I read an article in today's Qld Sunday Mail that refers to a Harvard School of Public Health report confirming that tomato products are a better source of lycopene than fresh tomatoes. Seems the heat processing of canned foods causes the lycopene to be better absorbed by the body. Actually I've also read recently that tomato sauce has more nutriment than tomatoes. Where does this leave the rawfoodists?
The article also refers to the current age of 'orthorexia nervosa' - a 'disease' coined to illustrate the almost religious obsession with 'pure' eating that many people have - rather like the 'organic' purists. But there is a groundswell of evidence that frozen and/or canned fruit and vegies rate high in the taste test too, plus a 16 percent cost saving. I use very few canned foods, but always canned chickpeas to make homus, and canned beans of various types - it is easier and quicker. I also prefer frozen spinach because I don't know how long the fresh spinach has been wilting at the greengrocers. :)