Most often,
vegetables were gathered 2 or 3 days ago and stored in the refrigerator, and cooking
is often too long.
Which foods pay off?
Canned tuna is a marvelous food for preservation and taste
with tons of nutritional goodness and only 120 calories per 4 oz!
Eggs – A good source of protein, choline and vitamin B, and
a bargain.
Milk – An easy source of calcium and vitamin D. Lowfat milk has 110 calories and 8 g of
protein per cup.
So, canned foods came up the winner, being protein rich. For
example, canned pinto beans cost $1 less per serving than dried and canned
spinach a full 85% cheaper than fresh (but watch the additives). I personally prefer frozen – I don’t have to read!!!
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