Hello, This may be a silly question but I make a lot of recipes with Black beans(canned) or any canned beans for that matter and I've noticed they are quite high in sodium. By rinsing the beans thoroughly do you rinse off some of the sodium content or is it already soaked into the beans? Thanks, Jennifer

There are no silly questions on the alli message boards.  We all here (and happy) to help you.

Yes, some of the sodium is rinsed off and that's a good idea.  Remember that ALL foods, except fats and oils, contain sodium.  That's because it's a very important nutrient, and helps the body with many functions.  The problem is that, like fat, most of us eat too much of it.

Sodium does retain water (which can mask a weight loss) and, for some people, it can contribute to high blood pressure.

Try to keep your total daily intake to around 2,300 milligrams.  Most processed food, fast food and items like ketchup, mustard and soy sauce are high in sodium.

I hope this helps.

Pat Baird, MA, RD, registered dietitian

And don't forget that nowadays, there are Low in sodium products on the market in almost all categories.  Try to stick to those ones instead of the regular cans.  Sometimes I buy the ones that say No additional sodium added or No Salt versions. 

jr2080:

Hello, This may be a silly question but I make a lot of recipes with Black beans(canned) or any canned beans for that matter and I've noticed they are quite high in sodium. By rinsing the beans thoroughly do you rinse off some of the sodium content or is it already soaked into the beans? Thanks, Jennifer

 

Another thought on this - especially since you eat a lot of beans - is to make them from scratch.  You can make a whole bag for the price of a can + you'll be surprised at how superior the taste is.  Then, if you want to go a step further try some organic beans.  They are delicious beyond belief and worth the little extra cost over the regular dried beans.

Pat