24 Feb Are preserves healthy?

Canning is a method of preserving food for long periods by packaging it in airtight containers. Canned foods are often thought to be less nutritious than fresh or frozen foods, with some even claiming that they contain harmful ingredients and should be avoided. We will see how this does not depend on the preservation method, and that a canned recipe can be as healthy as a home-cooked meal.

The canning process requires a high temperature treatment. This could destroy some of the nutrients but it also improves its digestion and flavor, in the same way that it happens in any cooking process.

In fact, canning maintains most of the nutrients in food, such as proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, without affecting it. Most fat-soluble vitamins and minerals (such as A, D, E, and K) also remain unchanged. However, water-soluble vitamins such as B and C are sensitive to heat, so they can also be lost in any common household processing, cooking, or storage process.

So while the canning process can damage certain vitamins, the amounts of other healthy compounds can increase. For example, tomatoes and corn release more antioxidants when heated, making preserves of these foods an even better source of antioxidants.

The canning process can vary slightly depending on the product, but there are three main steps. These steps include processing, packaging, and sterilization.

Food processing includes any treatment of food such as peeling, mincing, cutting, deboning or cooking, in a similar way to the treatment that is given in our kitchen at home.

The packaging that can be made in different materials, although it should preferably be made of glass, since it does not alter the product, it perfectly supports high temperatures and is more sustainable.

Finally, sterilization is carried out by increasing the temperature and pressure to kill any harmful microorganisms and thus prevent food deterioration. This allows these products to be stable for even several years, as well as totally safe to eat.

It is also said that preserves tend to be high in salt or added sugar, which can have undesirable effects on health, as well as contain certain preservatives or artificial stabilizers (the famous “E”). As with all processed foods, it’s important to read the label and ingredient list and choose the best option.

Luckily, the preserves do not need any artificial ingredients. In this line, Carlota Organic cooks only with natural and ecological products, respecting the traditional process to preserve all the flavor and quality in our healthy recipes.

Not all canned foods are the same, hence the importance of choosing a healthy and quality option. Eating healthy is not incompatible with not having time to cook. Carlota puts nutritious and tasty dishes on your table, which allow you to store and transport comfortably to heat and eat on any occasion.