Canned beans are a nutritional, affordable pantry staple, but experts say it's important to take this step being eating canned beans for additional health benefits

The #1 Thing Dietitians Say You Should Always Do Before Eating or Cooking Canned Beans

Canned beans are a nutritional, affordable pantry staple, but experts say it's important to take this step being eating canned beans for additional health benefits

• Before you cook or consume canned beans, it’s best to rinse them thoroughly, experts say.
• Rinsing canned beans lowers their sodium content and may even help alleviate bloating and gassiness associated with beans.
• Experts said the practice doesn't otherwise impact canned beans' nutritional value.

Canned beans are a pantry staple across the U.S., and it’s easy to see why—they’re an affordable, convenient way to add more nutrients to your diet. But before you add beans to your next recipe, experts say taking a bit of extra time to rinse them is crucial.

There are a number of culinary reasons why a person may want to rinse off canned beans before eating them. Primarily, the practice helps control the amount of salt and liquid a person is adding to their dish, which could minimize the risk of any flavor or texture issues.

But washing canned beans before use may also be a nutritious move.

Here’s what registered dietitians had to say about what happens when you rinse canned beans, plus how the kitchen practice might affect the nutritional makeup of this popular legume.

Rinsing Beans Could Reduce Sodium, Alleviate Gassiness

One well-established benefit of rinsing canned beans is that it helps lower the high sodium load of the product.

Sodium is typically added to canned beans for not only taste, but preservation purposes. Though it varies by brand, 1/2 cup of canned black beans can contain anywhere from about 80 mg to about 400 mg of sodium, for example.

And the majority of Americans consume more sodium than they need.

However, “rinsing canned beans removes up to 40% of the sodium content and washes away the starchy liquid that can alter the flavor and texture of dishes,” Amy Davis, RDN, registered dietitian and owner of Amy Davis Nutrition, told Health.

Another potential benefit from rinsing canned beans is they could help minimize any gas or other gastrointestinal issues often associated with plant-based proteins.

“Beans are in a category of foods called FODMAPs, an acronym for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols,” explained Lindsay Malone, RDN, LD, a nutrition instructor at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. “These are types of carbs that can contribute to gas and bloating in certain people, though some are more sensitive to them than others.”

But washing canned beans may be able to remove some of those oligosaccharides, which might otherwise cause gas during digestion, Davis said.

“Rinsing can reduce the amount of difficult to digest carbohydrates, and for many people, it can help reduce gas,” Malone told Health.

However, it’s important to note that there’s little peer-reviewed evidence to back up the idea that rinsing canned beans reduces gas. Because of this, Katy Willbur, RD, LDN, a clinical dietitian at the Frances Stern Nutrition Center at Tufts Medical Center, disagreed with the claim.

“Soaking dried beans overnight (more than 12 hours) can reduce the levels of oligosaccharides and reduce gassiness, but, unfortunately, rinsing canned beans will not help,” she told Health.

More research is needed, but given the fact that oligosaccharides leach from beans when they’re soaked in water, the same can be assumed of canned bean liquid. In turn, rinsing this away may help get rid of some of those gas-causing carbohydrates. It isn’t clear whether that’s enough to really move the needle on gastrointestinal symptoms from eating canned beans.

Soaking and cooking dried beans yourself is the best way to alleviate bothersome gastrointestinal symptoms. As for other ways to avoid gassiness from beans, Malone suggested “cooking them in a pressure cooker” to improve digestibility, while Davis said adding ingredients such as cumin or ginger to your beans could help further soothe the stomach.

Are There Any Downsides to Rinsing Canned Beans?

You might want to hold onto canned bean liquid if you have a specific culinary purpose for it. For example, aquafaba—the liquid from canned chickpeas—is often used as a vegan egg white substitute. Similarly, some people like to utilize canned bean liquid for thickening sauces, soups, and stews, or even as a source of sodium in a dish.

Otherwise, draining and rinsing any residual canned bean water is generally a smart idea to reduce the salt load and potential digestive discomfort associated with these pre-cooked legumes. And luckily, all the other beneficial nutrients found in beans—from fiber to micronutrients—will still be present regardless of whether you rinse them before consumption.

“Beans are truly a nutritional powerhouse,” Willbur said. “Incorporating them into your diet will not only have health benefits, but can even make it easier to stick to your grocery budget.”

The protein and fiber found in canned beans slow digestion, which can help regulate the body’s blood sugar response and make you feel more full. This results in less extreme spikes and dips in blood sugar and energy levels after eating.

Fiber from beans also “supports gut health through encouraging regularity and feeding good bacteria in the gut microbiome,” Malone said. It could even help lower cholesterol levels, too.

Canned beans also have plenty of micronutrients, including vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients (also known as plant compounds).

“Vitamins like folate and minerals such as iron, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium are found in meaningful amounts in canned beans,” said Davis. These nutrients—in combination with the array of plant compounds in beans—support metabolic, immune, and heart health.

But on the other hand, there are some nutrients found in canned beans that can detract from some of these health benefits.

“Beans contain phytates and lectins, which can reduce the absorption of certain nutrients,” Davis said.

Phytates are known for inhibiting the absorption of calcium, iron, magnesium, and zinc. And lectins can bind to carbohydrates and resist the digestive enzymes needed to properly break down these carbs, potentially leading to gastrointestinal discomfort.

This story originally appeared on: Health News - Author:Christina Manian, RDN