Canned food for children: the good and the bad

With the current pace of life precooked foods and any other alternative that facilitates and decreases the time spent in the kitchen, are allies of families to try to maintain a healthy and balanced diet without stopping consuming home-made food. However, these options are not always healthy, so it

With the current pace of life precooked foods and any other alternative that facilitates and decreases the time spent in the kitchen, are allies of families to try to maintain a healthy and balanced diet without stopping consuming home-made food. However, these options are not always healthy, so it is convenient to take into account, among others, the labeling, the processing and the composition of the food in question.

Disadvantages of canned foods for children

- The disadvantages of canned foods include the possible presence of bisphenol A in the plastics and cans used to preserve the food. Bisphenol A is a chemical compound that is used to prevent contamination and keep the formation of spores at bay. Although currently bisphenol A has been removed from any product or utensil that will be used in infant feeding, it can still be used in the food industry. The most recent research has shown that bisphenol A is safe in the amounts used in preserves, since they are tiny, so avoiding it or not becomes a relatively personal option.

- Another disadvantage of preserves is salt concentration, very not recommended for both children and adults. In the vast majority of preserves, salt, as well as other vitamins and minerals, are found in the brine, the liquid in which the food is conserved, so eliminating it reduces salt, but unfortunately, also the amount of rest of micronutrients.

- Also the amount of sugar can be an inconvenience. Although fewer and fewer canned products contain added sugar, it is preferable to look at labeling and avoid those that do.

Advantages of canned food for children

- The long life of these products is, however, one of its main advantages, since it allows them to be on hand to prepare a homemade meal without having to go through the market. On the other hand, canned vegetables and fruits are useful to ensure the recommended consumption of vegetable rations (at least 5 servings per day), since children tend to reject them, and, again, having them within reach, can lead to an increase in your consumption Además - In addition, preserves are an important source of micronutrients, and in childhood and adolescence, micronutrients, together with an appropriate amount of macronutrients, are essential to ensure proper growth and development.

- Although it is not strictly nutritional, preserves also have the added benefit of supposing a lower costcompared to their fresh counterparts, allowing them to consume some recommended and necessary foods, even if the budget is limited.

However, canned products should not overshadow fresh products, which, in general, are usually nutritionally more balanced, and low in sodium. They should not overshadow the frozen products, which do meet a series of requirements, such as an appropriate origin, a frozen in optimal conditions and a minimum processed, are also a healthy, balanced and affordable option.