11 of the Healthiest Canned Foods to Keep in Your Pantry, According to RDs

Look no further than these non-perishable favorites.

We asked experts for their advice and some of their favorite foods that come in a can.

Are Canned Food a Healthy Choice?

The answer is a nuanced one.

Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

Many canned foods retain many nutrients, such as key vitamins and minerals.

Take, for example, lycopene in tomatoes, which ticks up during the canning process.

In fact, it’s two times higher in canned tomatoes than in raw tomatoes.

However, not all canned foods are good for you.

Many canned foods contain additives like sodium and sugar, as well as preservatives.

For that reason, in general, the fewer ingredients listed, the better for you that item is.

Reach for low-sodium varieties and rinse them before use to further reduce the salt.

(Read up on morehealth benefits of peaches here.)

They pack in a variety of nutrients found in fresh tomatoes, likevitamin Cand lycopene.

Choose a can that says “no salt added” to avoid extra sodium.

Bobo recommends keeping some canned pumpkin frozen in silicone ice trays to throw into smoothies for added nutrients.

Fresh salmon, while delicious, can get expensive and spoils quickly.

Toss canned salmon on top of salads or use it to makeeasy salmon pattiesfor dinner.

Bobo calls canned artichokes “extremely underrated,” and for good reason.

Artichokes are also rich in vitamin C andantioxidants, like cynarin and silymarin.

you could even makedessert with chickpeas.

Canned chicken isn’t necessarily as good for you as fresh chicken.

Cannedcornis high in dietary fiber, which can help to aid digestion.

Fiber also supports heart health.

However, be mindful of added sugars in some canned coconut milks.

You will want to stay away from sugar, sodium, and unhealthy fats.

The key is to read the ingredients label and check what nutrients the food includes.

How much of the good stuff does it have compared to how much of the not-so-good stuff?

D’Evoli, L. et al.

“Influence of Heat Treatments on Carotenoid Content of Cherry Tomatoes.“Foods.

“Bisphenol A (BPA).”

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

“Fish, tuna, fresh, bluefin, raw.”

U.S. Department of Agriculture.