What Difference Does Light Vs Heavy Syrup Really Make For Canned Fruit?

Plucked off their stems at peak freshness and tucked into cans with sugar and water, there's nothing like indulging in a few syrupy slices of canned fruit. From sweet peaches to supple pineapples, the syrup in the cans adds a delightful sheen to each slice, while sweetening, softening, and maintaining the fruit's flavors. Some jars are so good, they're practically a must in your pantry. The syrup in canned fruit might have a straightforward purpose, but the wide variety of canned fruits out there means choosing one is anything but simple. Now, we're curious. What difference does light vs heavy syrup really make for canned fruit?

While the terms light and heavy might be vague, The National Center for Home Food Preservation indicates concrete parameters for each of these syrups. Light syrup contains about 20% sugar, while heavy contains up to 40%. This means that fruit packed in light syrup (made with sugar and water) is the closest syrup-canned option to fresh fruit, aside from juice- or water-packed fruit. Because it has the least amount of sugar, this option is usually reserved for packing sweeter fruits like apples and peaches. Fruit canned in heavy syrup (typically made with sugar, corn syrup, and water) will have a much sweeter, more decadent flavor, and is often used to balance the taste of sour fruits like plums or nectarines. 

Since fruit packed in heavy syrup has more than double the calories of light syrup, it is more akin to a sugary dessert than a healthy snack, and can be a flavorful addition to use in desserts like pie. Fruit is already naturally sweet on its own, so some might consider fruit packed in heavy syrup too candied for their taste. So if you don't want too much extra sugar in your dessert, fruit canned in light syrup is a better choice.

Even though light syrup is the healthier option, some people still swear by fruit canned in heavy syrup. It might do a better job at maintaining flavors due to the added sugars. That said, since sugar is a firming agent, fruit packed in light syrup might be slightly softer than the same fruit in heavy syrup. To make things even more complicated, there are also syrup offerings like "very light," "medium," or "very heavy," not to mention fruit packed in water or juice. Water-packed fruit is the healthiest option due to its minimal ingredients, while very heavy syrup will be the least. If you want to meet in the middle, opt for a can of fruit packed in light syrup.

Simply put, there are pros and cons to each option, so choose whichever best fits your taste buds and purpose, whether you're buying it for a pie, to eat straight from the can, or to jazz up with some simple ingredients.