I grew up in a food desert. According to public health advocates, we were living in a food desert because the nearest purveyor of fresh foods and vegetables was 20 miles away. So-called food deserts are areas of town lacking grocery stores stocked with fresh foods. By contrast, if your area of town has an overabundance of fast food restaurants and convenience stores, you live in a food swamp.
Where I live most gas stations are convenience stores selling all manner of food items, including some canned foods and dairy. As an aside, the best street tacos I have ever eaten were from a taqueria housed in a Texaco station at the intersection of I-635 and US-75. The best sushi I have ever had was under the same roof as an Esso gas station in Aldergrove, British Columbia. Even the local chain pharmacies sell food items, such as canned staples, soft drinks, wine, beer and dairy foods like milk and ice cream, in addition to drugs. Why do public health advocates make such a distinction about the types of food sold in areas where Americans live? Because they have the mistaken belief that many poor Americans are fat because they lack easy access to fresh foods. They believe if only there was a Kroger nearby the locals would not feast on pork rinds, Doritos, Coca-Cola, gas station pizza and hotdogs.
Public health advocates do not consider foods purchased at convenience stores, Dollar General, or the local CVS to be healthy, nutritious foods. Some convenience store foods are highly processed snack foods because convenience stores stock what sells. However, just because a store does not sell fresh meats and vegetables does not mean what they sell is unhealthy. Researchers have analyzed canned versus fresh produce. For the most part, the nutrients remain the same. A few nutrients, such as Vitamin C, falls due to the canning process but others apparently concentrate at higher levels. In any case, both fresh and canned are comparably nutritious. When you consider the price, nutrition, long shelf life (absence of spoilage) and convenience, canned vegetables are a great value. Canned foods are convenient, affordable and nutritious. Why do they have a bad reputation?
You’ve probably heard claims at the grocery store or online suggesting that canned fruits and vegetables are “full of chemicals” or “less healthy than fresh options.” It’s time to set the record straight. Canned foods are not the villains they’re made out to be. These pantry staples are affordable, nutrient-rich and exceptionally convenient. They have a long shelf life, provide great value and can be a lifesaver when you’re scrambling to figure out what’s for dinner on a hectic weeknight.
Back in the day before refrigeration, most households had big gardens and canned their excess fruits and vegetables for later use. Indeed, that was the purpose of a garden.
My local Dollas General also sells frozen fruits and vegetables. Here again, many public health advocates lament that some poorer areas of town only have canned or frozen vegetables. All the evidence points to frozen vegetables being a good, nutritious substitute for their fresh counterparts. Considering the short shelf life of vegetables, freezing is more nutritious compared to the wilted produce grocers must discard.
Because vegetables are usually frozen immediately after harvesting, they generally retain many of their nutrients.
In fact, one study showed that blanching and freezing vegetables for up to 2 months did not significantly alter their phytochemical content
Where I live there are literally dozens of full-service grocers within a 10-minute drive. Not everyone is so lucky. Where I grew up there were two small grocery stores about 20 miles away. It was a Godsend when Walmart moved into three regional towns 65, 85 and 100 miles away. Such is life in a rural county far from major cities. We somehow survived, as are people living in urban areas that public health advocates call food deserts.
Food is relatively cheap (except eggs), including canned and frozen vegetables. Unless you live in Death Valley, food deserts are mostly a myth. There is plenty of healthy, nutritious foods nearby (even at the local Texaco station).
Read more at: Canned foods are convenient, affordable and nutritious. Why do they have a bad reputation?
Healthline: Are Frozen Vegetables Healthy?