Pork and beans: a fiber-rich can with a salt problem

Beans lower cholesterol in trials. Across 38 randomized trials with 2095 people, whole pulses at a median 130 g a day for a median 6 weeks lowered LDL cholesterol by 5.4 mg/dL (95% CI 3.1 to 7.3; metric: 0.14 mmol/L, 0.08 to 0.19), evidence about pulses in general rather than canned beans with pork and sugar. A trial of canned baked beans did not show that. In a crossover trial of 20 mildly hypercholesterolemic men, six 16 oz (440 g) cans of baked beans a week did not lower plasma cholesterol when dietary fat was not displaced. What a cup of pork and beans (260 g) clearly gives is about 273 calories, 11.8 g protein and 11.4 g fiber. It also carries about 1,017 mg sodium, a recipe figure that varies by brand.

As people eat it, per 3.5 oz (100 g)

How much is actually in it

• Despite the pork, the dish is low in saturated fat, about 0.6 g per cup, and gives 3.6 mg iron. — US canned pork and beans, survey recipe Evidence E source
  Saturated fat 0.231 g/100 g (0.6 g per cup); iron 1.4 mg/100 g (3.6 mg per cup)

What a real portion looks like

• A cup of pork and beans (260 g) provides about 273 calories, 11.8 g protein and 11.4 g fiber. — US canned pork and beans, survey recipe Evidence E source
  Per 100 g: 105 calories, 4.52 g protein, 4.4 g fiber
• The same cup carries about 1,017 mg sodium and 601 mg potassium. — US canned pork and beans, survey recipe Evidence E source
  Sodium 391 mg/100 g (1016.6 mg per cup); potassium 231 mg/100 g (600.6 mg per cup)

What your body absorbs

• In 6 people, canned baked beans raised blood glucose and insulin more than home-cooked baked beans, and in vitro their starch was hydrolyzed 6 to 8 times faster than that of boiled beans. — Six weight-stable subjects, single test meals in random order (n = 6) Evidence B source
  Starch hydrolysis rate 6 to 8 times higher in canned beans; responses intermediate between boiled beans and glucose

What it does to your health

• Across 38 trials with 2095 people, eating whole pulses at a median 130 g a day for a median 6 weeks lowered LDL cholesterol by 5.4 mg/dL (0.14 mmol/L). — 2095 participants in 38 randomized trials, median 6 weeks (n = 2095) Evidence A source
  LDL-C -5.4 mg/dL (95% CI -7.3 to -3.1; metric: -0.14 mmol/L, -0.19 to -0.08)
• In a crossover trial of 20 mildly hypercholesterolemic men, six 16 oz (440 g) cans of baked beans a week did not lower plasma cholesterol when dietary fat was not displaced. — 20 mildly hypercholesterolemic men, crossover versus canned spaghetti (n = 20) Evidence B source
  Plasma cholesterol not lowered

Safety, limits and interactions

• In the 2008 Canadian total diet study, canned baked beans contained 23.5 ng of bisphenol A per gram, with the highest levels found in canned foods. — 154 food composite samples, Quebec City 2008 (n = 154) Evidence C source
  Canned baked beans 23.5 ng/g BPA; canned fish highest at 106 ng/g
• In a randomized crossover study of 20 volunteers, eating canned food raised urinary bisphenol A by 206% at 4 hours, returning to baseline within 24 hours. — 20 healthy volunteers, canned versus fresh food meals (n = 20) Evidence B source
  Urinary BPA +152% at 2 h, +206% at 4 h, +79% at 6 h; baseline by 24 h

What people believe that the data does not support

• Under 50% of adults eating half a cup of pinto or baked beans daily reported more flatulence in the first week of each trial, and 19% with black-eyed peas. — Adults in 3 feeding studies, half cup of beans daily for 8 or 12 weeks Evidence B source
  Under 50% reported increased flatulence in week 1 with pinto or baked beans; 19% with black-eyed peas

