Hosts comparing sugar figures
If baked beans are one dish at a world food night, the sugars figure per 100g lets you compare tins without relying on the wording on the front.
Who is choosing?
Shoppers checking salt and ingredients too
A lower-sugar claim may be only part of the decision when salt figures and named sweeteners also matter to you.
Hosts planning portions and dietary checks
A 220g can and a larger tin serve different plans. For vegan guests or anyone with an allergy, check the information for the exact product you will serve.
What should you compare?
Start with the per-100g nutrition panel, then consider the recipe and how many people the tin needs to serve.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars | Compare ‘of which sugars’ per 100g. Sainsbury’s lists 1.9g per 100g for Heinz No Added Sugar; Waitrose lists 2.0g for Essential Reduced Salt & Sugar. ‘No added sugar’ does not mean sugar-free. | I want to compare the amount of sugar declared in the beans, not just the claim on the front of the tin. |
| Salt | Read salt per 100g alongside sugars. The accessed listings give 0.4g for Heinz No Added Sugar and 0.30g for Essential Waitrose. Percentage reductions compare each product with its own stated standard version. | If other dishes at the meal contain salt, I want to see the beans’ salt figure before choosing. |
| Ingredients | Check the current ingredient list for sugar and named sweeteners. The accessed Heinz and Sainsbury’s reduced-sugar recipes list steviol glycosides from stevia; the accessed Essential Waitrose list does not name a sweetener. | A particular sweetener or recipe matters to me, so I need to check the tin I am buying. |
| Can size | Compare the stated pack sizes: Essential Waitrose and Tesco have 220g options, while the cited Heinz tin is 415g and Sainsbury’s lists 400g tins and a 4 x 400g pack. | For a small side dish, I may want a smaller can; for several guests, I need to plan how many tins to open. |
| Dietary details | Read the exact pack’s vegan statement and allergen information. The accessed Heinz, Essential Waitrose and Tesco listings describe their named products as suitable for vegans; that statement does not replace an allergen check. | Before serving guests with dietary requirements or allergies, I want to check the label on the cans I will use. |
What is easy to overlook?
-
Treating ‘reduced sugar’ and ‘no added sugar’ as the same claim
Heinz No Added Sugar still declares naturally occurring sugars. A reduced-sugar claim, meanwhile, describes a comparison with another recipe rather than the tin’s total sugars figure.
Use ‘of which sugars’ per 100g to compare tins, then read the claim in the context of that product.
-
Comparing sugar but not salt
Reduced-salt percentages refer to each brand’s stated standard beans. They do not, on their own, tell you which of two reduced-sugar tins declares less salt.
Compare salt per 100g on both tins when it matters to your meal.
-
Assuming the recipe has no sweetener or tastes unchanged
Some of the cited reduced-sugar recipes name a sweetener. A 2015 study published in Food Research International also found that, among the baked beans it tested, the regular version was liked significantly more than its reformulated counterpart; that does not predict every guest’s preference.
Read the ingredients and, if the beans will be a prominent part of the meal, consider trying a tin before serving them to a group.
-
Using a vegan statement as an allergen check
Vegan recipe information and precautionary allergen information answer different questions. For example, Ocado’s listing for standard M&S baked beans carries an egg and milk warning despite describing a vegan recipe.
For a guest with an allergy, check the allergen wording on the exact pack rather than relying on a vegan statement.
Relevant brand references
Heinz
The cited 415g No Added Sugar tin is an option when the declared sugars figure is the main comparison point.
- Sainsbury’s lists 1.9g sugars and 0.4g salt per 100g for this product.
- It still contains naturally occurring sugars, and its cited recipe lists steviol glycosides from stevia.
Sainsbury’s
Its Reduced Sugar & Salt beans are listed in 400g tins and a 4 x 400g pack.
- Sainsbury’s states 30% less sugar and 30% less salt than its standard baked beans; the cited listing declares 2.8g sugars and 0.29g salt per 100g.
- The cited recipe lists steviol glycosides from stevia.
Waitrose Essential
The cited Reduced Salt & Sugar beans come in a 220g can, which may suit a smaller side dish.
- Waitrose lists 2.0g sugars and 0.30g salt per 100g and states 30% less of each than in its regular Essential beans.
- A 220g can may mean opening several cans for a group. Check the current ingredients if avoiding a particular sweetener.
Tesco
Tesco’s cited Reduced Sugar & Salt product is a 220g, vegan-labelled can.
- Tesco states 30% less sugar and 25% less salt than its standard beans; the cited product declares 3.0g sugars and 0.29g salt per 100g.
- Its cited recipe contains sugar, so the reduced-sugar wording should not be read as a no-added-sugar claim.
Branston
Branston has a reduced-sugar-and-salt baked-beans product for shoppers who prefer that recipe.
- The cited 410g product is described as suitable for vegetarians.
- Check the current pack for its nutrition figures, ingredients and any dietary statement before choosing it for guests.
Joybuy product options
This Branston multipack is a reduced-sugar-and-salt baked-beans option to consider when planning tins for several guests.
Image unavailable
Branston Reduced Sugar & Salt Baked Beans, 4 x 410g
Four 410g tins offer a pack format to consider for a group meal. The product description compares its sugar and salt with standard Branston beans; check the current pack for the per-100g figures, ingredients and allergen information before serving.
Common questions
Does ‘no added sugar’ mean baked beans are sugar-free?
No. The cited Heinz No Added Sugar beans contain naturally occurring sugars, and Sainsbury’s lists 1.9g sugars per 100g. Check the nutrition panel for the total declared sugars.
Do all reduced-sugar baked beans contain sweeteners?
No. The cited Heinz and Sainsbury’s recipes list steviol glycosides from stevia, while the accessed Essential Waitrose ingredient list does not name a sweetener. Check the current can because recipes can change.
Which cited tins are labelled suitable for vegans?
The accessed listings for Heinz No Added Sugar, Essential Waitrose Reduced Salt & Sugar and Tesco Reduced Sugar & Salt describe those named products as suitable for vegans. Check the exact pack before serving; vegan labelling does not settle an allergen question.
Is an online ingredient list enough when serving a guest with an allergy?
No. Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose advise checking the product label because recipe and allergen information can change. Read the allergen information on the exact pack you will serve.