Canned foods are advantageous in that it takes a shorter time to prepare especially if one has a busy schedule. It also has a longer shelf life compared to fresh foods.
Despite these advantages, using canned foods should not become a habit because it comes with its own disadvantages.
1 High amounts of sodium
The high amount of sodium in some canned foods can cause hypertension. Not all canned foods are high in sodium. However, canned foods that are low in sodium are not easy to come by in supermarkets. This sodium is put in canned foods in order to preserve them. High sodium in foods are detrimental to our health because they are prerequisites for hypertension and other diseases of the cardiovascular system.
2 some canned foods contain sulfites as a preservative
When buying canned foods, sulfites may not be seen as a single ingredient. It is often in combination with other elements to form compounds. An example is sodium sulfite and potassium bisulfite. There are some people who are allergic to sulfites. This allergy can manifest as difficulty in breathing after eating foods that contain sulfites.
3 some canned foods have a lot of sugar
Sugar is added to some canned foods to improve its taste, make it more palatable and enjoyable. Unfortunately, sugars are some of the artificial products that cause major damages to our health. It is better to buy canned foods that contain water without sugar or to buy canned foods that are stored in their own water.
4 some canned foods have lost their nutrients
Before some fruits and vegetables are canned, they are cooked. The cooking and canning process of foods results in the destruction of some nutrients found in the food. Vitamin C for example does not survive the cooking and canning process of foods. This therefore results in foods that have a lower nutritional content than those in their fresh and frozen state.
5 Bisphenol popularly known as BPA
The interior of the cans that carry canned food is usually coated with a thin film of plastic in order to keep the foods fresh and prevent the leaching of the metals of the can into the foods. This plastic coating contains BPA which is very harmful to our health. Taking small doses at irregular intervals may not be harmful. But if consuming canned foods becomes a regular and daily lifetime habit, the dangers are sure to manifest. BPA is made from crude oil and human beings are not supposed to consume crude oil or any of its products. When the amount of BPA consumed reaches a threshold level, it will be a risk factor for so many diseases like obesity, hypertension, heart disease, reproductive problems and cancer.
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