We all know that what we eat can affect our health and wellbeing, but did you know that canned foods have an important part to play in helping you to choose a healthy balanced diet?
Canned foods provide important sources of essential nutrients and, as well as being convenient, can help you to eat a healthy balanced diet every day, even when you are on the go or short of time.
Use our healthy eating guide showing how canned foods can fit into a healthy balanced diet to help plan your everyday store cupboard essentials.
Choosing a variety of foods from each group including fresh, frozen, and canned foods in the right amounts will help ensure you stay healthy. Canned foods can be a great source of nutrients and are super convenient and easy to incorporate into everyday meals.
Canny fruit facts
Brightly coloured canned fruits are packed with antioxidants. Anthocyanins in canned prunes are believed to help circulation, while carotenes in apricots and mangos may be useful for sun protection and heart health.
Canned blackcurrants, mangoes, pineapples and strawberries all contain Vitamin C which help strengthen bones and acts as an antioxidant, protecting against infection.
All canned berries also provide other antioxidants and phytochemicals.All fruit canned in its own juice counts towards your 5-A-DAY.
Canny vegetable facts
Canned vegetables, beans and pulses are good sources of fibre, which helps promote good digestion as well as lowering blood cholesterol levels and stabilising blood sugar.
Canned sweetcorn, asparagus, peas, spinach, black eyed beans, lentils, chickpeas, pinto beans and kidney beans are a good source of folic acid, which plays an important role in making DNA and RNA as well as helping to produce new cells.
Canned tomatoes, as well as tomato soup, are an excellent source of the health protecting antioxidant lycopene which has been linked to a reduced incidence of some types of cancer.
Canned carrots contain beta-carotene which converts vitamin A in the body, promoting healthy skin and support the immune system, helping to fight off bacteria and viruses.
As well as being a good source of fibre, baked beans also contain magnesium, which benefits blood pressure, helps cells to make energy and relax muscles.
Canned vegetables in their own juice count towards your 5-A-DAY.
Canny meat facts
Corned beef and ham are rich in protein, helping to make and repair cells.
Canned Irish stew, mince and meatballs are a great source of iron which carries oxygen in the blood to our organs and muscles.Canned meals can form part of a healthy balanced diet.
Canned meat such as mince, Irish stew and meatballs are a great source of iron and zinc and can often be lower in fat than homemade versions.
Canny milk and dairy facts
Calcium helps to keep our bones strong and healthy, and canned rice pudding and custard are low fat sources of calcium.
Canny fish facts
Canned oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, pilchards, sardines and kippers are all sources of Omega 3 fatty acids, which play a role in the prevention of heart disease and count towards the recommended one serving of oily fish a week.
Canned tuna is a low-carb, high-protein food that contains a powerful antioxidant helping to protect your body from free radicals, which are important for a healthy heart and good for your skin.
You can find sustainable canned fish at the supermarket.
