Fresh Fruit Versus Canned Fruit - is There a Difference?

Is fresh fruit really superior to canned fruit? In some ways, yes. But most would be surprised to find that as far as nutritional value goes, studies have shown that canned fruit if very similar in nutrients to fresh fruit.

Fresh fruit is, of course, preferable to canned fruit for most of us. The taste is superior, and the simple joy of eating a fresh peach or a bowl of fresh strawberries can not be beat. Purchasing fresh fruit has many drawbacks, though. First of all, fresh fruit is a seasonal product in most areas. If a fruit is not in season, you may be able to purchase the fruit, but it will be prohibitively expensive. Then there is the quality of the fresh fruit to consider. There are good years when it comes to fruit - and there are bad years. If it is a bad year for particular fresh fruit there is really no sense in buying it when there is the option of canned fruit.

The shelf-life for fresh fruit is impractically short for many of us. This means not only that the fruit purchases is apt to go bad before it can be consumed, but also that more trips to the grocery store are required to keep good fresh fruit in the house at all times.

Canned fruit, on the other hand, not only has almost identical nutritional value to the fresh fruit but in most cases it has a shelf life of two years. The canned fruit is usually still good after two years, but after that length of time there can be changes in the nutritional value, color and texture of the product. In reality, canned fruit can actually be microbiologically safe after as long as 100 years - but most of us would have to be pretty hungry to eat 100-year-old fruit, no matter how safe it is. When it comes to canned food safety, the things to look for are bulging or leaky cans. These can be unsafe, and should be either returned to the point of purchase or discarded. Dented or rusted cans do not affect the quality of the food.