New research, presented March 29 via oral presentation at the 2015 Experimental Biology meeting, suggests American adults who eat canned fruits and vegetables not only have better diets and eat more total produce compared to those who do not, but also enjoy a higher intake of fiber and potassium. 

The study, presented by Marjorie Freedman, MS, PhD, Associate Professor at San Jose State University, and supported by the Canned Food Alliance, analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2001-2010, which includes information on the eating habits of 24,800 American adults age 18 and older. According to the study, when compared to adults who did not eat canned varieties, adults who ate canned fruits and vegetables at mealtimes:

• Ate 17% more vegetables
• Ate% percent more fruits
• Consumed 7% more dietary fiber and 5 percent more potassium
• Had overall better diet quality
• Had similar sodium and added sugar intakes