On the heels of the latest news from the CDC that most Americans aren't eating enough fruits and vegetables comes new data from a study funded by the canned food industry that says canned fruits and veggies are often just as nutritious, if not more, than fresh or frozen. Experts still say that over-all fresh is still the best, but since we don't all have our own personal farms it just isn't a real possibility to always have fresh food handy. But not only are canned goods often equal nutritionally, but some nutrients like vitamin C and lycopene are actually more abundant and available in canned items versus fresh.

One thing to be careful of however, is that many canned foods have added sodium. Look for low levels of added salt and sugar, and try to incorporate a variety of canned, frozen, and fresh fruits and vegetables as much as possible into your diet year round.