Q: Sometimes I reach for canned and frozen foods to save time. Are canned and frozen items as healthful as fresh produce?
A: Fresh vegetables are more nutri- tious than their frozen or canned counter-parts, but frozen and canned vege-tables are an acceptable alternative. Generally, vegetables are canned or frozen immediately upon harvest when their nutrient content is at its peak. However, canned vegetables are usually loaded with salt, so check the sodium content on the label. And how you cook vegetables can affect the nutrient content. Vegetables of any type (fresh, frozen or canned) that are boiled in large amounts of water for long periods of time lose much of their nutritional content, as compared to lightly steamed vegetables.
— Indi Maharaj, registered dietitian, Erlanger’s Chattanooga LifeStyle Center
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