Are Canned Goods Healthy? (The Answer May Surprise You)

What Are Canned Goods?

Canned goods are minimally processed food items that are packaged in steel or aluminum containers by heat processing to preserve them. This locks in flavor, nutrients, and make seasonal ingredients available year-round.

Canned goods, whether they may be soups, vegetables, fruits or purees are never really been part of the healthy foods conversation. That’s because many people consciously and unconsciously believe that they are bad for you. Despite these beliefs, there have been many studies that have shown that canned foods can have some benefits. But first, let’s take a look at why we can our foods.

Why Do We Can Our Foods?

Food preservation methods have existed for centuries. There are several reasons why.

All produce come from a plant or tree. These plants provide the produce with all of it’s nutrients needed to survive, similar to how a mother provides a baby all it’s nutrients in the womb to survive. As soon as the produce is removed from the plant or tree during harvesting, the produce slowly starts to lose it’s nutrients because it uses itself as a source of calories⁴. Eventually the plant eats itself to the point of spoilage.

Some produce are only capable of growing in specific regions of the world. Without canning and other preservation methods such as refrigeration, our produce would spoil before it reached the other side of the world. Certain produce do better in refrigeration than others. Click here to my blog post to read more about best refrigeration practices to keep produce fresh longer.

Before refrigeration was invented, food was preserved using salting and sugaring techniques. Sugaring was mainly reserved for fruits while salt preservation would be used for vegetables, meats and fish.

So as you can see, preserving food, including the canning process, is important for various reasons. But, are canned goods really healthy for us?

Are Canned Goods Healthy?

Despite popular belief, canned goods can actually be healthy. In fact, some studies have shown that they are nutritionally comparable to their fresh food counterparts.

One of the most popular sources cited about the health of canned foods is a 2007 study found that high heat processing of canning affects each type of vitamins and minerals differently. Water soluble vitamins (B vitamins and vitamin C) may be reduced during the heating process³. Minerals, fat soluble vitamins (A,D,E,K), protein, fiber, and carbohydrates are very much unaffected by the canning process⁴. And, heating can increase the availability of some antioxidants.

This study suggests that the healthiness of canned foods is a very nuanced answer. Despite the research, many people still think that fresh fruit and vegetables are healthier than their canned counterparts.

Why They Get a Bad Rep

Many people believe that canned foods are not good for you. They tend to think fresh produce is better for your mental and physical health1. It is also believed that they don’t taste as good. However, a 2000 study that blinded participants when testing for fresh and canned based meals reported equal taste between the two¹. This suggests that though people may believe this, in the real world they report no difference.

Additionally, people tend to associate canned foods with low income and low quality¹. This creates a negative stigma around canned goods. These are deep rooted beliefs that may mainly stem from historical narratives.

One positive characteristic that people believe about canned foods is that they are more convenient and easier to prepare. That’s not the only good thing about them though. As stated above, canned goods can actually be healthy. There are ways to get the most of their nutrients which will be explained down below.

Maximize the Nutrition of Conned Goods

The Best Time to Buy

Are there times of the year when they can be the most beneficial to buy to receive the most nutrients? When is the best time to buy them in stores?

FOr optimal Nutrition

Keep in mind that there is technically not a specific optimal time to buy canned foods for optimal nutrition. Produce for canned foods are typically harvested at the peak of ripeness and canned within hours. This means that certain vitamins and minerals are at their highest levels and are locked in.

Despite there being no optimal time for the best nutritional value, that doesn’t mean it’s the same for in store deals.

For best In Store Deals

Winter Holidays (October – December) – Items such as pumpkin puree, pie fillings, evaporated milk and holiday canned produces tend to go on sale during this season, so it’s best to buy them around this time.

February – February is National Canned Vegetables Month. Some store may have deals on canned vegetables so be on the lookout for sales!

Spring/Summer – Certain grocery stones may discount canned fruits and vegetables when they are in season. So not only will you get the best deal, you’ll also be getting the most nutritious deal!

Rinse, Drain, Repeat

One of the biggest criticisms of canned foods that I hear most people express is the fact that canned foods contain too much sodium. This is a fair criticism and it can be mitigated. One way to eat less sodium while enjoying your canned foods is to drain the liquid of the canned food and rinse it. Draining and rinsing canned goods helps to remove about 40% of the sodium from them.

Also try buying canned goods that are already low sodium. You can still drain and rinse them, and that’ll lower your sodium content even more. You may need to add more seasoning for improved taste. When buying canned fruits, make sure to buy ones in water instead of syrup. This will ensure that you are buying a canned food item that’s lower in sugar. Additionally, make sure you are storing your canned food properly.

Canned Goods Storage

Be sure that you always store your canned goods in a dry, dark space that is between 50 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure that your cans are not dented. If they are, immediately throw them away. Sometimes dented cans are harmless, but other times, dented cans can compromise the seal, which can lead to your food being contaminated. That’s why it’s best to throw dented cans away – you don’t want to find out if they’re bad or not. Just assume it already is.

Your Thoughts on Canned Goods

Let us know in the comments down below if you learned something new about canned foods. Also comment any of your favorite recipes you have on canned foods. We’d love to hear them!

References

1. L.M. Dudley, S. Saluja, R.J. Stevenson, H.M. Francis, T.I. Case. (2025). As good as fresh, but not perceived that way: Implicit and explicit bias towards canned and frozen fruits and vegetables. Food Quality and Preference. 129(2025) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105517
2. Canned Food Alliance. (n.d.). Canned Food and Nutrition Research. https://www.mealtime.org/canned-food-nutrition-research/
3. Rickman, J.C., Barrett, D.M., Bruhn, C.M. (2007). Nutritional comparison of fresh, frozen and canned fruits and vegetables. Part 1. Vitamins C and B and phenolic compounds. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. 87. (pp 930 – 944). DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.2825
4. Rickman, J.C., Barrett, D.M., Bruhn, C.M. (2007). Nutritional comparison of fresh, frozen and canned fruits and vegetables II. Vitamin A and carotenoids, vitamin E, minerals and fiber. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.2824