Healthier Swaps: Frozen for Canned Vegetables

Fresh vegetables are great, but finding that they've gone bad in the fridge can leave you feeling rotten. Frozen and canned vegetables save time by letting you skip the washing and cutting/chopping. So what’s the difference between canned and frozen?

Canned vegetables, unfortunately tend to have added salt which can contribute to a high sodium intake. There are luckily some canned vegetables with no salted added, but these can sometimes be hard to find. If they are labeled “low sodium”, salt has been added but in lower quantities compared to the regular version. Frozen vegetables don’t have any of the added salt, making them a great low-sodium option.

Cans used for food are also generally coated with an epoxy resin that contains BPA. If you’re unfamiliar, BPA stands for bisphenol A., and is a chemical found in plastics and resins. Although further research is needed, it appears BPA can have possible negative effects including disrupting normal hormone levels, increasing the risk of cancer and having effects on the brain and behavior of infants and children. Switching from canned to frozen vegetables can be effective in reducing BPA levels in your diet and therefore your body.