Looking for simple midweek meal solutions and fuss-free family feasts? See BBC Good Food's easy dinner recipes . Looking at the score table, Branston scores higher across all categories than Heinz, although both are very low scoring overall. Heinz regularly donates to both main political parties in the US and has repeatedly scored very low in the Corporate Human Rights Benchmark assessments. Biona: “The lining of the cans is made of an aluminised polyester and gold organosol lacquer.” Cans are labelled “No BPA used.”

And while, like many foods, the cost of a can of beans has risen over the past year, our supermarket winners remain modestly priced. The cheapest Best Buy cost just 50p a tin. Most baked bean brands have low-sugar/low-salt versions, so you may want to give them a try if you're watching your intake. We only included standard versions in our taste test to ensure products were comparable. Beans doesn't have to mean Heinz. You can save on this store-cupboard staple without compromising on flavour by going for a cheap supermarket tin instead.The sugar content of a tin of Biona organic beans has gone up by 40% in the last six years and is now the brand with the most sugar in. An adult serving of Biona tinned beans equates to 14.75 g of sugar – nearly three sugar cubes! Should you buy reduced-sugar baked beans? If a kid’s portion is 100g, a 3-year-old would be eating nearly a third of their recommended maximum daily intake with just one serving of Heinz baked beans. A serving of Bionova would give them just over half their recommended maximum daily intake. How do the brands rate for their salt levels? Stevia also comes from a plant native to Central and South America. It is sweeter than sugar but contains no calories or sugars. However, highly refined extracts may perpetuate the desire for sweet-tasting foods and drinks, and therefore overconsumption is not recommended.

There are two main ethical issues when it comes to the use of tin: 1) Human rights and environmental destruction

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If an adult portion of baked beans is 250 g, with Heinz beans an adult gets 1.5 g of salt, which is a quarter of their recommended maximum daily intake. With Bionova they would get nearly half. The University of California found that BPS (Bisphenol S), a substitute for BPA, disrupts the reproductive system. Another 2017 study found that six Bisphenol compounds used as BPA substitutes were more potent in their endocrine-disrupting properties than BPA. Other problem linings are PVC, a known human carcinogen, and polystyrene-acrylic resins, a possible carcinogen. In April 2023, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) re-evaluated BPA’s safety and reduced the tolerable daily intake (TDI) to 0.2 nanograms per kilogram of body weight per day. That’s 20,000 times lower than what it was before.

Our consumer panel blind-tasted baked beans from Branston, Heinz and HP, plus eight supermarket options from Asda, Sainsbury's, Tesco and more. But the levels of salt and sugar in baked beans can be very high, which somewhat negates their healthy potential. Whole Earth: “Our baked bean cans currently do contain BPA to prevent the erosion of the metal and subsequent contamination of the products but we are working to change this.” There are non-toxic alternatives such as oleoresin (oil and plant resin) and polyester and acrylic resins. Another option is to avoid cans and buy beans in glass jars. Studies have shown that you can reduce BPA levels in your body by as much as two-thirds by avoiding canned foods – in just a few days. What the bean companies say about BPA Nothing to sayOne way in which Heinz has one up on its rival is that it provides some information on the BPA in its can linings, whereas Branston stays schtum. These delicious baked beans are slightly smokey and perfect to use wherever you want to add to a hearty meal. I like to serve mine as a Baked Potato topping. I also love to eat them as part of a vegan breakfast with some Tofu Scramble and maybe a bit of vegan bacon. 🤫The Secret to Beans with no sugar!