How to remove salt from canned beans ?

[janvog]

Food prices and the price of energy for cooking will increase. Canned vegetable is considered acceptable for a reasonable diet, but obviously not optimal. But all canned vegetable contains salt. Perhaps salt cannot be removed from some canned vegetables. But I try to remove/reduce salt from canned beans by putting the beans into colander and rinsing a stream of hot water over the beans. If you have connections to a dietitian ask for the opinion, and perhaps tests could be made to establish how much of the salt is removed by a stream of hot water. Your opinion is also of general interest ! I also stream hot water over canned salmon in a colander to remove salt. There again, how much of the salt is removed ?

[patagozon]

In the case of beans, I'd buy a bag of dry beans. It takes some effort to make, but I think it's healthier and cheaper.

[janvog in reply to patagozon]

I agree with you ! I will follow your advice !

[hankisbest in reply to patagozon]

I soak and cook the dried beans and freeze portions, then it's quick to make a meal later.

[MisfitK]

If you drain and rinse canned beans, you remove between 30-40% of the sodium in the product, which is good.

However, that still does leave a significant amount of sodium, so if it's still too high and you don't have the time for dried beans, I'd suggest buying the zero sodium canned beans. They should be available in all US groceries (and I'd imagine worldwide, although you may not be able to find every type that way).

[janvog in reply to MisfitK]

Thank you very much for this valuable information!

[W00dfin in reply to janvog]

Please let me take alternative view: cooking dried beans in a pressure cooker. This rapid cooking process uses less energy than conventional methods and retains more nutrients. We sort through the beans to remove splits and foreign objects (I have found small pebbles in the economy size bags of pinto beans), rinse them and soak them overnight. We have found that 2 1/2 cups of dry beans is the optimum amount for a 4 quart pressure cooker. Cooking times vary according to the bean. Through trial and error we have found most beans will be done in 17 minutes (pintos) or less. We have the cook times listed next to the oven. Timing starts when the weight starts rocking on the vent. Reduce heat just enough to keep it rocking. A tablespoon of oil will minimize foaming which you don’t want. You can also add any seasoning you like. Cooking can be stopped by running cold water over the cooker in the sink. Or you can let it cook until the pressure drops although the cooking continues during the cool down. I have encountered some folks who are scared of pressure cookers exploding. The cooker has a safety valve that will blow off before that can happen. Just be sure to clean the vent after each use with a pipe cleaner or similar utensil. Hope this has been helpful. I once saw a European study that found lower cancer rates associated with bean consumption.

[GittyGirl in reply to W00dfin]

Thank you for your advise. Where can I purchase an old time pressure cooker not computerized?

[W00dfin in reply to GittyGirl]

I found a 4 quart Presto cooker on Amazon that is very similar to ours: Presto 01341 4-Quart Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker. $72 seems a little high and you may find it for less somewhere else. I recommend the 4 quart size unless you want to cook meat or something that takes up more space. The 4 quart is plenty heavy when full. Use a non-abrasive cleaner like Barkeepers Friend that won’t scratch it.

Let me know if you have any questions.

[Keepkicking]

Thanks Jammin. I didn't know about hot water and insulation. Being ridiculously touch-sensitive, that's a great tidbit to know.

[dougstalbans]

A small amount of salt is necessary in our diet. I don't add it to anything and I don’t think there's too much in what I buy. I pay more attention to sugar and whether the item is organic and vegetarian. I have managed to get organic baked beans without added sugar and the salt is sea salt if that makes a difference. It comes in jars rather than tins which I like. Not cheap. My health food store had some difficulty getting it last time. Clearspring is the name of the product. Doug in the UK

[opal11uk]

Maybe try soaking in cold water over night, not the Salmon.

[Notmuchenergy]

why do you need to remove the salt ? We all need some salt

[MisfitK in reply to Notmuchenergy]

Not the OP, but some reasons people like to remove the salt...

1. They have to control salt in their diet for their health - not eliminate it entirely, but keep it at a certain level. Many different reasons and health conditions big and small for this one, so I'm gonna leave it there.

2. As chefs do, they want to control the salt level of their final dishes from start to finish, adding in the salt they want, and not having other products increase or decrease it. Just like bakers like to use unsalted butter and then add salt (vs just using salted butter), a chef would like the main veg/protein to start salt free, so he/she could layer the salt flavor with other flavors as they go and end up with an easily repeatable and tasty dish.

3. They just don't like how salty canned beans taste. And I can totally feel this reason b/c it's why I stopped eating canned soup and now only make my own - canned soup is terrible, relying solely on salt to provide most flavor, and thus it's both too salty and mostly tasteless. Now, I rely on herbs/spices as primary flavor enhancers and salt as the backup in my soups!

[Notmuchenergy in reply to MisfitK]

I just wondered if he had a particular reason for removing the salt

[LeoPa]

I as a self-made dietitian 😁 refuse to eat canned beans. Beans are not good for you. I have yet to see anything which only beans contain and cannot be found elsewhere. I have kidney pain every time I eat beans. Canned beans are even worse. And there is nothing wrong with salt unless you load up on it through junk food. Think salted pretzels etc. You are made of 70% salt water. You keep losing salt all day long. Unless you replenish it you are going to have to suffer cramps. By the way high blood pressure has nothing to do with salt consumption. Unless it is excessive of course. But those who do not eat salty junk do not consume excessive amounts of salt. Salt real foods to taste. That is all there is to it.

[Hidden in reply to LeoPa]

Right on the money. Beans contain lectins and anti-nutrients that prevent the body from taking up the plant protein contained in the bean. It is a natural defense mechanism of the plant. Seeds are plant babies and they are the most defended and toxic part of the plant. All plants have them to one degree or another (gluten, caffeine, etc.)

Salt is only bad for you in the presence of insulin resistance... which, unfortunately, 85% of Americans suffer. So the guidelines are safe, but not for the right reason.

[janvog in reply to LeoPa]

As always first class advice !!!

[Big_Dee]

Hello janvog

I have a metabolic panel performed every time I do my blood tests and not concerned about my salt intake. My sodium is generally on the low normal side and your body does need salt to balance your electrolytes as during treatments as we drink a lot of water flushing out salt. I am the type of person who does not automatically salt their food, mater a fact I never salt my food. Blessings.

[Hidden]

There is zero evidence to support your claim that humans survived on beans for millions of years. Its nothing but a popular notion. When is the last time you ever found a wild bean plant while walking through a field? The fossil record does support the FACT that humans are Hyper Carnivores. Radiation Isotope testing supports that claim. While we CAN eat plants, plants were survival food. Something that could fill your belly when you couldn't kill something to eat.

Humans did not introduce plants as a staple part of the diet until only 8,000 to 12,000 years ago. And after steadily increasing in size for millions of years, the human brain/skull capacity has actually declined since 12,000 years ago.

I suggest you start reading the work of some evolutionary biologists.

[Hidden]

My science-based belief.

[Test_Tech]

See what you started janvog 😀😊🙃

[janvog in reply to Test_Tech]

"THE COOK IS IN LOVE !" is a popular saying in the Hispanic culture when the meal cooked by the house maid seems a bit too salty ! Generational insight : The housemaids or anybody "in love" tends to act more exuberantly ! (La cocinera esta enamorada !)