Are Canned Greens Ever Worth Buying?

We all know how important it is to eat our greens. The nutritional value of things like spinach and kale has been preached to us since childhood. Usually, when the topic comes up, doctors, nutritionists, and parents sing the praises of fresh or frozen greens, but what about when they come in canned form? As it turns out, canned greens are good for you too, but they're typically not as enticing-looking as their fresh or frozen counterparts.

If you want bright, vibrant greens, stick with fresh or frozen. For convenience and for recipes where the appearance of the greens isn't a big deal, canned greens are fine. Compared to fresh or frozen greens, canned greens have somewhat of a mushy texture and a dark grayish appearance.



This is because the process of canning involves heat. This cooks the greens but doesn't give them the opportunity to be blanched (which would preserve the green color). There is some disagreement on whether or not canned greens contain less nutrients than fresh or frozen greens.

Overall, canned greens offer plenty of nutrients like minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, and proteins. Water-soluble vitamins like C and B may diminish somewhat because they're less water-soluble. Many canned greens are preserved with sodium, which may also diminish some nutrients.

To avoid this, you could look for low-sodium or sodium-free canned greens. Canned greens aren't very pretty, but they are convenient Some leafy greens you can find in the canned vegetable aisle include spinach, kale, mustard greens, collard greens, and turnip greens. Personally, I've been a fan of canned spinach since I was a child, even though it's one of .

My grandmother used to sauté drained canned spinach in butter on the stovetop and eat it as a side dish, and I thought it was delicious. You can take any canned green and eat it as a side dish, really. When you consider that fresh collard greens take an hour to cook, you can see the appeal of simply opening a can instead.

To liven up canned greens, consider heating them with some flavorings, whether that's a touch of vinegar, some bacon, onions, garlic, rinds, or spices. Chopped canned greens are excellent to incorporate into certain recipes, especially if the color of the veggie isn't meant to be on display. For example, if you want a platter of bright green sautéed turnip greens with garlic and oil, use fresh greens, which will retain their color with the right steps.

But, if you want them in your ravioli filling, mixed with cheese and herbs, the canned version is perfect. Similarly, you can mix canned greens into soups, casseroles, rice dishes, curries, egg dishes, dips, or in your own creative version of Recommended.