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Canned common beans

Great Value Original baked beans

15 oz/425 g

Poor out of 100 Medium confidence
  • Ultra-processed
  • Contains nitrites or nitrates
  • Contains added sugars
  • No synthetic dyes
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Why it scores 22

Great Value Original baked beans scores 22 out of 100 (Poor) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Brown sugar: An added sugar. Strong
  2. Sugar: An added sugar. Strong
  3. Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. Strong

Every line of the math is on The Receipt below, with its evidence tier and sources.

Better baked beans

The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.

The Receipt

Original baked beans

START100

Ingredients

  • Brown sugar
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Sugar
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Bacon
    Regulatory IARC classifies processed meat (cured, salted, smoked or fermented) as Group 1, based on colorectal cancer; each 50 g eaten daily is linked to an 18% higher risk. [4][5]
subtotal−50

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [6]
  • 4 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: color (added), firming agent, flavoring and modified starch. [6]
subtotal−22.5

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Sugars 9.2 g / 100 g
    Strong High in sugar. [1]
  • Salt 1.1 g / 100 g
    Strong High in salt. [7]
  • Fiber 5.4 g / 100 g
    Strong A good source of fiber. [2]
subtotal−6
TOTAL 22Poor

100 − 78.5 = 21.5 → 22

Can’t score above 79. Contains brown sugar, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3][4][5][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]

GTIN 00078742246109 · 2023-05-25

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

Medium confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy115 kcal
Fat0.8 g
Saturated fat0 g
Trans fat0 g
Carbohydrates22.3 g
Sugars9.2 g
Added sugars8.5 g
Fiber5.4 g
Protein4.6 g
Salt1.1 g

Serving: 1/2 cup (130 g)

Ingredients

High Moderate Not recognized Tap an ingredient for its evidence and rules.
Label text, as published

PREPARED WHITE BEANS, WATER, BROWN SUGAR, SUGAR, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF: BACON (CURED WITH WATER, SALT, SUGAR, SODIUM PHOSPHATES, SODIUM ERYTHORBATE, SODIUM NITRITE), SALT, MUSTARD (VINEGAR, WATER, MUSTARD SEED, SALT, TURMERIC, PAPRIKA, SPICE, GARLIC POWDER), MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, ONION POWDER, CARAMEL COLOR, CALCIUM CHLORIDE (FIRMING AGENT), NATURAL FLAVOR.

Allergens and diets

Contains: Mustard

  • Not vegan
  • Not vegetarian
  • Palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

Healthiest canned common beans in the US

More from Great Value

Sources

  1. Guideline: sugars intake for adults and children

    World Health Organization · Mar 4, 2015 · Agency assessment

    “In both adults and children, WHO recommends reducing the intake of free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake”

    who.int

  2. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030

    U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture · January 2026 · Regulator

    “Limit foods and beverages that include artificial flavors, petroleum-based dyes, artificial preservatives, and low-calorie non-nutritive sweeteners.”

    cdn.realfood.gov

  3. Added and free sugars should be as low as possible

    European Food Safety Authority · Feb 28, 2022 · Agency assessment

    “Sugar consumption is a known cause of dental caries.”

    efsa.europa.eu

  4. IARC Monographs evaluate consumption of red meat and processed meat (Press Release No. 240)

    International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO) · Oct 26, 2015 · IARC

    “Processed meat was classified as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1), based on sufficient evidence in humans that the consumption of processed meat causes colorectal cancer.”

    iarc.who.int

  5. Carcinogenicity of consumption of red and processed meat (IARC Monographs Vol. 114 working group summary)

    The Lancet Oncology · December 2015 · IARC

    doi.org

  6. Ultra-processed foods: what they are and how to identify them

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  7. Sodium reduction (fact sheet)

    World Health Organization · May 11, 2026 · Agency assessment

    “For adults, WHO recommends less than 2000 mg/day of sodium (equivalent to less than 5 g/day salt), or just under a teaspoon.”

    who.int

  8. Agents Classified by the IARC Monographs, Volumes 1–142 (List of Classifications)

    International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO) · IARC

    monographs.iarc.who.int

  9. Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/2108 of 6 October 2023 amending Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 and the Annex to Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 as regards food additives nitrites (E 249–250) and nitrates (E 251–252)

    European Union (Official Journal) · Oct 6, 2023 · Law

    “the presence of nitrites and nitrates in foods can give rise to the formation of nitrosamines some of which are carcinogenic.”

    eur-lex.europa.eu

  10. EFSA confirms safe levels for nitrites and nitrates added to food

    European Food Safety Authority · Jun 15, 2017 · Agency assessment

    “They concluded that when nitrites are used at approved levels, their contribution to overall exposure to nitrosamines is of low concern for health.”

    efsa.europa.eu

  11. Nitrosamines in food raise a health concern

    European Food Safety Authority · Mar 28, 2023 · Agency assessment

    “Nitrosamines in food raise a health concern”

    efsa.europa.eu

  12. Questions & Answers About 4-MEI

    U.S. Food and Drug Administration · Mar 27, 2020 · Regulator

    “Based on current science, the FDA has no reason to believe that there are any immediate or short-term health risks presented by 4-MEI at the levels expected in food.”

    fda.gov

  13. Caramel Color in Soft Drinks and Exposure to 4-Methylimidazole: A Quantitative Risk Assessment

    PLOS ONE · Feb 18, 2015 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  14. Proposition 65 List of Chemicals Known to the State to Cause Cancer or Reproductive Toxicity

    California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) · Jul 31, 2026 · Law

    “The date refers to the initial appearance of the chemical on the list.”

    oehha.ca.gov

  15. Ultra-processed food exposure and adverse health outcomes: umbrella review of epidemiological meta-analyses

    BMJ · Feb 28, 2024 · Peer-reviewed

    “Greater exposure to ultra-processed food was associated with a higher risk of adverse health outcomes, especially cardiometabolic, common mental disorder, and mortality outcomes.”

    doi.org

  16. Ultra-Processed Diets Cause Excess Calorie Intake and Weight Gain: An Inpatient Randomized Controlled Trial of Ad Libitum Food Intake

    Cell Metabolism · July 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org