Fresh or preserved, all fruits and vegetables are healthy!

It is vital for every one of us to have a daily dose of fruits and vegetables that are packed with plenty of vitamins and minerals and hold a reputation for being the healthiest food group. Though it is great if you could manage to eat these in the fresh form, you may also include the preserved varieties to add good nutrients to your health.

All of you will be delighted to know that all kinds of produce of fruits and vegetables such as fresh, canned or frozen can be considered healthy to consume in order to attain good health. Read on to know how to choose the best form of fresh and preserved varieties of fruits and vegetables.

• Fresh: The fresh form of fruit and vegetable is easily available, most delicious, and the healthiest. You may easily pick a fuss free and handy piece of fruit or vegetable to help you energize on the move. Try to pick the seasonal varieties as they are better tasting and nutritionally more viable. Use fresh varieties of this food group to prepare a variety of preparations such as, salad, sandwich, soup, smoothie, dip, side dish, snack, main dish, or enjoy them as such.
• Frozen: These varieties of fruits and vegetables are sourced and picked when they are ripe and in their prime. After picking, these fruits and vegetables are preserved by flash freezing to intact maximum nutrition within them and you may freeze and save them for several months. These economically viable options must be checked for the sodium and added sugar content by reading their labels. Usually, the sauce and seasoning that are prepared using fruits and vegetables are loaded with salt or sugar, which are used as a preservative. So, choosing a no added sugar and low sodium variety would be a sensible option. You may add the frozen veggies to the boiled pasta, prepare the smoothie, or can be added to bakery produce.
• Canned: This variety is your “all time pantry keeper” and savior to get you through days when you cannot easily visit your local grocery shop. These have a long shelf life and are hassle free to be carried around. You should be careful to choose the ones with low sodium, reduced sodium, or no salt added food labels apart from the ones which are preserved in water, or own juice, or light syrup. You may drain and rinse the canned vegetables to further reduce the sodium content. Drain and add canned varieties of corn, tomatoes, or beans to your favorite soup, blend canned produce to turn it in to a dip or top it over your favorite porridge or dessert preparation.