We have all faced the problem of wanting to purchase fruits for ourselves, but not managing to get our hands on the nice fresh fruit. Or, what about those sudden moments when you crave a particular fruit and realize that it is not available in the season? In such cases, we tend to turn towards their canned alternatives. But are canned fruits really good for health? Well, that’s what we are here to tell you.

Keep reading to know more.

Fresh Fruit Vs. Canned Alternatives:

When it comes to taste, texture and nutritional value, fresh fruit will always take the cake. However, during the off-season, you don’t really have much of a choice, and hence, eating the canned varieties is the only option.

Canned fruit isn’t really bad. In fact, sometimes it retains greater nutrients as it is picked when ripe and processed right away while the fresh fruit may have to travel long distances to reach your kitchen table (1). Thus, it may be susceptible to improper storing, leading to the loss of precious nutrients.

One drawback of canned fruits is that they are usually peeled (2), and this reduces their fiber content. Vitamins A, B, and potassium may remain undestroyed, but Vitamin C is destroyed in the canning process. Fruits are usually canned in some syrup, thus adding a whole load of empty sugar calories. However, if you choose canned fruit packed in its own juice, it is more beneficial to you.

Pineapple – A Fruit With A Host Of Benefits?

Research has found that pineapple has a lot of health benefits. So, here are a few reasons you must stock up on your load of fresh or canned pineapple.

1. Contains Vitamin C:

This vitamin is very essential to people as it protects the body against viruses and helps defend against infection (3).

2. Satiating:

It is naturally sweet and filling. As it is peeled and eaten, you need not worry about contaminants like pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers.

3. Low In Everything:

It is low in saturated fat, sodium and cholesterol.

4. Contains Bromelain:

This enzyme is used to reduce inflammation and swelling in conditions like sinusitis, sore throat and arthritic flare-ups (4). It improves digestion following pancreatic surgery, and aids in the treatment of gastric ulcers. Using bromelain for conditions that required antibiotics was found to make the medication more effective.

5. Healing Properties:

Helps recover quickly from surgery and wounds, thanks to the healing vitamins and minerals the fruit contains.

6. Bone Strength:

Pineapple contains manganese that helps develop strong bones (5) and connective tissues.

7. Eye Health:

It is said to reduce the risk of macular degeneration, which affects the eyes as people age.

8. Blood Clot Reduction:

Due to the presence of bromelain, it reduces excessive coagulation of blood.

9. Benefits Dieters:

Inexpensive, easy to find, good in taste and low in calories, thus making it apt for dieters.

Thus, in a society that thrives on processed foods, the many benefits of pineapple make it an apt choice for all – whether you are a dieter, a picky eater or a snack eater. This tropical delight is juicy, low in calories and tasty – so why not add it to your diet and enjoy its many benefits? However, when faced with a deficiency of fresh pineapple, we have no other choice but to turn to its canned counterpart.

Is Canned Pineapple A Healthy Alternative?

Pineapple is a delicious fruit. Not only is it exceeding healthy, but it also helps improve the quality of one’s life. We all enjoy having a nice juicy pineapple or pineapple juice in the hot summer months. However, finding fresh fruit can sometimes be a challenge, as it isn’t always in season or may be quite expensive at times. Settling for canned pineapple may not be a bad alternative as it is cost-effective, but having canned pineapple does reduce the benefits that fresh pineapples would have given you.

Drawbacks Of Canned Pineapples:

When canning the pineapple, heat-sensitive vitamins like Vitamin C are lost in the process (6). Eating canned pineapple gives you only about 60% of the vitamins that you would get on eating the fruit fresh.

An anti-inflammatory enzyme called bromelain that is present in raw pineapple gets destroyed due to the heated processing.

The nutritional profile of canned pineapple is less as compared to the fresh fruit. It has extra calories due to the syrup. To avoid this, while buying canned pineapple, try to get your hands on a variety that has no added sugar or that is canned in the fruit juice instead of syrup.

Canned And Fresh – A Major Difference?

However, due to its skin and prickly top, a fresh pineapple can be a bit of a hassle to prepare. So if you are looking to keep your cooking quick and simple, then canned pineapple is the choice for you. It is easily available, not time-consuming to prepare, and is instantly ready to be enjoyed. The increase in calories, carbohydrates and fiber is not much in the canned items.

When it comes to minerals, canned pineapple was seen to have a little more calcium, magnesium and potassium as compared to its fresh alternative. The phosphorous and sodium levels, as well as the iron and zinc levels, are identical between the canned and fresh products.

Canned pineapple consumption helps improve your body tone, especially when eaten cold. It may also help relieve a cough and cold and even prevent constipation and nausea. So don’t hesitate to use it to strengthen your bones or prevent inflammation, as it will certainly be effective.

The Verdict:

So, all in all, canned pineapples, just like its fresh counterpart, are rich in vitamins, enzymes and minerals that provide you with a balanced nutrition. There is certainly no alternative to the fresh variety of fruit. However, when this is impossible to find, eating certain varieties of the canned fruit is a viable option. You should be aware, though, that the canning process involves the addition of sugar to the fruit, and this reduces the amount of essential vitamins and nutrients that you would have obtained from the fruit. So there is no harm in making pineapple chunks a part of your healthy diet – just check while picking up the product to ensure that you are getting an item that still has some of the benefits of the fruit. Canned pineapples don’t have any adverse or negative effects, making them good for you, though not better than the real thing (7).

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by Daiwik Suresh Gejji via STYLECRAZE