One of my favorite fun facts is that it took over 40 years after the invention of the tin can for someone to come up with the can opener. A French chef, Nicolas Appert, discovered how to preserve food in airtight containers; first glass, then tin-lined iron. These cans turned out to solve the problem of how to feed Napoleon’s troops as they marched across Europe and his sailors as they cruised the Caribbean.
The problem was that there was no easy way to get the food out. So French soldiers ended up stabbing the cans with knives and bayonets (and sometimes shooting them with rifles) to access their dinner. Not very safe — or hygienic.
These days, with the advent of manual and electric can openers and pop-top lids, canned food often beats fresh when it comes to ease, convenience, and sometimes even food safety. But what about nutrition? Are canned foods good or bad for you? How do you best store them? And what should you look for to ensure you get the healthiest canned food items?
What Are Canned Foods?
Any food sterilized and preserved by heat treatment in hermetically sealed (airtight) containers, and thus made shelf-stable, is canned food. Just as the processing of French military rations made them last longer, modern canning practices preserve otherwise perishable foods.
This allows them to be shipped over long distances without wilting or spoiling and makes them shelf-stable for months, if not years or even decades.
Some canned foods are ultra-processed (think Spam and SpaghettiOs). But other canned foods, such as tomatoes and beans, are considered minimally processed foods.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s NOVA classification system lumps unprocessed and minimally processed foods together, defining the category as “edible parts of plants or animals that have been taken straight from nature or that have been minimally modified/preserved.” These foods retain most of their original nutritional value and are often preserved using simple methods like water, brine, or natural juices.
So canned foods can range from highly processed convenience products to wholesome, minimally altered staple foods. Understanding this range helps clarify that “canned food” doesn’t automatically equate to unhealthy.
Are Canned Foods Good for You?
Let’s start with the other benefits of canned food before exploring whether it offers any nutritional advantages.
Canned food is convenient. Much of it is ready-to-prepare (or even ready-to-eat, if you picture people eating beans or canned chili by a campfire).
Food that’s been canned lasts a really long time. Many canned products have a shelf life of one to five years, which helps minimize food waste.
And canned food is cost-effective, too. The fact that it doesn’t need to be transported or stored in a fridge or freezer translates into real savings for the consumer.
When seasonal produce isn’t available, canned food can offer year-round variety to your diet. This can fill food and nutrient gaps in regions where growing a wide variety of foods is difficult.
Now, let’s talk about canned food nutrition. On the positive side, fruits and vegetables are often picked at peak ripeness and canned shortly after harvesting. And the modern canning process leaves many nutrients, including minerals, fat-soluble vitamins, protein, fat, and carbohydrates relatively unchanged. What’s more, the heating process may increase the bioavailability of some antioxidants, such as lycopene in tomatoes.
This means that canned foods can provide nutritious options for a balanced diet. A 2007 study compared frozen, fresh, and canned foods and found that all three offered comparable nutritional benefits. Some nutrients, like carotenoids, were actually higher in canned foods than their fresh counterparts.
A 2015 study also found that people who ate a lot of canned foods got more of 17 essential nutrients, including potassium, calcium, and fiber, than infrequent consumers of canned foods.
Canned Foods’ Bad Side
Canned foods aren’t without their negatives and cautions, however.
Many foods degrade in flavor and texture when they’re canned. I know many people who, to this day, hate peas, green beans, and spinach because their first exposure to these wonderful veggies was from a can.
And while many nutrients remain, water-soluble vitamins may be lost due to the high heat required to kill pathogens during the canning process. That means you may get fewer of these vitamins, including the all-important C and B vitamins.
Plus, to restate the obvious, not all canned foods are healthy. Some are obviously ultra-processed. Exhibit A: May I present Cheeseburger in a Can?
But even healthy-sounding items, like baked beans, may be swimming in a puddle of added sugar, salt, and preservatives.
If you’re canning your own food, there’s also the risk of mold growth or bacterial contamination. Make sure to follow home canning guidelines to avoid foodborne illness.
And while commercially canned foods are highly unlikely to give you botulism or salmonella, there are some real concerns about packaging safety. The BPA linings of traditional cans, exposure to aluminum, and potential leaching of other chemical contaminants used in can linings have been linked to health problems.
BPA and Canned Foods
When people talk about canned foods, BPA is one of the top concerns. Modern aluminum cans typically have a lining to prevent corrosion, changes in taste, and bacterial contamination. For decades, one of the most common can linings contained a plastic chemical called BPA (short for bisphenol A).
The CDC’s 2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey revealed that over 90% of US consumers had detectable BPA in their urine. This finding sparked a flurry of research into whether this stuff was harming us.
Here’s what we’ve learned: BPA that leaches into foods and drinks from BPA-lined cans is an endocrine disruptor and may even contribute to cancer development. BPA exposure may also be linked to behavioral problems in children. Furthermore, some research points to a potential connection between BPA and type 2 diabetes and even heart disease.
As a result, many canned food manufacturers say they have gradually phased out BPA linings. A trade group for the canned food industry claims that most cans do not contain BPA anymore. But recent studies have concluded that it’s still in use and exposes people to harmful health effects. As a result, the European Commission recently banned BPA in food-contact packaging.
Although many BPA-free alternatives are now in use, the long-term safety of alternative can-lining materials — including acrylic, polyester, PVC (polyvinyl chloride), and oleoresins — is still being studied. Some researchers suggest that some of these alternatives could also leach endocrine-disrupting chemicals into food.
