Canned vs Dried Beans: Which is Better?
Written by Isabel Vasquez RD, LDN
Beans are full of nutrition, and most Americans could benefit from eating more of them, per a 2020 study in Nutrients. That said, people of Hispanic descent (per the language in the study) had the highest legume consumption. Woohoo for cultural foods!
Our Latine families often buy a bag of dried beans and soak them to make delicious stewed or refried beans. However, in today’s day and age, we don’t always have the time to prepare dried beans. That’s where canned beans come into play.
They’re already soaked and softened so they’re easy to prepare when you’re short on time. However, you may wonder, “Are dried beans better than canned?”
Dried and canned beans vary in a few ways including nutrition, convenience, and cost. Keep reading to learn the details.
Are Dried Beans Healthier Than Canned?
Canned and dried beans have practically the same amount of protein, fat, carbs, and fiber whether they’re canned or dried. For reference, here is the nutrition in 1 cup of dried black beans, per the USDA:
Protein: 15.1 grams
Fat: 0.6 grams
Carbohydrates: 45 grams
Fiber: 15.4 grams
Here is the nutrition in 1 cup of canned black beans, per the USDA:
Protein: 14.5 grams
Fat: 0.7 grams
Carbohydrates: 40 grams
Fiber: 16.6 grams
Related: Are Beans Nutritious?
The main nutritional difference between canned and dried beans is their sodium content. Dried beans contain only a few milligrams of sodium, while canned beans can have over 900 milligrams—40% of the daily value—per cup, per the USDA.
Having too much sodium may put you at higher risk for health issues like headaches, high blood pressure, and bloating, per the American Heart Association. Canned foods can be a significant source of sodium in the diet.
That being said, if you want or need the convenience of canned beans (which we 100% understand) and you want to be mindful of your sodium consumption, you can always purchase a low-sodium option. Low-sodium canned beans have about 330 milligrams of sodium—14% of the DV—per cup.
Another good option is to rinse the beans before use. This helps remove much of the sodium.
You can also be mindful of the fact that the canned beans already contain sodium when seasoning them.
Maybe you don’t need to add more sodium and instead, you can lean heavily on herbs and veggies like garlic, onion, and pepper, which we tend to do in our Latine dishes anyway.
Canned Beans Are More Convenient
There’s no question that canned beans are a convenient alternative to dry beans. Canned beans are cooked before canning so they’re ready to eat.
You just have to prepare them how you like, which makes for a really quick cooking or meal prep process.
Dried beans, on the other hand, are uncooked and hard upon purchasing, so they take much longer to cook. You usually have to soak them for at least six hours to soften them.
Alternatively, you can simmer them for a couple hours or cook them in a slow cooker without pre-soaking them.
My abuela often prepared dried beans, but she spent practically all day in the kitchen making delicious, labor-intensive meals. Nowadays, most of us don’t have time to spend hours each day cooking, so dried beans may not be practical.
Dried Beans Can Be More Cost Effective
You often get more bang for your buck when you’re purchasing dried beans. They often come in bigger packages and cost less than canned beans.
So, if you eat beans a lot and you’re trying to save a few bucks, dried beans may be a better option, as long as you have the time to prepare them.
That said, both dried and canned beans are affordable, nutrient-dense protein sources. So, even canned beans are an affordable food to incorporate in your diet.
Final Thoughts
Both canned and dried beans are nutritious, affordable sources of protein.
That said, if you’re looking for minimal sodium, your best bet is either dried beans or rinsed low-sodium canned beans. If cost is your biggest motivator, dried beans tend to be a little cheaper. And if you want the most convenience, there’s no competing with canned beans.
Either way, you’ll get lots of plant protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. We encourage you to lean on whatever kind will help you add more beans to your day!
For education on how to ADD nutrition to your favorite Latine cultural dishes, make peace with food, and focus on your health without dieting, join our nutrition library for just $27/month.
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