Simply being fruit doesn’t equate to being healthy.
For those lacking culinary prowess, canned food plays an essential role. It has a prolonged shelf life, requires minimal preparation, and offers a variety of food options. While canned food may not be the epitome of nutritional excellence, it’s still feasible to obtain essential nutrients from it. Nevertheless, there exists a specific category of canned food that, while enjoyable as an occasional indulgence, should be avoided from a nutritional standpoint: preserved fruit.
Many mainstream brands of preserved fruit are pre-sliced and stored in a preserving liquid. More often than not, this liquid is a chemical syrup. While syrup effectively preserves the fruit and retains its sweetness, it significantly elevates the fruit’s sugar content. Despite the misconception that the preserving liquid doesn’t impact the fruit’s nutritional value, it actually plays a crucial role. For example, a sliced peach naturally contains around 13 grams of sugar. However, when preserved in syrup, this amount skyrockets to 45 grams of sugar. The excessive sugar content can disrupt your body’s chemical equilibrium, not to mention the overwhelming sweetness that can make it hard to consume.
Undoubtedly, consuming fresh fruit would be ideal, but this sacrifices the extended shelf life provided by canned options. A middle ground is to scrutinize the ingredients list of canned fruits before purchasing. Not all preserved fruits are stored in syrup; some are preserved in plain water, significantly reducing the additional sugar content. Look for the label stating “no added sugar.” If you opt for canned food, whether due to limited cooking skills or power outages, it’s advisable to choose the healthiest available options.
