What types of liquids are canned fruits packed in?

Fresh fruit is a good source of vitamins and a healthy snack to have in between meals. But when purchasing canned or tinned fruits you need to be aware of what the fruits have been packed in, these generally come in either of the following:

• Fruit juice
• Heavy syrup
• Light syrup
• Water (although you don't often see this on the shelves, you can use water to canned fruit.

Although canned fruit is a great way of consuming your recommended five a day, you must be aware that when purchasing canned fruit in syrup there could be several grams of added sugar which makes this far less healthier than fresh fruit or canned fruit in fruit juice.
Although the syrup helps to keep the texture, the color and the shape of the fruit it is not necessary to add sugar as the shelf life is the same with or without sugar. The more sugar added the thicker the syrup and of course the higher the calories. So if on the can it states "heavy syrup" that means there is more added sugar than "light syrup". You should check the nutrition label on the side of the can before purchasing. When shopping for canned fruit you need to look for "fruit canned in their own juices" or "unsweetened fruit".

Fruit canned in fruit juice is a healthier option. If you cannot use the fruit's own juice then you can use apple juice, white grape juice also pineapple juice. If you are making a fresh fruit salad, pour fresh orange juice over the fruit to prevent discoloration.

If you have a sweet tooth you can always add a sweetener to your fruit or serve with a spoonful of honey or yogurt.