Let’s be honest, the pantry shelf doesn’t exactly scream excitement. Still, what you toss into that cabinet could matter more than you think. Canned goods have been around for centuries, helping folks through emergencies, busy weeknights, and budget crunches alike. Here’s the thing, though: not all canned foods deliver equal value when it comes to nutrition.
Some cans hold treasures of fiber, protein, and vital nutrients. Others? They’re mostly delivering sodium, sugar, and questionable additives. So which ones deserve your shopping cart space, and which ones should you leave on the store shelf?
Canned Beans: Fiber-Packed Powerhouses You Can’t Ignore
Beans are an excellent source of plant-based protein, with most varieties containing 8 grams per half-cup. Here’s where it gets interesting: three studies published in 2024 demonstrated that beans are positively associated with overall nutrient intake, nutrient adequacy, diet quality, and biomarkers of health. That’s pretty convincing evidence right there.
Bean consumers had significantly higher intakes of several shortfall nutrients including choline, alpha-linolenic acid, folate, iron, magnesium and vitamin E relative to non-consumers of beans. Whether you prefer black beans, chickpeas, or kidney beans, you’re getting tremendous nutritional bang for your buck. Eating more legumes was linked to lower cardiovascular and heart disease risk, with consuming 400 g of legumes per week seeming to offer the most benefits.
The only caution? The sodium content of canned beans can be 100 times that of cooked. Look for no-salt-added versions, or simply drain and rinse your beans to cut sodium by roughly half.
Canned Tomatoes: Lycopene Levels That Surprise Scientists
Here’s something most people don’t realize: processing of tomatoes increases the concentration of bioavailable lycopene, with lycopene in tomato paste being up to four times more bioavailable than in fresh tomatoes. The heating process actually breaks down cell walls, making this antioxidant easier for your body to absorb.
Canned tomatoes are rich in antioxidants, including carotenoids, beta-carotene, and lycopene, and antioxidants help prevent chronic diseases like high blood pressure and heart disease. Research from 2025 shows that higher levels of blood lycopene were associated with 11% lower risk of overall cancer, with each 10-μg/dL increase in blood levels of lycopene associated with a 5% lower risk.
Canned tomatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C, potassium and lycopene, an antioxidant thought to help protect against prostate cancer, heart disease and bone loss. Stock crushed, diced, or whole tomatoes depending on your cooking style. They’re pantry staples that truly earn their keep.
Canned Salmon and Tuna: Omega-3s Without the Fresh Fish Hassle
Canned salmon is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids and very affordable. In fact, canned salmon provides about 18 grams of protein per serving and is one of the few foods naturally rich in vitamin D, which helps build and maintain strong, healthy bones. That vitamin D content alone makes it worth considering.
Canned tuna offers similar benefits. Canned tuna is an inexpensive, low calorie source of protein and other important nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids. Canned chunk light tuna has a lower level of omega-3 (0.23 grams per 3 ounces) and canned skipjack tuna is listed as a “best choice” for mercury content by the FDA.
Mercury concerns are real, I know. The FDA recommends keeping servings to three per week max of canned light tuna or one serving of canned albacore. Just alternate between salmon and light tuna, and you’re golden.
Canned Pumpkin: The Unexpected Nutrient Superstar
Canned winter squash is an outstanding source of the antioxidant beta-carotene, supplying 8.5 mg per one-half cup, with adults recommended to consume 8 to 15 mg per day. That’s nearly your full daily requirement in just a small serving.
Even better? Pumpkin releases more of its beta-carotene when heated during the canning process. So contrary to what you might assume, canned pumpkin actually offers more accessible nutrients than fresh. Beyond beta-carotene, canned pumpkin purée is also a decent source of fiber, potassium and bone-building vitamin K.
Don’t limit pumpkin to autumn pies. Blend it into smoothies, stir it into oatmeal, or fold it into pancake batter. You can even freeze it in ice cube trays for convenient single servings whenever you need a nutritional boost.
Canned Chickpeas and Lentils: Plant-Based Protein Made Easy
Registered dietitians recommend keeping canned beans and lentils in your pantry as these legumes are healthy sources of protein, fiber, and carbohydrates, and can be easily added to everything from soups and chilis to salads and grain bowls. They’re ridiculously versatile.
Lentils are a great source of fiber and plant-based protein to keep you full and satisfied, with a one-cup serving providing 16 grams of fiber and 18 grams of protein, respectively. Cooking dried lentils takes forever, but cracking open a can? Two seconds flat.
Chickpeas deserve special mention here. They’re the base for hummus, obviously, but they also roast beautifully for crunchy snacks, blend into creamy pasta sauces, and bulk up salads without weighing you down. Stock several cans because you’ll use them more often than you expect.
Canned Artichoke Hearts: The Overlooked Vegetable Winner
Artichokes are loaded with fiber and prebiotics. Prebiotics feed the beneficial bacteria in your gut, which plays a massive role in everything from digestion to immune function to mental health. Most of us could use more of that.
Artichoke hearts add instant sophistication to salads and pasta dishes without requiring any prep work. They come marinated or packed in water, depending on your preference. The marinated versions pack more flavor but also more calories and sodium, so check those labels.
They’re surprisingly affordable too, especially when you consider the hassle of preparing fresh artichokes. Have you ever tried trimming a fresh artichoke? It’s basically a workout. Skip the drama and grab the can.
Skip: Canned Pasta with Sauce
A can of Heinz Alphaghetti contains 1,490 mg of sodium and 18 g of sugar, which is 65 per cent and 18 per cent of your recommended daily intake, respectively. That’s genuinely shocking when you break it down. Those cute little alphabet shapes come with a hefty nutritional price tag.
Canned pastas are convenient to have around in a pinch, but they’re not recommended from a health perspective, primarily because of their high levels of preservatives, additives, salt, and sugar. Making your own pasta with jarred sauce takes maybe ten minutes longer and gives you far better control over what you’re eating.
Skip: Canned Chili
The nutritional label for Stagg Chili shows 1,000 mg of sodium per 300 g serving, which is 43 per cent of your recommended daily value, with the same serving also containing 10 per cent of your recommended daily sugar intake. That’s wild considering chili should theoretically be a healthy, protein-rich meal.
High-sodium foods like this can contribute to elevated blood pressure (hypertension), which, if left uncontrolled, increases the risk of serious health problems such as heart attack, stroke, heart failure, kidney disease, and even blindness. You’re better off making a big batch of homemade chili and freezing individual portions. Your taste buds and your blood pressure will thank you.
Skip: Canned Fruit in Syrup
Canned fruit in light syrup has around 21 per cent of your daily recommended sugar intake, with anything higher than 15 per cent considered a lot when it comes to sugar. That’s a ton of added sugar masquerading as healthy fruit.
The canning process can impact nutrients that are otherwise present in fresh fruit, with the amount of water-soluble vitamin C and most vitamin B in fruits reduced when canned. So you’re getting less of the good stuff and way more of the bad. If you do buy canned fruit, choose fruits that are canned in water or juice instead of syrup. Better yet, grab frozen fruit when fresh isn’t available.
Skip: Canned Soup (Most Varieties)
Look for canned soups that offer no more than 300 milligrams per serving, or no more than 600 milligrams of sodium per can, have at least three grams of fiber per serving, have no added sugar, and are plant-based. Finding soups that meet all those criteria? Good luck. Most canned soups are sodium bombs disguised as comfort food.
Reading labels becomes critical here. Some brands are reformulating to reduce sodium, but you’ll need to compare carefully. Honestly, making a big pot of soup at home and freezing portions is simpler than you think. Plus, you can control exactly what goes in.
