Nutritional profile of baked beans If you're buying baked beans, it's worth keeping an eye on the salt and sugar content. On average, half a can of shop-bought baked beans can contain around 9g of sugar (10% of the daily reference intake) and up to 1.3g of salt, which is about 20% of the daily reference intake.
Canned beans: Baked beans are an excellent source of fiber and protein, but most of the time they are also high in salt. One cup of canned baked beans has more than 1,000 milligrams of sodium. A cup of homemade baked beans has about the same, unless you prepare a low-salt recipe.
Baked beans are a source of protein and are high in fibre, so are not a bad choice, especially on wholegrain toast or a jacket potato. But they do contain salt and sugar. Too much salt over time can contribute to high blood pressure, while sugar adds energy (calories) without any other nutritional value.
Goya chickpeas: 24.7% less sodium. Goya cannellini beans: 21.4% less sodium. Bush's pinto beans: 26.5% less sodium. Bush's black beans: 20.7% less sodium.
Baked beans can be healthy as part of a balanced diet — but there are important things to note. Baked beans found in cans, such as Heinz, contain added salt and sugar that are a significant amount of the recommended daily intake.
“Baked beans are perfectly safe to eat every day, so long as you look out for brands which have a moderate salt content, as this is the key factor you need to consider when considering beans as a part of your daily lifestyle. “Check the label and track down ones with no added sugar or salt,” he says.
All in all, canned beans are just as healthy for you as dried beans cooked at home. This is true in terms of nutrition, fiber, and protein content. The biggest difference is that canned beans can have a lot more salt.
High in fiber and antioxidants, beans aren't just good for the waistline, they may aid in disease prevention, too. More than just a meat substitute, beans are so nutritious that the latest dietary guidelines recommend we triple our current intake from 1 to 3 cups per week.
In fact, if you are regularly tucking into wholemeal toast, baked beans, fish fingers or ready-made pasta sauces, rest assured that these can still be part of a healthy diet and there's no shame in relying on these processed foods.
P eople worried about ultra-processed foods should not dismiss beans on toast as part of a healthy, balanced diet, nutritionists have said.
All brands and all varieties of canned beans tested demonstrated reductions in sodium content per serving after draining and draining and rinsing. Across all canned bean varieties and brands tested, the mean reduction in sodium content per serving resulting from draining and rinsing was 41%.
Draining and rinsing canned beans can reduce their sodium content by more than 40%. But taking just a few extra minutes is key to getting the most benefit. First, drain beans in a colander for two minutes. Then rinse the beans under cool running water for 10 seconds.
All beans and peas can help lower blood pressure due to their high content of fiber, potassium, and magnesium. Canned versions provide the same benefit as fresh, as long as they do not contain added sugar, fat or salt.
The Sodium Factor
But canned beans can be high in sodium, which is a problem for those with high blood pressure and those who want to avoid it. According to Dr. Gourmet, there are 400-500 mg of sodium in a 1/2 cup of canned beans. And if you're on a sodium-restricted diet, that's about 1/3 of your daily intake.
But foods like sliced wholemeal bread, wholegrain breakfast cereals, baked beans, tomato-based pasta sauces and fruit yogurts are also usually classified as ultra-processed and these can be a convenient and affordable source of some important nutrients.
The reason that beans are safe to eat straight from the can is pretty simple: They're already cooked. According to Epicurious, beans are blanched before being canned with water, salt, and other additives — all of which help keep the shelf-stable beans fresh for long periods of time.
Are baked beans healthy or unhealthy? Nutritionally speaking, beans (typically haricot or cannellini) are a good source of plant-based protein and are high in fibre, as well as being low in fat and calories. They also contain minerals such as iron and zinc, and are a good source of B vitamins such as folate.
Heinz Five Beans
Using five different beans — pinto, cannellini, borlotti and red kidney beans as well as the usual baked bean variety, haricot — means a greater variety of nutrients and fibre types (to feed your good gut bacteria).
Scrambled eggs without butter and baked beans with reduced salt and sugar are also healthy cooked breakfast options. If you do go for the full English every once in a while as a treat, remember to make a few tweaks to your cooking methods to reduce the amount of saturated fat and salt on your plate.
Baked beans
Any beans or lentils will count towards your 5-a-day, and that includes baked beans. Make sure you choose low-sugar and low-salt versions or you could try making your own.
Beans used for Baked Beans
Navy beans, also known as Haricot Beans, are the beans used in commercially produced canned baked beans. They are white beans that are slightly smaller than Cannellini beans. However, any small to medium beans will work just fine here.
One whole tin of Heinz beans contains 324 calories. Each tin contains 2 servings of beans.