Nutritional Value

Canning is a way of processing food to extend its shelf life. The idea is to make food available and edible long after the processing time. A 1997 study found that canned fruits and vegetables are as rich with dietary fiber and vitamins as the same corresponding fresh or frozen foods, and in some cases the canned products are richer than their fresh or frozen counterparts.

The heating process during canning appears to make dietary fiber more soluble, and therefore more readily fermented in the colon into gases and physiologically active byproducts. Canned tomatoes have a higher available lycopene content. Consequently, canned meat and vegetables are often among the list of food items that are stocked during emergencies.

In 2013, the Can Manufacturers Institute launched the Cans Get You Cooking Campaign with the support of Crown Holdings, Inc., Ball Corporation, and Silgan Containers. The goal of the campaign is to get consumers to use more canned goods in their daily meals.