One promising replacement for BPA, oleoresinous enamel, is a mixture of oil and resin extracted from plants such as pine or balsam fir. It could be the safest option (although more study is needed). Unfortunately, it doesn’t work for highly acidic foods like tomatoes.
Tips for Safer and Healthier Canned Foods
To help you choose the best canned foods for your health, here are some tips from the Environmental Working Group on buying canned food:
- Look for that BPA-free label. If the label doesn’t say, contact the company to ask what chemicals they use in their can liners.
- Avoid purchasing canned foods that are highly acidic, like tomato, citrus, or pineapple, since liner toxins are more prone to leaching into acidic foods. Instead, get these foods in a glass container or choose frozen options.
- Reduce your exposure to BPA and other potentially harmful chemicals by including a variety of fresh and frozen foods in addition to canned.
- Look for low-sodium, no-salt-added, and no-added-sugar options. Opt for fruit canned in its juice or water instead of syrup. Choose savory foods canned in water or brine rather than oil.
- Look for organic canned foods to minimize your consumption of pesticides and additives.
- Avoid dented, rusted, or otherwise damaged cans to prevent bacterial contamination.
How To Store Canned Foods
Store canned goods in a cool, dry place where the temperature is below 85 F (50–70 F is ideal). For you metric folks, that’s below 30 C, with 10–21 C as the sweet spot.
Practice the FIFO rule. No, this has nothing to do with an international soccer federation. It stands for “First In, First Out,” meaning you use the oldest cans first rather than letting them gather dust in the back of your pantry. And abide by the “best by” date stamped on the can.
Store unused food from a can in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer, not in the original can. Why? Because once opened, the metal from the can may leach into the food and affect its taste, quality, and safety.
According to Food Republic, leftover canned beans and coconut milk can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thanks to their high acidity, leftover canned tomatoes can be stored in the freezer for up to a year.
Best Practices for Incorporating Whole Canned Foods into Your Diet
It’s always good practice to read nutrition labels for packaged foods, and canned foods are no exception. If a canned food is high in sodium, it’s a good idea to rinse and drain it using a colander or sieve — especially if you’re on a sodium-restricted diet.
If the sodium content is low (you can check the label — the US Food and Drug Administration considers anything below 140 grams of sodium per serving to be “low sodium”), you may want to include the canned liquid in your cooking. Doing so can minimize food waste while enhancing the flavors in a dish.
The liquid from canned beans is starchy and can be used as a thickening agent for soups, stews, and sauces, and even as a substitute for broth. The liquid from canned chickpeas, in particular, (also known as aquafaba — “bean water” in Italian), can be used to make vegan meringue-style toppings for desserts or as an egg white substitute in baking.
Another reason not to drain away the liquid in cans is that it may contain water-soluble vitamins and minerals that would otherwise be lost. The liquid from canned vegetables and beans can be stored in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to three days or frozen for up to three months.
Pair canned foods with fresh foods to balance nutrition, flavors, and textures. For example, canned beans and beets go well in a fresh green salad. You can also use canned veggies, beans, and fruits in soups, stews, grain bowls, and smoothies.
Recipes Using Canned Foods
Canned foods don’t have to mean compromise. These healthy, flavor-packed recipes highlight how a few simple pantry picks — like canned beans, pumpkin, jackfruit, and hearts of palm — can turn into dishes that feel anything but ordinary.
Whether you’re craving something cool and zesty, warm and comforting, or sweet and tropical, these recipes make canned ingredients shine.
1. Aguachili Verde
This refreshing Aguachile Verde makes the most of pantry power, featuring canned hearts of palm in place of seafood for a light yet satisfying plant-based twist. Tossed with crisp cucumber, radish, and creamy avocado, the real magic comes from a punchy salsa verde blended with lime, cilantro, and chilies.
Want even more convenience? Swap in canned jalapeños for the fresh — it’s quicker, tangier, and just as bold. Proof that canned ingredients can bring vibrant, fresh flavor to the table in a way that’s healthy, simple, and seriously delicious.
2. Hearty Pumpkin Chili
This one-pot wonder is what cozy evenings are made for. This chili is spiced just right and layered with the natural richness of canned pumpkin, diced tomatoes, and protein-packed black beans. It’s hearty without being heavy, with zesty lime and a sprinkle of fresh toppings like avocado and pepitas for balance.
Nearly everything comes from a can or pantry staple in this recipe, making this Hearty Pumpkin Chili as practical as it is comforting. Canned convenience has never tasted so warm and satisfying.
3. Tropical Jackfruit Popsicles
These creamy, dreamy Tropical Jackfruit Popsicles turn canned jackfruit and light coconut milk into a tropical treat that feels indulgent but is refreshingly simple. Blended with mango and a splash of lime, they’re naturally sweet, tangy, and full of fruity sunshine.
No peeling, chopping, or fancy equipment required — just a blender and a freezer.
With canned fruit doing the heavy lifting, this is a healthy dessert you’ll want on repeat.
Be Wise With Canned Foods
Canned foods can offer nutrient-dense, economical, and wholesome options and expand variety when fresh or frozen aren’t available or affordable. When selecting canned foods, consider the packaging and check ingredient labels to ensure you’re not getting unwanted chemicals or additives.
Aim for BPA-free cans or glass containers and avoid highly acidic canned foods like tomato and pineapple unless they’re in glass.
Stocking your pantry with canned foods is an excellent way to have nutrient-packed plant-based foods readily available for quick and easy plant-powered meals, and to help you maintain a healthy and balanced plant-based lifestyle.
Tell us in the comments:
- Have you ever canned your own food?
- Do you use canned foods in your cooking?
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Featured image: istock.com/CatLane
