Often Asked Questions
Are canned fruits as good for you as fresh fruit?
Vitamin C is heat sensitive so canning can destroy most of this vitamin. It is not hard to
get vitamin C from foods such as capsicum, strawberries, citrus fruits and juices. Other
nutrients such as vitamin A, the B vitamins and potassium are not bothered by heat.
As a rule, fresh fruit needs more chewing than canned fruit. This is good for mouth muscles
and soft tissues in the mouth.
Both canned and fresh fruit have a place in your diet.
Are frozen vegetables as nutritious as fresh vegetables?
Frozen vegetables have just as many nutrients as fresh vegetables if not more. Loss of
nutrients can start happening once vegetables are picked. Vegetables that are frozen very
soon after harvesting retain most of their vitamins. To help retain those nutrients, steam or
use very little water and don’t over- cook. Frozen vegetables don’t need to be cooked for long
as they have already been softened by the freezing processed.
Is brown or raw sugar better than white sugar?
There are a few minerals in brown or raw sugar but in such small amounts that these sugars
are no more nutritious than white sugar. Brown sugar can slightly change the texture and
flavour of home baked cake and biscuits. It also tastes good on porridge!
Is skim milk better for you than full cream milk?
As the fat has been removed, skim milk has slightly more protein than full cream milk.
Skim milk has much the same amount of calcium as full cream milk. Skim milk is lower
in calories (kilojoules) than full cream milk. Skim milk is not recommended for the frail
elderly or if unintentional weight loss is an issue.
Does microwaving vegetables destroy vitamins?
Vegetables are good for us no matter what method is used to cook them however
overcooking in lots of water will certainly reduce mineral and vitamin content.
Cooking vegetables in the microwave oven uses little or no added water and cooking time is
short. This means that very little of the vitamin or mineral content is lost.
