Does Rinsing Canned Beans Really Reduce Sodium? Here’s What the Research Says
By Jillian Guralski, MBA, MS, RDN, LDN
Canned beans are one of the most practical convenience foods you can keep in your kitchen. They're inexpensive, shelf-stable, and can add protein, fiber, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals to a meal with almost no preparation.
But depending on the product, canned beans can also carry a fair amount of sodium.
So does that advice you've probably heard, "Just drain and rinse them," actually make a meaningful difference?
It turns out it can.
What Happens When You Drain Canned Beans?
A 2011 study published in the Journal of Culinary Science and Technology looked specifically at this question. Researchers tested multiple brands of five varieties of canned beans: red kidney, garbanzo, pinto, black, and great northern. They measured sodium content before draining, after draining, and after draining and rinsing.
Here's what they found, on average, per label-size serving:
Preparation
Avg. Sodium
Reduction
With packing liquid | 503 mg | — |
|---|---|---|
After draining | 321 mg | ~36% |
After draining and rinsing | 295 mg | ~41% |
That's a meaningful difference for something that takes very little effort. Simply draining the beans removed about one-third of the sodium. Draining and rinsing produced the largest reduction in the study.
There is one important nuance: although the average reduction increased from 36% with draining to 41% with draining and rinsing, the difference between those two steps was not statistically significant.
In everyday language? Draining does most of the work. Rinsing is an easy additional step if reducing sodium matters to you.
Why Does Draining and Rinsing Help?
Some of the sodium in canned beans lives in the liquid surrounding them. When you pour that liquid down the drain, you remove sodium along with it. Rinsing helps clear more of the salty liquid remaining on the surface of the beans.
This principle isn't limited to beans. An earlier 1983 study found that replacing the canning brine with water before heating canned green beans reduced their salt content by about 33%. The methods differed from the 2011 bean study, so the numbers shouldn't be directly compared, but the underlying logic is the same: when sodium is concentrated in the packing liquid, removing or replacing that liquid reduces the amount you ultimately eat.
The National Academies has cited the same canned-bean research in its work on strategies for reducing dietary sodium, reporting the same 36% reduction with draining and 41% with draining and rinsing.
What About Reduced-Sodium or No-Salt-Added Beans?
If reducing sodium is a priority, you can act before you ever open the can. Reduced-sodium, low-sodium, and no-salt-added varieties may start with substantially less sodium than traditional products. Checking the Nutrition Facts label takes seconds and can make a real difference.
If you choose a lower-sodium canned bean and don't need the packing liquid for your recipe, you can still drain and rinse to reduce sodium further.
One important caution: don't assume rinsing will reduce sodium by exactly 41% every time. That figure comes from specific products tested under specific conditions in the 2011 study. Sodium content varies by brand and variety, and the amount removed by draining and rinsing can vary as well. Think of about 40% as a useful research finding, not a guaranteed outcome for every can in your pantry.
Do You Have to Rinse Canned Beans?
No. This doesn't need to become another nutrition rule.
Some recipes benefit from the bean liquid. If you're making chili, soup, or a dish where the liquid adds texture or flavor, keeping it makes sense. If sodium isn't something you need to limit, rinsing may not matter to you at all.
But if you're working to reduce sodium and your recipe doesn't need the liquid, draining is a simple place to start. A quick rinse is one more easy option. And if you want to go further, start with a lower-sodium or no-salt-added product.
The Bottom Line
Canned beans don't need to disappear from your kitchen because they contain sodium. They're a convenient, nutritious food that can make getting a meal together considerably easier.
~36%
sodium reduction from draining alone
~41%
sodium reduction from draining and rinsing
503→295 mg
average sodium per serving in the 2011 study
Small step. Meaningful difference.
References
Duyff RL, Mount JR, Jones JB. Sodium Reduction in Canned Beans After Draining, Rinsing. Journal of Culinary Science and Technology. 2011;9(2):106–112. doi:10.1080/15428052.2011.582405
Vermeulen RT, Sedor FA, Kimm SYS. Effect of water rinsing on sodium content of selected foods. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 1983;82(4):394–396. PMID: 6833685
Institute of Medicine. Strategies to Reduce Sodium Intake in the United States. Washington, DC: National Academies Press; 2010. Read the report
About the Author
Jillian Guralski, MBA, MS, RDN, LDN
Jillian is a Registered Dietitian and nutrition educator with more than 15 years of experience. She created The Jillian Method to make food, cooking, and everyday health habits feel more practical, flexible, and easier to live with.
This content is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical or dietary advice. Consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalized guidance.
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