The bottom line

Despite the pork, saturated fat is low, about 0.6 g a cup, and the cup gives 3.6 mg iron and about 601 mg potassium. Canning changes the starch. In 6 people given single test meals, canned baked beans raised blood glucose and insulin more than home-cooked baked beans and less than glucose. In lab tests the starch of canned beans broke down six to eight times faster than that of boiled beans. Six people and one meal each is a small base. Gas is real. In three feeding studies, under half of adults eating half a cup of pinto or baked beans daily reported more flatulence during the first week of each trial. Cans bring bisphenol A. In a 2008 total diet study in Quebec City, canned baked beans contained 23.5 ng BPA per gram, a single city and year, and can linings may have changed since. In a randomized crossover study of 20 healthy volunteers, a meal of canned food in general raised urinary BPA by 206% at 4 hours. That measures exposure, and the study tested no health outcome. The sodium is the clearer concern for anyone told to limit salt. We have no card on pregnancy, children, allergy or medicines for this dish, and we found no study of pork and beans itself.

Sources

1. pkbn-daily-r4-03 · food composition dataset
   FNDDS 2707406 Pork and beans: Fatty acids, total saturated 0.231 g/100 g, 1 cup 260 g 0.6 g · Iron, Fe 1.4 mg/100 g, 1 cup 3.6 mg
   USDA FNDDS 2021-2023, Pork and beans (FDC 2707406) · checked 2026-10-01
2. pkbn-daily-r4-01 · food composition dataset
   FNDDS 2707406 Pork and beans: Energy 105 kcal/100 g, 1 cup 260 g 273.0 kcal · Protein 4.52 g/100 g, 1 cup 11.8 g · Fiber, total dietary 4.4 g/100 g, 1 cup 11.4 g
   USDA FNDDS 2021-2023, Pork and beans (FDC 2707406) · checked 2026-10-01
3. pkbn-daily-r4-02 · food composition dataset
   FNDDS 2707406 Pork and beans: Sodium, Na 391 mg/100 g, 1 cup 260 g 1016.6 mg · Potassium, K 231 mg/100 g, 1 cup 600.6 mg
   USDA FNDDS 2021-2023, Pork and beans (FDC 2707406) · checked 2026-10-01
4. pkbn-daily-r4-06 · randomized crossover trial
   Postprandial glucose and insulin responses were greatest to glucose, lowest to home-cooked baked beans, and intermediate to canned baked beans... the in vitro data showing a six-to-eight times higher rate of starch hydrolysis in canned beans relative to boiled beans.
   Am J Clin Nutr, 1986 · checked 2026-10-01
5. pkbn-daily-r4-04 · meta-analysis of RCTs
   Thirty-eight trials (52 trial comparisons, n=2095) with a median of 6 weeks and dose of 130 g/d (0.5-0.67 cup/d) showed that whole dietary pulses decreased low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (mean difference, -0.14 mmol/L [95% CI, -0.19 to -0.08])
   J Am Heart Assoc, 2026 · checked 2026-10-01
6. pkbn-daily-r4-05 · randomized crossover trial
   Thus, eating an average of six 440 g cans of this source of baked beans per week, large servings, does not lower the plasma cholesterol when dietary fat is not displaced.
   Eur J Clin Nutr, 1990 · checked 2026-10-01
7. pkbn-daily-r4-08 · total diet study
   High concentrations of BPA were found mostly in the composite samples containing canned foods, with the highest BPA level being observed in canned fish (106 ng g(-1)), followed by canned corn (83.7 ng g(-1)), canned soups (22.2-44.4 ng g(-1)), canned baked beans (23.5 ng g(-1))
   Food Addit Contam Part A Chem Anal Control Expo Risk Assess, 2011 · checked 2026-10-01
8. pkbn-daily-r4-09 · randomized crossover trial
   Mean BPA concentrations at 2 h, 4 h, and 6 h after meals were 152%, 206%, and 79% higher, respectively, than mean BPA concentrations before meals.
   Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2019 · checked 2026-10-01
9. pkbn-daily-r4-07 · randomized crossover and parallel trials
   Less than 50% reported increased flatulence from eating pinto or baked beans during the first week of each trial, but only 19% had a flatulence increase with black-eyed peas.
   Nutr J, 2011 · checked 2026-10-01