by Di Johnson

Created on: May 01, 2008

Canned vegetables are dead and fresh vegetables are dying. I guess that's not the real question though..! Word play aside - it's not so far from the answer.

To clarify. The canning process has to be safe and to do this filled and sealed cans are subjected to what is known as the Botulinum Cook. Clostridium Botulinum is a particularly nasty bug , it's a pathogenic (harmful) bacterium ingestion of which can be fatal due to the toxin which it releases, so you wouldn't want to allow that to survive.

Phenomenally high temperatures of a minimum 232 degrees Centigrade not only destroys pathogenic bacteria such as Clostridium Botulinum, but also destroys spoilage organisms such as mould and bacteria which degrade the food. The high temperature also has a detrimental effect on Vitamins and minerals. As far as nutrition goes the most notably effected Vitamins are the water soluble ones such as Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and B.

From a perspective of fresh versus canned possibly most important is that the enzymes within the foodstuffs are also destroyed when making the food product inert. Enzymes are a great advantage to us nutritionally, but assist in the decomposition of the fruit or vegetable once removed from the parent plant. When consumed food enzymes enable the digestive process, improving the body's enzyme pool and sparing the naturally produced enzymes in the body. This allows the enzymes for all the biological tasks which are required from digesting through to basic metabolism tasks to be available. Because of this sparing activity it is thought that increased consumption of food enzymes found naturally in fresh fruit and vegetables leads to greater vitality, an improved immune system and radiant skin.

Frozen peas are a special case as they can be more nutritious than both fresh and canned due to the quick method of freezing immediately after picking. This halts the negative impact of enzymic action responsible for destroying the Vitamin C content. Many other vegetables such as carrots and sprouts really don't lend themselves to freezing as the cell walls in the vegetable erupt even when quick frozen giving a texture reminiscent of chewing hessian with a flavour to match. This is enough to put most people off eating them and you may cook with them with moderate success, but you certainly wouldn't want to eat them fresh.

I guess it comes down to convenience. If you have a choice of no vegetables on your dinner plate, or a canned vegetable, then the canned vegetable option is better than no vegetable. Care though, if using canned vegetables check your nutrition labels and avoid added salt, sugar and nitrates to get a more natural and beneficial food product.

Good foods to eat raw for maximum nutrition include fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds and sprouted seeds. Avoid fresh goods that are bruised, damaged or looking past their best. Chew foods properly to allow those enzymes to work and deliver those fantastic nutrients.

Learn more about this author, Di Johnson.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.