BEANS, Beans, beans, beans...

[mugaliens]

I love beans. Unfortunately, they don't love me, which is why I don't buy them very often.

White navy beans? No problem, regardless of the quantity - but only if I prepare them from scratch myself (nothing more than overnight soaking in a mild saline soluntion before cooking them).

Either Van Camp's or Bush's pork and beans, both of which as supposedly made from "white beans" are definately a problem.

So why might I get heartburn/GERD from the other two, and not the first? Could it be the excessive sugar content of the prepared products, and not the beans, themselves?

The labels are misleading. The can is just 16 oz, which, for me, is a single helping of beans. Then it goes on to say that it's 3.5 servings, reducing each serving to what I would consider a "heaping spoonful."

Some serving.

Furthermore, it says each serving contains 550 mg sodium, which means that when I dig into one of those whoppers, I'm consuming nearly 2,000 g of sodium by eating what I consider a small portion of beans (the way I prepare them).

Carbs, proteins, and fats are miniscule compared to the amount of salt they dump into it...

So, am I to conclude that they add whatever they want to make it the best tasting bean product on the market, then reduce the serving size in order to comply with health codes?

Ahhh... Van Camp's, Campbell's, and Bush's... BE FOREWARNED.

WE HAVE YOUR NUMBER!!!

[geonuc]

I have some pinto beans that have been soaking overnight in the fridge. After a few hours in the crock pot with a bay leaf or two, I'll add a large dash of fu-fu salt, sauteed onion, garlic and maybe something else. Couple splashes of worchestershire, maybe. Served with a healthy dose of hot sauce du jour.

Not too many mgs of sodium that way, I don't think.

[Jeff Root]

This is a fairly weird coincidence. I only just two weeks ago noticed very
much the same thing myself. Having practically nothing left in the cupboard,
I used up what was left of a package of frozen "butter beans", which I was
surprised to find when I read the cooking instructions (stovetop) call for
something like 50 minutes cooking time. I didn't cook them quite that long,
but they turned pretty mushy anyway. The really surprising thing, though,
was that despite the rather large quantity (a cup and a half or so), there
was no detectible um... gas generation. I eat lima beans fairly often, in
smaller quantities, and they do generate gas. These "butter beans" look
awfully similar to lima beans, so I was surprised by the different action.

It could depend on what kinds of microbes are currently residing in one's
GI tract.

-- Jeff, in Minneapolis

[geonuc]

White navy beans? No problem, regardless of the quantity - but only if I prepare them from scratch myself (nothing more than overnight soaking in a mild saline soluntion before cooking them).
I've found it best not to add salt to the water when soaking. The idea is to rehydrate the beans and salt inhibits this process.

[HenrikOlsen]

Having practically nothing left in the cupboard,
I used up what was left of a package of frozen "butter beans", which I was
surprised to find when I read the cooking instructions (stovetop) call for
something like 50 minutes cooking time.
The main reason for cooking beans isn't actually to make them mushy, but to destroy their content of linamarin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linamarin).

[hhEb09'1]

So, am I to conclude that they add whatever they want to make it the best tasting bean product on the market, then reduce the serving size in order to comply with health codes?The ConAgra Van Camp's webpage (http://www.conagrafoods.com/consumer/brands/getBrand.do?page=van_camps) has nutritional information about the products. The Original Baked Beans has 6 servings, 1/2 cup each, with 540mg sodium. I found a few places (here's one (http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/364405)) that said that a serving size of beans was 1/4 cup dry, or 1/2 cup cooked.

So, no.

[Jeff Root]

I don't want them mushy!!!!!

[Maksutov]

Most canned foods, especially soups and veggies, are loaded with sodium.

It's a combination preservative and "flavour-enhancer".

I prefer fresh veggies and dry beans, where, in both cases, the sodium content can be regulated by the chef. It's amazing how good food tastes when not overwhelmed by salt. Plus you can adjust the prep to make them as al dente as you want.

[sarongsong]

...Bush's pork and beans...definitely a problem...BE FOREWARNED!...Too late; tried a can last week (based on their EXTENSIVE television ad campaign)---YUCK!---way overly processed/seasoned. Like Krispy Kreme donuts compared to 'regular' donuts, they've over-egged the pudding. My current fave, pinto, comes from just about any of the multitudinous Mexican taquerias/restaurants (specifically those that cook their own from scratch) here in SoCal---YUMM!

[SpaceShot]

I love beans. Unfortunately, they don't love me, which is why I don't buy them very often.

Sorry, baked beans are off...