Most fruits and vegetables (produce) are naturally low in fat and calories. Frozen and canned fruits and vegetables can be just as nutritious as fresh. Frozen or canned produce is often packaged right after it has been picked, which helps keep most of its nutrients. Fresh produce can sometimes lose nutrients after being exposed to light or air.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are highly nutritious. Fresh produce is often highest in key vitamins and minerals. Nutritionists believe that because fresh produce looks appetizing, has an appealing texture, and often tastes much better than processed, that people are more likely to eat it and improve their overall nutrition.

According to the International Food Information Council, the nutritional value of frozen vegetables is virtually identical to fresh produce. The Mount Sinai School of Medicine Complete Book of Nutrition concurs. The book reveals that fresh produce that sits unused in the refrigerator for too long will actually lose taste and nutrition. Since frozen vegetables provide the same health benefits as fresh, they offer a convenient and nutritious alternative.

It is always best to use Fresh whenever possible; using Frozen foods is the second best choice. Caveat: read the labels as many frozen vegetables contain added salt.

Yes, but they can all be good choices. Fresh foods are usually thought to have the most nutritional value. Often, though, frozen foods can be more nutritious than fresh foods because they are often picked ripe and quickly frozen, whereas nutrients can be lost in the time between harvest and eating fresh foods. Canning is more likely to reduce the heat-sensitive and water-soluble nutrients because of the high temperatures needed in the canning process.

Yes, all forms of fruit and vegetables count toward your goal of consuming more fruits and vegetables each day.

The three-part study conducted by the University of Massachusetts found that recipes using canned ingredients are similar in nutritional and taste value to those made with fresh or frozen items.

People with hemochroamtosis should eat at least five servings a day of fruits and vegetables. These foods help combat free radical activity. It is true that ascorbic acid increases the absorption of iron, but the amount of vitamin C in fruits and vegetables should not be a concern. Supplemental vitamin C, however, should be limited to no more than 200 milligrams per dose and taken between meals.

No. Aspirin should not be used in canning. It cannot be relied on to prevent spoilage or to give satisfactory products. Adequate heat treatment is the only safe procedure.

Compared with data collected as recently as 30 years ago, some fresh fruits and vegetables now provide lower levels of some nutrients. The USDA had to implement a Food Guide. The USDA started by recommending 2-3 servings of produce, which has recently been replaced with a recommendation for 5-9 servings today, in order to get the nutrients that we used to get in just one serving 40 years ago. (www.mypyramid.

Tightly sealed, cooled jars are ready to be stored. Wash the lid and jar to remove food residue; rinse and dry jars. Label and date jars, and store them in a cool, dark, dry place (50?70 degrees F is ideal). Do not store jars above 95 degrees F or near hot pipes, a range, a furnace, in an uninsulated attic, or in direct sunlight. Under conditions such as these, food will lose quality rapidly and may spoil. Dampness may corrode metal lids, break seals, and allow contamination and spoilage.

Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration concluded that frozen fruits and vegetables are just as healthy as fresh and many even retain their nutritional value longer. That’s good news for Wild Blueberries, which freeze extraordinarily well.

Fresh fruits and vegetables can be contaminated with bacteria from soil, water, and other environmental factors as well as during cultivation, harvesting, handling, and storage. The produce may also be contaminated with pesticides and other chemicals used during cultivation.

Absolutely! Nutria® is not intended to replace fresh fruits and vegetables but to help support the important nutrients provided in them. It is well recognized that the majority of people do not consume the suggested servings of these foods on a daily basis. Fresh fruits and vegetables also provide dietary fibre and water, two important elements to good health.

A combination of both fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables are used depending on the recipe and individual ingredient. Some vegetables for freezer use preserve better if they're flash frozen shortly after harvesting (like potatoes). Others work well from the fresh state. We experiment in our test kitchen with all of our recipes to find the combination of ingredients that will both taste good and freeze/thaw well.

Fresh and frozen vegetables retain more of their vitamins and generally have little added salt. If these are unavailable, try to purchase canned vegetables that don't have added salt or fat.

Fresh and frozen vegetables retain more of their vitamins with no added salt. If necessary, purchase canned vegetables without added salt or fat. Canned beans and legumes are generally acceptable.

Yes. Climate, soil, crop maturity, harvesting methods, transportation, and storage all affect the vitamin content of fresh foods.

Pre-washed, packaged and clean looking fresh fruits and vegetables sold in supermarkets carry millions of bacteria on the surface. During washing and cleaning process bacterial population on fruits and vegetables is reduced but not eliminated. During processing, improper handling and storage without refrigeration, the residual bacteria rapidly increase in numbers.

Refrigeration of fresh fruits and vegetables has been reported to lower bacterial population. In addition, it is best to wash fresh fruits and vegetables prior to consumption.

No. Unlike other programs that deliver some of your food but require you to purchase your own fresh fruits, vegetables and other items The Slimdown is 100% nutritionally complete. Because your meals are prepared fresh and never frozen or freeze dried, we include delicious fresh salads, vegetables and a wide variety of fruits on the program. There is nothing for you to add except beverages -- and we recommend lots of water!

Canned foods sit around on a shelf and leach many of their nutrients into the water in which they are packed. When we open canned foods, we most often toss out the packing liquid thereby, tossing out some nutrients as well. Canned foods often contain many different preservatives along with a high amount of sodium and sugar(s) depending on the type of canned food. The majority of canned fruits are packed in heavy syrups and sugars that are not good for baby.

There are a number of reason why liquid could be lost from jars of home canned foods. The most common reasons include: packing the jar too full, food packed so tightly that liquid does not fill the spaces between the food, starchy foods absorb extra liquid, liquid covering raw food is not boiling, jars in boiling water bathe are not covered with 1-2 inches of water, pressure in pressure canner fluctuates during processing, removing jars too quickly from the boiling water bath canner.

How is it possible that a Creator, so full of love, created a world and a nature where animals can live only by killing other animals that have to endure terrible pain and suffering ? Nobody can give me a satisfactory answer. If men kill each other, it is sin; they need not. But, animals cannot live without killing the other animals for food. What do you say ? We are anxious for your opinion.

Eat as many different vegetables and fruits as you can. Variety is the key to obtaining the numerous protective phytochemicals in plant-based foods because each vegetable and fruit has its own profile of health-promoting substances. The phytochemicals found in cantaloupe are different from those in broccoli or leeks or cherries. Try to eat some bright red, green, orange, blue, purple and yellow vegetables and fruits each day.

Freezing does not cause food spoilage unless the seal is damaged or the jar is broken. These often happen as the food expands during freezing. Frozen foods, however, may be less palatable than properly stored canned food. In an unheated storage place, protect canned foods by wrapping the jars in paper or covering them with a blanket.