Low sugar v original: baked beans

For this low fat v original taste test, we put normal baked beans up against a reduced sugar and salt version. Which came out on top?

Baked beans: Heinz baked beans v Heinz baked beans reduced sugar and salt

The difference: the normal variety contains 151 calories and 0.7g salt per half can, while the healthier option has 137 calories and 0.4g of salt per half can. That’s a much bigger difference in salt than calories. The ingredients are exactly the same.

The test: six tasters tested the two varieties. They were not told beforehand what the difference between the varieties was, so it was a completely blind test.

The result: draw. It’s obviously hard to pick a favourite baked bean! Some found the normal can ‘not as bland as the other one’, ‘sweeter in a good way’, and ‘easier to eat’. Others preferred the healthier beans, because ‘they weren’t as sickly’, ‘the beans seem bigger’, and ‘they taste better for me’.

Conclusion: seeing as you get the same core ingredients in both cans, we’d happily buy the lower salt and sugar version. If you’ve got a sweet tooth though, you probably won’t like them.

See all our low fat v original taste tests

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