Why you should use preserved vegetables more often?

The name preserved is confusing for some people, because they think it comes from preservatives. Nothing could be further from the truth; the name actually means 'conserved' or 'preserved' and that fits perfectly well in this time. Consumers, fighting food waste and reducing your ecological footprint is important nowadays. But no matter how appropriate the name is, the term "freshly processed vegetables" actually describes the contents of jars or cans best.

A great addition to fresh

Vegetables in cans or jars are harvested when they are well-ripened and washed, cut, heated and air-sealed within a few hours. Often the vegetables are processed completely within four to six hours immediately after the harvest, without the use of any preservatives. Because this goes so fast, virtually no vitamins are lost and once well packaged in tin or jar, the products hardly lose nutrients. Research by the Consumers' Association shows that canned, jars and deep-frozen vegetables are hardly inferior to fresh vegetables as far as the levels of vitamins and minerals are concerned. Preserved and fresh vegetables therefore go hand in hand in a healthy diet.

What about sugar and salt in preserved food?

The manufacturers of freshly processed vegetables have been busy since 2012 with the gradual reduction of the amount of sugar and salt in their products. The level of reduction can differ per European market, but all markets are reducing. This reduction is done step by step, in this way the consumer gets used this this new taste.

Healthy and easy to more vegetables

So you can argue that it is unjust that preserved vegetables sometimes have a less healthy image than fresh vegetables. In most markets consumers still do not eat sufficient fruits and vegetables.

Freshly processed vegetables can, in an easy way, help you to get to the right amount. The contents of a jar or can is already completely finished, you no longer need to cook or cut it, so it's a quick, easy addition to every meal. Add for example preserved mushrooms to your lunch, or sprinkle some chickpeas over your salad.  Tasty and healthy!