Fakeaway cooks avoiding added sugar
If you want beans without sugar added to the recipe, look beyond the front-of-pack claim. The total-sugars figure still matters when comparing tins.
Who is this for?
Households serving several diners
A larger tin or multipack may fit a meal with chips, jacket potatoes or several side portions. Compare pack sizes and consider what you will do with any opened leftovers.
Shoppers comparing salt as well as sugar
If both figures matter to your choice, read the sugars and salt lines per 100g rather than relying on a reduced-sugar claim alone.
What should you check?
Start with what the recipe claim means, then compare tins on the same per-100g basis and check how much you expect to serve.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Added sugar | Distinguish “no added sugar” from total sugars. Read the ingredients and the sugars figure per 100g; no added sugar does not mean sugar-free. | I want to avoid sugar added to the bean recipe, while still knowing how much total sugar the tin lists. |
| Sugars and salt | Compare both figures per 100g, not just percentage-reduction claims. Each maker’s reduction is measured against its own standard recipe. The NHS describes 0.3g salt or less per 100g as low on food labels. | If I am choosing between reduced-sugar tins, I also want to see how their stated salt figures differ. |
| Ingredients | Check the current ingredient list for sugar or sweeteners. “Reduced sugar” does not mean no sugar has been added. | I would like to know whether the recipe uses sugar or a sweetener before choosing a side for the meal. |
| Pack and label | Match the tin or multipack to the number of diners. Check the current allergen statement and instructions for opened beans. | Will we use the opened tin, and is its allergen information suitable for everyone eating? |
Common shopping mistakes
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Reading “no added sugar” as “sugar-free”
Total sugars on a nutrition label can include sugars naturally present in the ingredients. Tesco Groceries lists 1.9g sugars per 100g for Heinz No Added Sugar Beanz.
Use the claim to identify the recipe type, then compare the total-sugars figures per 100g.
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Checking sugar but overlooking salt
Tins with different sugar claims can also list different amounts of salt. The NHS food-label guidance uses per-100g figures for comparison.
Read both lines on the same per-100g basis, then consider the amount you plan to serve.
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Treating every reduction claim as the same comparison
Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose compare their reduced recipes with their respective standard beans. Those percentages alone do not establish which tin has the lower sugars figure.
Compare the stated grams of sugars and salt per 100g across the tins themselves.
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Choosing a multipack without checking the pack
An opened tin may leave more than you need for one meal. Allergen information also matters: Marks & Spencer states that its No Added Sugar Baked Beans are unsuitable for people with milk or egg allergy.
Choose a pack size that fits your plans, and read the current can’s allergen and storage instructions before serving.
Brand and retailer bean ranges
These label details describe particular bean products, not every product made by each brand; check the current tin before buying.
Heinz
Heinz No Added Sugar Beanz is a 415g option for shoppers avoiding sugar added to the recipe.
- Tesco Groceries lists 1.9g sugars and 0.4g salt per 100g for this product.
- It contains a sweetener and still lists total sugars; “no added sugar” does not mean sugar-free.
M&S Eat Well
The 390g No Added Sugar Baked Beans tin offers another no-added-sugar recipe to compare.
- Marks & Spencer lists 1.2g sugars and 0.43g salt per 100g.
- Marks & Spencer states that this product is unsuitable for people with milk or egg allergy.
Waitrose Essential
Its reduced salt and sugar baked beans are a retailer-relative alternative to a no-added-sugar tin.
- Waitrose & Partners lists 2.0g sugars and 0.30g salt per 100g.
- Its 30% sugar and salt reductions are measured against regular Waitrose Essential baked beans, not competing brands.
Sainsbury’s
Its reduced sugar and salt beans come in a 4 x 400g pack for meals needing several tins.
- Sainsbury’s lists 2.8g sugars and 0.29g salt per 100g.
- The stated 30% reductions use Sainsbury’s standard baked beans as their comparison.
Tesco
Tesco Reduced Sugar and Salt Baked Beans offer a 420g own-label tin.
- Tesco Groceries lists 3.0g sugars and 0.29g salt per 100g.
- Tesco’s stated sugar and salt reductions compare this tin with its own standard baked beans.
Joybuy beans for a fakeaway side
This Branston multipack is an option if you need several tins of reduced sugar and salt baked beans for fakeaway meals.
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Branston Reduced Sugar & Salt Baked Beans 4 x 410g
Four 410g tins give you a pack to consider when serving beans across several fakeaway meals. Check the current label’s sugars and salt per 100g, ingredients and opened-storage instructions before choosing it over another recipe.
Questions about labels and leftovers
Does “no added sugar” mean baked beans contain no sugar?
No. A no-added-sugar tin can still contain sugars naturally present in its ingredients. The NHS explains that these are included in the total-sugars figure on food labels, so compare that figure per 100g.
Should I compare sugar per tin or per 100g?
Use per 100g to compare tins of different sizes, then consider the amount you will serve. NHS food-label guidance says nutrition information is provided per 100g and may also be shown per portion.
Are reduced-sugar beans also reduced in salt?
Not necessarily. The Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose Essential and Branston products described here each state reductions in both sugar and salt against their own standard beans. Read the salt figure per 100g to compare the products with one another.
What should I do with beans left in an opened tin?
Follow the storage and use-by-after-opening instructions on the tin you buy. If you expect leftovers, check those instructions and plan when you will use the remaining beans before opening it.
Is a no-added-sugar tin suitable for every food allergy?
No. Check the allergen statement on the exact tin. Marks & Spencer states that its No Added Sugar Baked Beans are unsuitable for people with milk or egg allergy.