Reasoning behind frozen over canned

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Posted by Iguanamomma on January 05, 2000 at 21:46:50:

In Reply to: Is it ok to feed my ig canned veges or fruit? n/m posted by Jimmy on January 04, 2000 at 23:51:50:

If you've been around the web for a bit, I'm pretty sure you have heard of/read Melissa Kaplan's site on iguanas. I'm also on the Iguana Mail List and there's a person there whose opinion I also value. Her name is Anne Marsden. I had saved off both ladies posts some time back re canned vs frozen foods. I thought I'd throw it here to provide you with more information:

>Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1999 12:28:35 -0700
>From: "Melissa Kaplan"
>Subject: RE: food
>
> My understanding is that frozen uncooked*foods are actually more nutritious than canned plants as the canned ones are heat processed and
nutrients leach out while they are sitting around...and we toss the liquid before serving
(especially to our critters).

> *many frozen foods are blanched briefly, which is okay, though I don't bother blanching the salad veggies when I am making enough to freeze a
> bunch.
****

Anne's:
>
If anyone wants to know my personal hierarchy (take it or leave it) it would be:
1. Plants grown by you or someone you know, picked today
2. Snap frozen produce (it's frozen within a couple of hours of picking)
3. Goods that have sat around under those water sprays at the grocery store for 3 days after being trucked across country in a (hopefully)
refrigerated truck for a variable amount of time.
4. (or sometimes 3, depending on how bad the truckers/grocery was), canned goods.

Since I normally go with fresh leaves for the leafy part of the diet, I only buy leaves I *know* weren't at the store the day before. If you're suspicious, you might as well head to the frozen section. Those little water sprays scare me, and the spotty, yellow and black collards I
sometimes pick up at the store only confirm that.
AFAIK, the only frozen food you must avoid for herps is frozen fish, as the thiaminase is pretty strong in fish. Other snap frozen foods used
within a reasonable length of time (e.g. a week from the store) should be fine. If in doubt, a little vitamin powder will restore the thiamine.

Anne M
******

My own opinion *grin* I agree that frozen is better over canned. If you find you are stuck with using canned sometimes, my suggestion would be to get the ones marked as "no salt" AND rinse contents several times before using anyway. If you can't find the unsalted, then it is even more important to rinse well. Also, IMHO, jarred baby food is better than canned and can be found from pureed up to whole food. Even with frozen, be sure and read the label as some companies add salt or other things to their veggies and fruit.

Hope this helped and didn't add to the confusion!

glenda

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: If you've been around the web for a bit, I'm pretty sure you have heard of/read Melissa Kaplan's site on iguanas. I'm also on the Iguana Mail List and there's a person there whose opinion I also value. Her name is Anne Marsden. I had saved off both ladies posts some time back re canned vs frozen foods. I thought I'd throw it here to provide you with more information: : >Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1999 12:28:35 -0700 : >From: "Melissa Kaplan" <melissk@sonic.net> : >Subject: RE: food : > : > My understanding is that frozen uncooked*foods are actually more nutritious than canned plants as the canned ones are heat processed and : nutrients leach out while they are sitting around...and we toss the liquid before serving : (especially to our critters). : > *many frozen foods are blanched briefly, which is okay, though I don't bother blanching the salad veggies when I am making enough to freeze a : > bunch. : **** : Anne's: : > : If anyone wants to know my personal hierarchy (take it or leave it) it would be: : 1. Plants grown by you or someone you know, picked today : 2. Snap frozen produce (it's frozen within a couple of hours of picking) : 3. Goods that have sat around under those water sprays at the grocery store for 3 days after being trucked across country in a (hopefully) : refrigerated truck for a variable amount of time. : 4. (or sometimes 3, depending on how bad the truckers/grocery was), canned goods. : : Since I normally go with fresh leaves for the leafy part of the diet, I only buy leaves I *know* weren't at the store the day before. If you're suspicious, you might as well head to the frozen section. Those little water sprays scare me, and the spotty, yellow and black collards I : sometimes pick up at the store only confirm that. : AFAIK, the only frozen food you must avoid for herps is frozen fish, as the thiaminase is pretty strong in fish. Other snap frozen foods used : within a reasonable length of time (e.g. a week from the store) should be fine. If in doubt, a little vitamin powder will restore the thiamine. : Anne M : ****** : My own opinion *grin* I agree that frozen is better over canned. If you find you are stuck with using canned sometimes, my suggestion would be to get the ones marked as "no salt" AND rinse contents several times before using anyway. If you can't find the unsalted, then it is even more important to rinse well. Also, IMHO, jarred baby food is better than canned and can be found from pureed up to whole food. Even with frozen, be sure and read the label as some companies add salt or other things to their veggies and fruit. : Hope this helped and didn't add to the confusion! : glenda

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