Should You Avoid Canned Foods?

     Eᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ʜᴀs ᴛᴏ sᴛᴀʀᴛ sᴏᴍᴇᴡʜᴇʀᴇ. The road to canned foods can be traced to 1795 when a famous fellow named Napoléon Bonaparte offered a reward of 12,000 francs ($258,758 in midsummer 2021 dollars). It was to be paid to whomever could invent a way to preserve food long enough to get it to Napoléon’s troops who, hard at work conquering the world, were spread far and wide.
     In 1804, a Parisian chef and confectioner, Nicolas Appert, perfected a method to preserve fruit, vegetables, and meat that used glass bottles that were filled, sealed, and placed in boiling water for a given time.
     The same year, English merchant Peter Durand obtained a United Kingdom patent from King George III using Appert’s technique but using tin cans instead of glass bottles.
     Neither got the reward, but Appert was paid a similar sum by the French Bureau of Arts and Manufactures of the Ministry of the Interior (Couldn’t they have slipped a few more words into that title?) on the condition that he make his process public.

Are canned foods ok to eat?
     There is a tendency today to disparage canned food. But canned foods can enjoy a prominent place in a healthy diet. And, while they provide nearly the same nutrient levels as fresh or frozen foods, they are often more convenient, an important consideration in our busy lives.
     You may be surprised to find that people who consume canned foods regularly are apt to have a higher intake of fruit and vegetables—and nutrients—than those who don’t. This is likely because of their convenience.

So, what is the downside?
     The biggest concern is over BPH, an industrial chemical that was employed extensively in the epoxy resin used to line food cans. The BPH is known to migrate into food and thus into those who eat the food.
     While the toxicity of this has been studied extensively, the reportage is deeply inconsistent. In 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, stated BHP, as used in the linings of food containers, is safe.

Some of us don’t believe everything the government tells us.
     Luckily, as a practical matter the canned food industry basically quit using resins that contain BPH. Today, you might have to search to find a processor still using it.

Wait, there’s a little more.
     Added ingredients come into play with canned foods as they do with prepackaged foods and, while many don’t have any added ingredients, you’ll find added salt and sugar in more than a few. Read the labels to avoid this or drain and rinse the food before serving it.

So, what is the bottom line? 
     Buy and serve fresh or frozen food when you can, but don’t be overly concerned if you find canned foods work better for you.

     Remember, with The Sexy Beast Diet your goal is to reach and maintain a healthy weight while eating a healthy and satisfying diet. Whatever makes that easier is acceptable.