Canning: health benefits or harm? The nutritionist answers

At the end of summer, people start making various twists en masse. It has become a kind of Ukrainian tradition. Some people make pickles from their garden, while others buy products at the market. But everyone has the same goal: to eat delicious canned vegetables, fruits, and berries in the winter.

Canned food is also a great alternative to fresh food, which has a long shelf life. However, in recent years, the approach to nutrition has changed a lot in the direction of using fresh products and giving up a lot of our usual dishes. Nutritionist Olha Stepanova told TSN whether it is worth eating canned food and whether it is as healthy as everyone thinks.

What kind of canned food is healthy?

According to Stepanova, canned food can significantly diversify a person's diet. But it is very important to follow all the rules of hygiene and safety when preparing it. And methods such as pickling or fermenting can add beneficial minerals and probiotics to the body. At the same time, when using the method of canning at high temperatures, on the contrary, vitamins are lost. Therefore, the nutritionist says that it is better to use alternative approaches to harvest food for the winter.

How to replace canned food?

Olga Stepanova notes that a tasty and healthy human diet can be created through a balanced approach to canning. Only then will the body's need for nutrients be met. Moreover, canned fruits and vegetables can be easily replaced with dried ones. Such a superfood can be a great snack that will saturate the body with vitamins. She also emphasizes that a person who is determined to change their diet should first consult a specialist. And this applies not only to the choice of healthy canned food but also to the diet in general.