Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources
University of California
Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources

Home preservation for whole foods, plant-based lifestyles

How my training as a UC Master Food Preserver helped me become healthy after a heart attack.
Canned garden produce in jars.
 
About three-quarters of the way into my certification training for the UCCE Master Food Preserver Program, I experienced a heart attack, which resulted in stent placements. I was fortunate, as I was treated in a hospital where the heart specialists recognize the benefits of clean, healthy eating and lifestyles. As I was in the recovery care of nurse Michael, whom I often refer to my "nurse angel,"he introduced me to the concept of a whole food, plant-based (WFPB) lifestyle. He had my undivided attention, as I was his only patient and he saw my desire to learn about it. Many scientists and doctors have performed numerous studies to support the benefits of a WFPB diet for various chronic diseases, including Type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease.

Recently there has been increasing interest and desire to grow and preserve our own produce. In addition, there has been an increase of health-conscious families turning to WFPB lifestyles. This UC Davis article explains the differences between vegan and WFPB diets.

Home food preservation is a natural accompaniment to this lifestyle, however, misconceptions about the benefits of home canning are often overlooked for the WFBP lifestyle and therefore not utilized. There is a misconception that preserved canned fruits are loaded with sugar. Unlike vegan diets, WFPB diets do not include sugar, however, WFPB diets do include raw honey if sweeteners are desired. The UC Davis Integrative Medicine article, The real truth about sugar, supports the choice to preserve fruits without the addition of sugar. And, although unprocessed foods are encouraged, minimally processed foods like home preserving, is acceptable. Here is a great article from UC Davis Integrative Medicine - What about processed foods?

Fresh plums ready for canning
Having a small orchard with cherries, peaches, plums and apricots, as well as grapes and blueberries, I spend my summers preserving fruits with no sugar. I would freeze, can or dehydrate the fruit to enjoy during the off seasons as well as making jams and jellies using Pomona's Universal Pectin without sugar, and instead using honey to add sweetness. Preserving with Pomona's Pectin preserving cookbook is an excellent resource for canning without sugar.

Beans are a protein staple for the WFPB lifestyle. A UC Davis Integrative Medicine article explains Why beans are best and are a healthful choice for a meal or a snack. Home canning beans saves time and money. This UCCE video by Dustin Blakey is an excellent demonstration for pressure canning beans. By following the recipe in the book So Easy to Preserve, for pressure canning beans, my beans always come out safe and perfect. Before serving, I bring the beans to a boil for 10 minutes and season for my desired taste.

So Easy to Preserve recipe book, pressure canner, and finished jar of canned pinto beans


Being a certified UC Master Gardener provided me the skills and knowledge to successfully grow my own produce. I often referr to my garden as “My Victory Garden for Health.” All the produce that is not eaten fresh is either canned, dehydrated or frozen using skills I learned as a UC Master Food Preserver.

We grew a large 4' x 16' bed of onions. Some onions were dehydrated, which was a great advantage. Snap peas, bush beans, asparagus, beets for pickling, carrots, tomatoes, and sweet corn were either pressure canned, blanched or frozen. Vegetable soup was made and canned using the So Easy to Preserve instructions.

I am not advocating that this lifestyle is for everyone since after almost one year I found my way to a hybrid form of WFPB. However, I will continue to use my UC Master Food Preserver skills to home preserve produce that is sugar free and healthy, knowing that my home preserved food is safe since I have followed recipes and procedures tested for home food preservation.

For more information about the UC Master Food Preserver Program, including the Food Preservation Video Library, visit mfp.ucanr.edu.

Posted on Friday, August 14, 2020 at 8:41 AM
  • Author: Sherida Phibbs, UCCE Master Food Preserver/Master Gardener of Humboldt and Del Norte Counties
Focus Area Tags: Food, Health

Comments:

1.
I love your article. There is nothing more rewarding than picking the food from you garden to eat. I love not having to go to the store and you know it is fresh. Congratulations on making it thru the surgery and for a new clean eating program.  
We all need to eat like this. They say this up coming generation has a life expectancy that is lower than ours. They attribute it to the obesity and diabetes in young kids. Keep up the great work.

Posted by Janet Winzler on August 16, 2020 at 9:09 PM

2.
Is there a good book on canning for Plant Based people to use ? I don’t want to purchase 10 books on subject to try and find that one. Thanks

Posted by Carla Jilek on October 25, 2022 at 4:55 AM

3.
I don't know of a canning book specifically focused on plant based diets, but the majority of the recipes in the book mentioned in the article, So Easy to Preserve, use only fruits or vegetables, and many canned fruits can be preserved without sugar. You can order it at https://nchfp.uga.edu/ - scroll down to publications, where you can also download the USDA Guide to Home Canning. The National Center for Home Food Preservation website has many of the recipes included in the book.

Posted by Sue Mosbacher on November 17, 2022 at 4:00 PM

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