Canned Foods Linked To Healthier Eating Habits

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May 14, 2014, 09:05 ET

WASHINGTON, May 14, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- New research shows people who eat canned foods typically have healthier diets and consume more essential nutrients. Canned foods are also recommended by nutrition experts nationwide as key to getting healthy family meals on the table more often.

The findings, based on an analysis of national eating trends and a survey of leading nutrition experts, revealed that canned foods are not only a staple in healthier diets, they are associated with higher intakes of fruit and vegetables, dairy, lean protein and whole grains, and contribute to an all-around healthier, balanced diet as recommended by the government's 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.¹

The analysis was conducted for the Can Manufacturers Institute and examined NPD Group's National Eating Trends™ survey and Nutrient Intake Database. It found that adults and children who frequently eat canned foods (six or more times in two weeks) have better diet quality compared to those who eat canned foods less frequently – one-to-two times over the same period.

This is good news – considering that a review of compliance with previous 2005 Guidelines by United States Department of Agriculture researchers and published in the Journal of Nutrition concluded that "nearly the entire U.S. population consumes a diet that is not on par with recommendations."²

"I regularly tell my clients that canned foods can help them to eat a more balanced diet. They offer a host of benefits – such as convenience, quality and, of course, nutrition," said Registered Dietitian Rebecca Scritchfield. "Plus, canned ingredients save people time and help them to prepare healthy, homemade meals for their families."

Nutrition Experts Agree on Benefits of Canned Food:

A recent survey of more than 300 registered dietitians (RDs), who counsel people on balanced eating and weight management, underscores the NPD analysis. In the survey, these nutrition experts indicated that they recognize the nutrition and value of canned foods not only for their clients, but for themselves:

100 percent of the RDs recommend canned foods to people who need to consume more fruits, vegetables, beans or fish in their diets.
99 percent of the RDs report that they have used some form of canned food in the past month to prepare nutritious meals for themselves and their families.
88 percent believe that the convenience of canned foods helps busy families get healthy balanced meals on the table.

This new research further affirms a study that highlighted the nutrition, cost and safety benefits of canned food conducted by Michigan State University, published in February in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine.³

To learn more about this research, or for recipes and facts about the benefits of canned foods, visit www.CansGetYouCooking.com.

About the Research
Nutrition Analysis
The CMI analysis of nutritional intake among frequent (6+ items in 14 days) and infrequent (1 to 2 items in 14 days) canned food users utilized data from NPD Group's National Eating Trends (intake diary panel) and Nutrient Intake databases. The analysis was based on two years of data gathered between February 2011 and February 2013 with a nationally representative sample of 8,198 adults age 18+ and children aged 2 to 17, with 5,316 of participants being classified as frequent (2,584) or infrequent (2,732) canned food users.

Registered Dietitian (RD) Survey
The CMI survey of registered dietitians was completed among a national sample of 311 practicing registered dietitians currently holding positions where they provide nutrition and dietary guidance to their clients. Data was gathered between November 11 and November 19, 2013, via an online survey. The survey results have a margin of error of +/- 5 percent.

About Cans Get You Cooking
Cans Get You Cooking™ is a multi-year, fully-integrated campaign that launched nationwide during National Canned Food Month in February 2013. Funded by the food can manufacturers of the Can Manufacturers Institute – Ball Corporation, Crown Holdings Inc., and Silgan Containers – the campaign builds on the insights from comprehensive consumer research revealing consumers' strong, positive associations with canned food including nutrition, quality and convenience. It is designed to showcase the many benefits of cooking with canned foods, and demonstrate the variety of ways consumers can count on canned foods to help them get delicious, nutritious meals on the table for their family that they can feel good about, every day. For more information, visit www.CansGetYouCooking.com.

About Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI)
CMI is the national trade association of the metal can manufacturing industry and its suppliers in the United States. The can industry accounts for the annual domestic production of approximately 124 billion food, beverage and other metal cans; which employs more than 28,000 people with plants in 33 states, Puerto Rico and American Samoa; and generates about $17.8 billion in direct economic activity. Our members are committed to providing safe, nutritious and refreshing canned food and beverages to consumers. For more information, visit www.cancentral.com.

References

Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010. 7th Edition, Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, December 2010.
Krebs-Smith et al. Americans Do Not Meet Federal Dietary Recommendations, 2010. J. Nutr. October 1, 2010 vol. 140 no. 10 1832-1838.
Miller, Steven R., and William A. Knudson. Nutrition and Cost Comparisons of Select Canned, Frozen, and Fresh Fruits and Vegetables. N.d. MS. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. Published online 27 Feb. 2014. doi: 10.1177/1559827614522942.

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SOURCE Can Manufacturers Institute