If salt is your deciding factor, Tesco and Sainsbury’s each list 0.29g per 100g for their reduced-sugar-and-salt baked beans; compare the current tin and the portion you intend to serve before choosing. For a Sunday roast with gravy or other salty sides, count those alongside the beans: the NHS advises adults to have no more than 6g of salt a day.
The useful label details depend on what else is going into the roast and who will be eating it.
If you are serving beans with gravy, stuffing or processed meat, compare salt per 100g and the salt in your planned portion. The NHS advises counting salt already in food as well as salt added during cooking or at the table.
Reduced sugar and no added sugar describe different recipes; neither tells you the salt content. Check both nutrition lines, and read the ingredients if sweeteners affect your choice.
Check the suitability statement on the exact tin rather than assuming that every reduced-salt recipe fits the meal. M&S identifies its No Added Sugar Baked Beans as vegan and vegetarian in its product information.
Start with a like-for-like nutrition comparison, then check the serving and the ingredients that matter to your household.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Salt in the meal | Compare salt per 100g across tins, then check the stated serving against the amount you will eat. A percentage reduction refers to a comparison recipe, not the salt in your whole meal. | I’m adding beans to a roast with gravy or other salty foods, so the portion matters as well as the figure on the front of the tin. |
| Sugar and ingredients | Read the sugars and salt values per 100g separately. Check whether the recipe says reduced sugar or no added sugar, and read the ingredients for sweeteners. | If I’m choosing a different sugar formulation, I still want to know how much salt that particular tin contains. |
| Dietary suitability | Check the vegan or vegetarian statement for the exact product and pack you are buying. | Beans need to fit the rest of my vegetarian or vegan roast, not just meet my salt preference. |
| Pack and leftovers | Check tin size, stated servings and the current label’s instructions for storing beans after opening. | A smaller serving may leave beans over; I need a pack size and storage instructions that work for the meal I’m planning. |
Brands compare their reduced-salt recipes with different standard products. Their percentage claims therefore do not replace a comparison of the declared salt per 100g.
Use the nutrition panel to compare tins on the same basis, then check the salt in your intended portion.
A no-added-sugar recipe can still have a different salt figure from a reduced-sugar recipe. Ingredients also differ: the ASDA and Heinz options described in their product information include steviol glycosides.
Read the salt line and ingredients list together if either salt or sweeteners affect your choice.
Gravy, stuffing and other accompaniments can contribute salt alongside the beans. The NHS advises adults to have no more than 6g of salt a day and recommends tasting food before adding salt.
Consider the bean portion alongside the other dishes, and taste the meal before adding salt or sauces.
Retailers warn that recipes can change. The storage period after opening also depends on the product.
Check the tin you receive; transfer unused beans to a covered, non-metallic container, refrigerate them and follow that tin’s storage timeframe.
These details refer to the named recipes, not to every tin made by each brand. Check the current pack before serving.
Tesco Reduced Sugar and Salt Baked Beans come in a 420g tin.
Sainsbury’s Reduced Sugar & Salt Baked Beans are listed in a 400g tin.
Essential Reduced Salt & Sugar Baked Beans are a 420g own-label option.
ASDA Reduced Salt & No Added Sugar Baked Beans include a 4 x 410g pack.
Heinz Baked Beans No Added Sugar include a 415g tin.
M&S No Added Sugar Baked Beans come in a 390g tin.
This reduced-sugar-and-salt Branston multipack is an option to assess as a bean side for a Sunday roast. Compare its current label with other tins if salt per 100g is your deciding factor.
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For a roast side, check the current tin’s salt per 100g and the amount in the portion you plan to serve. This is a 4 x 410g multipack; read the ingredients and suitability statement if sweeteners or a vegan meal plan matter to you.
No: it describes a reduction against a comparison recipe, not an absence of salt. Tesco Groceries states 25% less salt than its standard baked beans, while Sainsbury’s states 30% less than its standard recipe. Compare the actual salt per 100g and the portion you will serve.
Use both for different purposes: salt per 100g lets you compare tins on the same basis, while the serving figure helps you account for the amount going on the plate. Check whether the stated serving matches what you intend to eat.
The NHS advises adults to have no more than 6g of salt a day, including salt already present in food and salt added during or after cooking. Count beans alongside gravy and other roast accompaniments rather than treating them as the meal’s only source of salt.
Check the suitability statement on the exact tin. Marks & Spencer identifies its No Added Sugar Baked Beans as vegan and vegetarian; product information for other recipes should be checked individually rather than assuming the salt claim establishes dietary suitability.
Transfer unused beans from the opened tin to a covered, non-metallic container and refrigerate them. Follow the storage timeframe printed on the product you bought, as instructions differ between recipes.