Shoppers looking to reduce added sugar
If you want baked beans for the cupboard while cutting back on added sugar, compare the labelled sugars per 100g. A no-added-sugar tin can still list sugars in its nutrition table.
Who is this choice for?
Shoppers checking salt as well as sugar
If both figures matter to you, compare salt and sugars on the same per-100g basis. A reduced-sugar claim on its own does not tell you the tin’s salt content.
Carers and shoppers following an individual plan
When choosing for someone with an allergy, poor appetite or a prescribed nutrition plan, check ingredients, the likely portion and the requirements of that plan. Diabetes UK advises looking at total carbohydrate, not just sugars, when counting carbohydrate.
What should you check on the tin?
Start with the per-100g nutrition table to compare different tin sizes, then consider the portion that will actually be served.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars | Compare “of which sugars” per 100g. Read a percentage reduction against the named standard product, and distinguish reduced sugar from no added sugar. | I want to compare tins fairly, even when their sizes differ. NHS guidance notes that naturally occurring sugars are included in the total-sugars figure on food labels. |
| Salt | Compare salt per 100g and for the portion likely to be eaten. Check whether a reduced-salt claim accompanies the sugar claim. | Sugar is not my only consideration, so I need to see the salt figure too. The researched retailer listings show different salt values across these specific tins. |
| Carbohydrate | Read total carbohydrate per 100g and calculate it for the intended portion using the label’s figures. Do not substitute the sugars figure for total carbohydrate. | If the person eating the beans counts carbohydrate, I need a figure for the amount served. Diabetes UK advises checking total carbohydrate as well as sugars. |
| Portion and ingredients | Check the tin size, labelled serving and ingredients against the portion and any allergens that matter. Review the current label when buying. | A smaller tin may fit the amount I plan to serve. If I am shopping for someone with an allergy, the ingredient and allergy information matters more than a sugar claim. |
| Individual nutrition needs | Consider the beans within the person’s assessed nutrition plan, including any requirements concerning appetite, texture or other nutrients. | For someone with poor appetite or care needs, I cannot assume reducing sugar is the main priority. Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care System’s care-home guidance calls for individual nutrition needs to be assessed and reviewed. |
Common buying mistakes
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Assuming “reduced sugar” identifies the lowest sugar figure
A reduction is measured against a stated comparison product, which may differ between retailers. For example, Waitrose & Partners lists 2.0g sugars per 100g for its Essential reduced-salt-and-sugar beans, while Tesco lists 3.0g for its reduced-sugar-and-salt tin.
Compare “of which sugars” per 100g across the tins you are considering, then check salt and ingredients separately.
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Checking sugar but overlooking salt
Sainsbury’s lists 0.5g salt per 100g for the researched Branston Reduced Sugar & Salt 410g tin, while its own reduced-sugar-and-salt beans list 0.29g per 100g. Those figures refer to the specified products, not every tin from either brand.
Compare the current salt figures per 100g and for the portion you expect to serve.
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Treating a sugar claim as a diabetes-specific recommendation
A sugars figure does not show the product’s total carbohydrate. Diabetes UK advises using total carbohydrate when counting carbohydrate.
Check the back-of-pack carbohydrate figure for the actual portion and follow the individual’s established healthcare guidance.
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Putting sugar reduction ahead of every other care need
Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care System’s care-home guidance notes increased malnutrition risk among older, more dependent people and calls for individual nutrition needs to be assessed.
Where appetite, swallowing needs or a prescribed diet affects the choice, use the person’s care plan and seek advice from their care professional when needed.
Brand and own-label references
These examples describe specific listed tins; compare their current labels rather than applying one product’s figures to an entire range.
Heinz
Tesco lists Heinz No Added Sugar baked beans in a 200g tin.
- The Tesco listing gives 1.9g sugars and 0.4g salt per 100g and describes the tin as having 25% less salt than standard Heinz Beanz.
- The product contains a sweetener; check the ingredients if sweeteners matter to your choice.
M&S
M&S lists a 390g No Added Sugar baked-bean tin.
- M&S gives 1.2g sugars and 0.43g salt per 100g for this product.
- M&S says this product is not suitable for people with a milk or egg allergy; read its allergy information before buying.
Waitrose Essential
The Essential Reduced Salt & Sugar tin is a 420g option with reductions stated against regular Waitrose Essential beans.
- Waitrose & Partners states 30% less sugar and 30% less salt than its regular Essential beans; the listed figures are 2.0g sugars and 0.30g salt per 100g.
- It contains sugar, so it is not a no-added-sugar choice.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s lists reduced-sugar-and-salt own-label beans, including a 4 × 400g pack.
- For that pack, Sainsbury’s states 30% less sugar and 30% less salt than its standard beans and lists 2.8g sugars and 0.29g salt per 100g.
- The reduced-sugar claim is not a no-added-sugar claim; check the ingredients if added sugar or sweeteners affect your choice.
Tesco
Tesco lists a 420g own-label reduced-sugar-and-salt tin.
- Tesco states 30% less sugar and 25% less salt than its standard baked beans, with 3.0g sugars and 0.29g salt per 100g.
- Check the current tin label before using those listed figures to compare products.
Branston
Branston Reduced Sugar & Salt beans provide a branded option for shoppers comparing both nutrients.
- Sainsbury’s lists 3g sugars and 0.5g salt per 100g for its Branston 410g tin.
- It is a reduced-sugar product, not a no-added-sugar one. Check the exact pack’s current nutrition table when comparing formats or listings.
Joybuy product options
The option here is a Branston multipack for shoppers considering beans described as reduced in both sugar and salt; compare its current label with any other tin you are considering.
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Branston Reduced Sugar & Salt Baked Beans, 4 × 410g
This four-tin pack is an option if you want baked beans described as reduced in both sugar and salt. It contains sugar and steviol glycosides, so it is not a no-added-sugar option. Check the current tin’s sugars, salt and total carbohydrate figures before comparing it with another product or planning a portion.
Questions about choosing baked beans
Does “no added sugar” mean the beans contain no sugar?
No. Tesco lists 1.9g sugars per 100g for Heinz No Added Sugar beans, while M&S lists 1.2g per 100g for its No Added Sugar tin. NHS guidance explains that naturally occurring sugars are included in the total-sugars figure on food labels.
Are reduced-sugar baked beans automatically suitable for someone with diabetes?
No: the sugar claim alone does not establish suitability. Diabetes UK advises checking total carbohydrate as well as sugars; use the figure for the portion to be eaten alongside the person’s established healthcare advice or carbohydrate-counting plan.
How can I compare tins of different sizes?
Compare sugars and salt per 100g to put different tin sizes on the same basis, then check total carbohydrate and the portion you intend to serve. Read the ingredients and allergy information where relevant.
Should lower sugar be the main priority for an older person with poor appetite?
Not necessarily. Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care System’s care-home guidance calls for individual nutrition needs to be assessed and reviewed, particularly where dependency increases malnutrition risk. If the person has poor appetite or an individual care plan, use that plan rather than choosing solely by the sugars figure.