Comments on: Are Canned Foods Healthy? Examining Their Pros and Cons

By: Ina Kielley

Ina Kielley — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 16:00:05 +0000

In reply to Argile.

I certainly hope you can get back to fresh foods now, Argile! Nothing beats that fresh energy for our bodies. I can see why you felt bad! –Ina, Food Revolution Network Team

By: Argile

Argile — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 03:22:42 +0000

My refrigerator broke down and I have been eating canned chili salmon beans tuna peas etc,, and I have never in all my years felt so bad mentally and physically. It is as if my brain is depleted, awful. Grown man who has been life threatening situation and nothing compares to the way my mental instability was during this run can goods. It’s a plastic derivative that is used to store the food in the containers. That’s why infamous burger place food does not rot after 25 years. That’s why your tomatoes in cans last a year.
Absolutely NOT canned goods for me.

By: Ina Kielley

Ina Kielley — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 18:02:43 +0000

In reply to Annpurna Kolli.

Thanks very much for posting a question, Annpurna! Just as a starting note, Food Revolution Network generally encourages a whole food, plant based way of eating, and we do not promote the consumption of any animal products, including fish. That said, we know many of our members are on their own personal journey and make choices that work for their circumstances, so we are glad to share what the evidence shows regarding tinned sardines specifically.

From a food safety standpoint, sardines tend to be one of the better choices among fish, mainly because they are small and short lived, which means they generally accumulate far less mercury than large, long lived predatory fish like tuna, swordfish, or king mackerel. So if someone is choosing to eat fish, sardines are often considered a lower mercury option compared to many other choices.

That said, there are still some things worth being aware of. Like most fish, sardines can contain trace amounts of other contaminants such as PCBs and microplastics, since these can be present in ocean environments generally. Canned fish can also be higher in sodium, so checking labels for low sodium or no salt added versions can be helpful. And the canning material itself is worth a glance, some brands still use linings that can contain BPA or related compounds, so looking for a BPA free label is a reasonable precaution if that is a concern for you.

In addition, fish consumption raises real concerns around ocean sustainability and the wellbeing of marine life, if this is something you care to mitigate.

I hope this helps answer your question. Please let us know if you have further comments! –Ina, Food Revolution Network Team

By: Annpurna Kolli

Annpurna Kolli — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 07:11:59 +0000

I need to know if I can consume tinned sardines ( branded ) without any worry .

By: Annpurna Kolli

Annpurna Kolli — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 07:10:45 +0000

I need to know if I can consume tinned sardines without any worry .

By: Sandra

Sandra — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:53:27 +0000

I can my own fruit or f d eeze them and jelly

By: Beth Love

Beth Love — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 02:34:55 +0000

In reply to Pat C.

That’s awesome! A pressure canner is on my wish list for the purpose of making my own canned beans in glass. In the meantime, I just make fresh beans frequently.

By: Beth Love

Beth Love — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 02:32:03 +0000

The information about oleoresinous enamel is probably outdated. To my knowledge, Eden Foods, which was the only company of which I was aware that used to use oleoresin-lined cans, stopped using them years ago because they could no longer get cans with this lining. I would be delighted to hear that these cans are in use again, and would love to know what company is using them, if they are in use. Until that time, I avoid all products canned in metal, as all of them, BPA-free or otherwise, are lined with some type of plastic. Since the canning process involves having the food at high temperature inside the cans, avoiding canned food is a crucial practice for anyone wishing to keep plastic consumption to a minimum.

By: Eileen

Eileen — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 02:19:51 +0000

I have been canning for at least 60 years. I know what is in my jars. I prefer frozen, but lost power for 20 days, and that is dangetrous for the freezer, We didn’t open it until the power came back on. Frotunately there is no meat, so we were safe. I can most things, very low salt and almost never sugar

By: Jeff

Jeff — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 01:09:53 +0000

In reply to Mindy.

Excellent comment, Mindy! I’ve heard from sources I trust that much BPA (bisphenol-A) has been replaced with the very similar BPS which is just as bad if not worse but just hasn’t gotten the scrutiny to be proven so. I’m disappointed that FRN just assumes “BPA-free” is much safer without scientific evidence.

By: Bel

Bel — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 00:40:01 +0000

I “can”, freeze and dry what I grow. But for canning only glass. I keep some commercially canned beans and tomatoes for times when I’m in a hurry.

By: Ina Kielley

Ina Kielley — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 15:50:29 +0000

In reply to devo.

You’re very welcome, Devo. Thank you for reading! –Ina, Food Revolution Network Team