Baked beans Any beans or lentils will count towards your 5-a-day, and that includes baked beans. Make sure you choose low-sugar and low-salt versions or you could try making your own.
Beans and lentils count towards your 5-a-day. They are good sources of carbohydrate and protein, but also contain essential vitamins and minerals. However, they only count as one portion, regardless of the amount or type you eat (a portion is 80g, or three heaped tablespoons of cooked beans).
But foods like sliced wholemeal bread, wholegrain breakfast cereals, baked beans, tomato-based pasta sauces and fruit yogurts are also usually classified as ultra-processed and these can be a convenient and affordable source of some important nutrients.
At a glance: what counts? 80g of fresh, canned or frozen fruit and vegetables counts as 1 portion of your 5 A Day (but not potatoes and some other starchy foods). For tinned or canned fruit and vegetables, choose those in natural juice or water, with no added sugar or salt.
A portion is 1 piece of fruit, such as 1 apple, banana, pear, orange or nectarine.
Tinned and fresh ready-made soups might contain enough vegetables to count towards your 5-a-day, but it can be hard to know how much they really contain.
Baked beans can be healthy as part of a balanced diet — but there are important things to note. Baked beans found in cans, such as Heinz, contain added salt and sugar that are a significant amount of the recommended daily intake.
Baked beans are a source of protein and are high in fibre, so are not a bad choice, especially on wholegrain toast or a jacket potato. But they do contain salt and sugar. Too much salt over time can contribute to high blood pressure, while sugar adds energy (calories) without any other nutritional value.
Any food eaten in excess can contribute to weight gain, but baked beans are high in protein and fibre which are known to have an appetite suppressant benefit, which can lead to feeling fuller and aid with weight loss and preventing mindless snacking.
“Baked beans are perfectly safe to eat every day, so long as you look out for brands which have a moderate salt content, as this is the key factor you need to consider when considering beans as a part of your daily lifestyle. “Check the label and track down ones with no added sugar or salt,” he says.
Fresh, frozen, dried and canned fruit and vegetables all count. Also, pulses can count for one of your five-a-day. Remember that potatoes, yam, plantain, and cassava do not contribute towards your five-a-day because they are starchy foods. But, sweet potatoes, parsnips and butternut squash do count!
Unlike normal potatoes, sweet potato counts as one of your 5-a-day. They're super tasty plus a source of fibre, vitamin C and vitamin A. One medium-sized sweet potato counts as a portion. Eat with the skin on for extra nutrients!
Nutritional profile of baked beans
According to NHS guidelines, a portion of 80g (cooked weight) beans and pulses, approximately 3 heaped tablespoons, makes up one of your five-a-day. If you eat more than this amount it still only counts once towards your five-a-day.
P eople worried about ultra-processed foods should not dismiss beans on toast as part of a healthy, balanced diet, nutritionists have said.
Beans also contain folic acid and many minerals, such as iron, zinc and magnesium. Beans also contain disease-fighting antioxidants. Beans are also considered a “superfood” because they are one of the most nutritious foods you can eat.
Nutrition-wise, cooked and canned are about the same. But, the sodium content of canned beans can be a hundred times that of cooked. Draining and rinsing the canned beans can get rid of about half the sodium, but you're also draining and rinsing away some of the nutrition.
More surprising to some will be what is included in the 3 per cent of calories that the average person eats from “other ultra-processed foods”. This includes baked beans, tinned soups, meat alternatives, soy and drinks used as dairy milk substitutes.
There are 163 calories in 1 tin (200 g) of Heinz Baked Beans (200g).
The avocado, chickpeas or tomato in them will count towards your 5-a-day. A typical serving weighs around 50g (a portion of vegetables is 80g) and that includes other ingredients, so it isn't a whole portion, but every little helps. Boost your intake further by using vegetable sticks to dip.
A: Potatoes, yams, cassava and plantain are vegetables, but don't count towards your 5 A Day. This is because they mainly contribute starch to your diet. Other root vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, parsnips, swedes and turnips, are usually eaten as a vegetable alongside the main starchy food in a meal.
Three sticks of celery, a 5cm piece of cucumber, a medium tomato or seven cherry tomatoes count as one portion. A portion equals three heaped tablespoons of tinned or frozen vegetables.