What are baked beans?
Baked beans are normally made with white beans similar to haricot or cannellini, and served in a tomato sauce together with spices and seasoning similar to paprika, onion powder, salt and sugar.
Get inspiration with our scrumptious baked bean recipes from our home-made wholesome baked beans to our spicy beans on toast.
Dietary profile of baked beans
A 200g serving of baked beans (canned in tomato sauce) offers:
• 162kcal/666kj
• 10g protein
• 1g fats
• 30g carbs
• 9.6g sugars
• 9.8g fibre
• 1.3g salt
Should you’re shopping for baked beans, it is value keeping track of the salt and sugar content material. On common, half a can of shop-bought baked beans can comprise round 9g of sugar (10% of the day by day reference consumption) and as much as 1.3g of salt, which is about 20% of the day by day reference consumption.
In response to NHS pointers, a portion of 80g (cooked weight) beans and pulses, roughly 3 heaped tablespoons, makes up one in all your five-a-day. Should you eat greater than this quantity it nonetheless solely counts as soon as in the direction of your five-a-day. It’s because though beans are a very good supply of fibre, they comprise a decrease nutrient density in comparison with different fruit and greens.
Are baked beans wholesome or unhealthy?
Nutritionally talking, beans (sometimes haricot or cannellini) are a very good supply of plant-based protein and are excessive in fibre, in addition to being low in fats and energy. In addition they comprise minerals similar to iron and zinc, and are a very good supply of B nutritional vitamins similar to folate. Together with beans and pulses in your food plan can be related to a decrease cardiovascular threat and will assist steadiness blood sugar ranges.
Store-bought baked beans (canned in tomato sauce) are a fast, straightforward and cost-effective snack or element of a meal, however don’t neglect they’ve added components together with salt and sugar. Usually, a few third of the can contents is tomato sauce, which is wealthy in lycopene – a protecting carotenoid that is related to a decrease threat of coronary heart illness.
Baked beans could make up a part of a balanced food plan, nevertheless it’s greatest to eat them alongside meals similar to greens, eggs and slow-release carbohydrates to make sure a very good steadiness of vitamins with not an excessive amount of salt or sugar. The place doable, select the decrease salt selection, or make your personal.
How can I purchase the healthiest baked beans?
Test the dietary data on the label when shopping for shop-bought baked beans, and test for any further components in addition to the salt and sugar content material.
You should buy varieties which might be decrease in sugar or salt, however these could use stevia or synthetic sweeteners for flavour. Some manufacturers additionally add ‘extras’ similar to pork or meat-free sausages, which can enhance the fats, calorie and generally sugar and salt content material.
How do I make my very own baked beans?
Making your personal baked beans means you may management the degrees of added sugar and salt. Soak dried beans in a single day to make sure they’re adequately hydrated earlier than cooking them. Use completely different styles of beans, or a mixture.
Try our selfmade baked beans recipes.
Are baked beans secure for everybody?
Usually recognised as secure, canned varieties could embrace components like salt and sugar in addition to BPA contaminants.
Attempt one in all our wholesome baked beans recipes…
Baked candy potatoes & beans
Jacket potatoes with home-baked beans
Smoky beans on toast
Gradual cooker breakfast beans
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Kerry Torrens BSc. (Hons) PgCert MBANT is a registered nutritionist with a put up graduate diploma in personalised diet & dietary remedy. She is a member of the British Affiliation for Vitamin and Life-style Drugs (BANT) and a member of the Guild of Meals Writers. Over the past 15 years she has been a contributing creator to a variety of dietary and cookery publications together with BBC Good Meals. Observe Kerry on Instagram at @kerry_torrens_nutrition_
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