Your nan was right: should you rinse tinned beans and veg? the 40% salt cut that could save you

Across the country, shoppers are asking the same thing the moment a ring-pull lifts: should you rinse what’s inside the tin, or pour it straight in the pan? The answer matters for taste, health and waste—and it depends on what you’re opening.

What the science says about salt in brine

Most savoury tins sit in a salty brine. That liquid preserves texture and keeps microbes at bay on the shelf. It also carries sodium that clings to the surface of vegetables and pulses.

Rinsing under cold water can strip away up to 40% of the sodium added to many tinned vegetables and beans.

That reduction helps if you’re watching your blood pressure. It also gives you control at the hob: you salt the dish, not the factory. The flavour of the veg comes forward, especially in salads, salsas and simple soups where brine can dominate.

You can cook safely with the brine. It’s edible. Skipping a rinse won’t wreck dinner. The real question is balance. If the rest of your meal brings salt—stock cubes, cheese, cured meats—a quick rinse is the smarter move.

Legumes and digestion: fewer bubbles, better flavour

Chickpeas, kidney beans, lentils and their cousins carry complex carbohydrates that some guts find tricky. They’re nutritious, but they can leave you gassy or bloated when eaten cold.

A rinse helps. Water washes away a portion of those fermentable sugars and the starchy gel that forms in the can. That means gentler lunches and fewer complaints after a desk-side salad.

Rinse, swirl, drain: three quick motions can make beans taste cleaner and sit lighter after you eat.

For blended dishes—houmous, bean dips, refried beans—rinsing also sharpens texture. You’ll get a creamier finish when you choose your own seasoning and liquid, rather than relying on brine that dulls spices.

When not to rinse: fruit, ready-to-eat and no-salt tins

Not every can needs a date with the colander. Fruit is the big exception. Most peaches, pears and pineapple arrive in syrup or juice. That liquid holds aroma and protects delicate flesh.

Keep the juice with tinned fruit. Rinsing can flatten flavour and compromise texture without any clear gain.

Labels tell the rest of the story. If you see “no added salt” or “reduced sodium”, rinsing won’t move the needle much. “Ready to eat” soups, curries and baked beans often come fully seasoned, so draining the sauce can strip the product of what makes it work.

Simple method: rinse, swirl, drain

A two-minute routine you can repeat

• Tip the contents into a sieve set over the sink. Discard the brine if you don’t need it.
• Run cold water over the veg or pulses for 20–30 seconds, stirring gently with your hand or a spoon.
• Let it drain for a full minute. Shake once to remove excess water before cooking or plating.

For cold dishes, go a touch longer on the rinse to brighten flavour. For hot dishes, a brief rinse is enough; the pan will take care of the rest.

Taste, health and your shopping list

Rinsing is a habit that pays off in three places at once. Your palate benefits because vegetables taste fresher and seasonings pop. Your numbers improve because sodium dips—by tens to hundreds of milligrams per portion depending on the product. Your budget stays in line because tins remain cheap, quick and shelf-stable.

Use your basket to make it even easier. Look for “no added salt” vegetables if you tend to eat from the tin at work. Choose beans in water rather than sauce when you plan to cook from scratch. Keep a couple of “ready to serve” options for nights when you want speed over tweaks.

The handy exceptions that save waste

When the liquid earns its keep

Sometimes the liquid is an asset, not clutter. Chickpea liquid—known as aquafaba—whips into foams and binds batters. A few tablespoons lift vegan brownies or give you a meringue without eggs.

Save aquafaba from chickpeas for baking; it can replace egg whites in mousses, meringues and cocktails.

Brine from spiced beans can bolster a chilli or stew if salt is under control elsewhere. Tomato-rich sauces from tinned beans can be reduced into a quick barbecue glaze. If you do keep any liquid, taste it first. If it’s harshly salty, dilute or skip.

Safety notes and storage times

Canned food stays safe because producers heat it above 100°C to knock out microbes and enzymes. Once you open a tin, you lose that sealed protection. Transfer leftovers to a clean container, refrigerate promptly and finish them within 48 hours.

Open, transfer, chill: once the seal breaks, treat tinned food like fresh and eat within two days.

Keep tools clean between raw and ready-to-eat foods. A quick rinse of the sieve before you drain fruit after beans avoids flavour carryover and keeps bacteria in check.

Quick guide at a glance

• Rinse these: plain tinned vegetables, chickpeas, beans, lentils, sweetcorn and peas—especially for salads.
• Do not rinse these: fruit in syrup or juice; “no added salt” veg when taste is already balanced.
• Sometimes keep the liquid: spiced bean sauces for stews; aquafaba for baking and cocktails.

What this means for your next meal

If you salt your pasta water, add cheese, or lean on stock cubes, rinsing veg and legumes keeps the total in check. If you prefer low-salt cooking or you’re managing hypertension, that 40% reduction is worth the 60 seconds at the tap.

For a fast test at home, split one tin of chickpeas. Rinse half, leave half as is, then season both with the same dressing. Taste side by side. The rinsed portion will likely read as brighter, with spices landing more cleanly. Use that difference to decide when the extra step earns its keep.

Extra tips to take further

Batch-rinse and freeze: drain three tins of beans, rinse well, portion into freezer bags with labels, and freeze flat. You’ll have quick, low-salt beans ready to tumble into midweek meals without opening another tin.

Mind the maths in soups and stews: if a recipe calls for two tins of beans and 1 teaspoon of salt, rinse the beans and start with 1/2 teaspoon. Taste, then adjust. You cut sodium while protecting flavour, and you avoid the last-minute panic of an over-salty pot.