Are canned pears as nutritious as fresh pears?

Question

They are in Lite Syrup

Also, would an 8 ounce can be considered one serving of fruit?

Answer 1

Canned vegetables and fruit are just as healthy as fresh. You will be consuming a bit more sugar of course, but provided you are not drinking the syrup, then the extra sugar you consume is so minimal that it will do absolutely no harm. Not only are canned fruits and vegetables just as nutritious, but a lot of times can actually prove to be MORE nutritious because there are vitamins and minerals that are added in the canning process!

Here is a website backing up what I'm saying as well as some other info below.

http://irweb.swmed.edu/chn/recipes/canned.htm

Even the CDC (Center for Disease Control) acknowledges using canned vegetable and fruit as acceptable sources in your diet. http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/nutrition/nutrition_for_everyone/quick_tips/fruit_vegetable.htm

Here is another great website packed with facts about many things... one being canned food FACTS. http://www.mealtime.org/default.aspx?id=280

Here is something from the Weight Watchers website...

Q: Sometimes finding delicious fresh fruit is a challenge. Is canned fruit a healthy option?

A: Fresh fruit often makes the most sense in terms of taste, texture and nutritional value. But if it's off-season and you're craving it, there's nothing to lose by eating it canned.

Answer 2

It depends....there are advantages and disadvantages....

first, fresh is always healthier than canned, especially in syrup. The sugar is no good for you. If you can find canned pears packed in juice, that would be better. The nutritional value should be close, since the pears aren't boiled, they are just blanched. Although, you do lose the peeling and the seeds, which are the most nutritious part of any fruit. I found on one site that since pears are packed at the peak of ripeness, pears retain their nutritional value.

Second, if you aren't eating organic pears, I would go for the canned pears, since studies have shown that there are less pesticides in canned pears.

The first site listed is all about pears and the lower part about pears and pesticides.

I found this statement on the second site listed below:
"Are pesticide residues less of a problem in canned and frozen fruits and vegetables? Probably, although most of the research has been done by the food industry. The washing and blanching to prepare fruits and vegetables for canning or freezing removes or destroys approximately 80-90% of pesticide residues, according to the U.S. based National Food Processors Association."


The best way to avoid all this? Grow your own....but since that isn't an option for most of us, try purchasing from a local organic farmers market. Good luck to you!

Answer 3

no. canned fruit of any kind is cooked, and all cooked fruits lose some or all of their nutritional content (vitamins are especially sensitive to the process of cooking and can easily be lost). Lite syrup indicates that there is a large amount of added sugar (don't let the "lite" fool you, syrup is cooked sugar water, period).

the servings per can are listed in the nutritional information panel. you should eat a fresh pear if you want a "serving" of fruit, as eating the canned will not give you the same nutritional content but will give you too many calories for your daily intake.

Answer 4

I imagine an 8 ounce can would be more than a serving. I don't believe they are as nutricious but they are more nutricious than, say, a chocolate chip cookie. Lite Syrup just means that there is less sugar added than in heavy syrup. Check the nutrition label on the can.

Answer 5

In my opinion, YES canned fruit is just as nutritious and yummy as fresh fruit, it just happens to have a longer shelf life.

I love canned fruits and veggies, because I can not eat fresh fruits and veggies fast enough and they go bad quicker!

Light syrup is good! If you get them in the heavy syrup, you can always wash it off so you don't take in too much sugar.

And Yes, I think 1/2 cup-1 cup of fruit or veggie is a serving!

Enjoy the canned foods, hunny!!!

Cheers :-)

Answer 6

as long as they are not in syrup or sugar, they are actually better because canned fruit is actually picked ripe and canned, the fresh stuff you get at the market are picked green and do not have all the good stuff in them, as far as serving size read the label it will tell you how much is a serving.

hope this help

Answer 7

they are not as healthy, first they are cooked down, taking some of the nutrients out. Second, thy are in syrup- likely a corn syrup,either way saturated in sugars tat your body does not need. The best route is fresh raw pears- if you have to go canned - make sure it is not in any kind of syrup.

Answer 8

That depends on your definition of "nutritious," which is a word like "beauty," and is in the eye of the beholder. Depending on the rest of your diet, you may want to avoid the extra sugar or look askance at lower level of fiber or vitamins, but if your diet is pretty normal otherwise, they're close enough.

Answer 9

any fruit is better if it is fresh but if it is in lite syrup that is good becasue it wont have as much sugar, and 1/2 = 4ounces, is a serving

Answer 10

Canned fruits are higher in sugar and sodium than fresh ones. The syrup also adds more fat. Fresh is always best.