When I was a kid, I remember my mother coming back from the A&P with all my favorite canned foods: creamed corn, Bush’s baked beans, and those peaches drenched in delicious syrup. Granted, I may remember those canned foods more because they were really like desserts, but I remember the healthy ones, too: peas, asparagus, and kidney beans. Canned food was easy and delicious.
For so long, America’s focus has been on buying and eating only fresh fruits and vegetables that some old-fashioned ways of eating have fallen by the wayside. But now, when our economic woes are forcing many of us to be a little more cost-conscious in everyday life, we may be thinking of ways to cut back on the basics. One of the most critical places in which to monitor spending is at the supermarket, where canned food can be one smart alternative to consider. Canned fruits and vegetables are often less expensive and will last much longer than fresh ones. But while there are many advantages to choosing canned foods, there’s also a downside. Whenever you browse the aisles of your local grocery store, keep the following in mind.
The Good
The most obvious benefit of buying canned food is that it can be much less expensive than buying fresh. For example, in early 2010, Safeway.com was selling a 14.5-ounce can of green beans for $1.00 and a twelve-ounce bag of fresh green beans for $3.99. That’s $0.07/ounce for the canned green beans and $0.33/ounce for the fresh green beans. More important, the fresh green beans might keep in the refrigerator for about five days before they start to wilt and shrivel, but, according to the USDA, the canned beans will stay good for three to five years. Another advantage is that vegetables are usually picked at their peak ripeness and canned shortly thereafter, sealing in nutrients when they’re at optimal levels. Stocking up on canned food in one trip, versus making frequent weekly visits to the store for fresh fruits and vegetables, also saves a considerable amount of time. So buying canned food doesn’t just help you conserve money; it can also free up your schedule.
The Bad
Over the past few years, there has been a fair amount of public speculation over the possible health risks of bisphenol-A, or BPA. BPA.org describes the chemical as “a key component used to make epoxy resins and polycarbonate plastic, which are used to make consumer goods.” The media has focused on BPA’s presence in plastic bottles, but studies have shown that it’s also included in the plastic lining of cans and may leach into the content over time. According to a study published in the December 2009 issue of Consumer Reports, “Latest tests of canned foods, including soups, juice, tuna, and green beans, have found that almost all of the 19 name-brand foods tested contain some BPA.” The study also discovered BPA in products that were labeled “BPA-free.” In addition, more significant levels of BPA have been found in acidic foods, such as tomatoes and tomato paste.
While this information is disconcerting, the jury is still out on what may actually be considered harmful levels of BPA. According to a study by the U.S. National Toxicology Program and published in a September 2008 American Cancer Society article, BPA has been shown to affect both breast and prostate tissue in ways that could be linked to cancer. However, because tests have been done only on animals, the report concludes that there is not enough evidence yet to know whether BPA causes cancer in humans.
Along with BPA, canned foods most often also contain a number of additives to enhance flavor and preserve food, some of which include MSG, salt, corn syrup, and various food coloring and have been linked to a range of health problems, including everything from allergic reactions to more long-term disorders, such as high cholesterol and asthma.
