Unfortunately, not all types of canned baked beans are safe to eat if you are following a gluten-free diet, and there are some types of baked beans that contain gluten.
This means that you will have to be careful and read the ingredients list before you make a purchase. The last thing that you want to do is accidentally eat gluten, thinking that all beans would be fine.
More often than not, the beans themselves will be gluten-free as long as there is no cross-contamination in the factory where they are made, but some types of beans will have additional sauces or flavorings that are not gluten-free. The best way to find out if this is the case would be to check the ingredients list.
In this article, we are going to look at different types of baked beans that are and aren’t gluten-free, so you can find out for yourself which ones are safe for you to eat. This way, you can be sure that you aren’t accidentally eating gluten and that you are keeping your body happy and healthy.
Are Baked Beans Gluten-Free?
Not all baked beans are gluten-free, and there are some types that contain gluten, which is a type of protein that is found in things like wheat, barley, and rye.
More often than not, the beans are gluten-free, but if there are any other additives, they might not always be gluten-free. This means that when you are out at the store shopping for baked beans, you will need to carefully check the ingredients to be sure that they are, in fact, gluten-free.
Alternatively, you can opt for sticking to brands that are known for being gluten-free, which can help to save some time. The four most popular baked beans brands that are gluten-free include:
- Amy’s Kitchen (all varieties are gluten-free)
- B&M (all varieties are gluten-free)
- Bush’s Best (all varieties are gluten-free)
- Heinz (some varieties are gluten-free, more on this below for which ones to buy)
Amy’s Kitchen
This is a brand that you might have heard of if you have been gluten-free for a while as they sell many other gluten free products. Amy’s Kitchen has a range of vegetarian and vegan baked beans that are also on the gluten-free list.
The traditional baked beans recipe includes organic white beans that are mixed with tomato puree, mustard seed, apple cider vinegar, and maple syrup.
This company meets the legal requirements of ensuring that their products contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten. The baked beans that they produce are also dairy-free, lactose-free, soy-free, tree nut-free, and kosher.
The recipe does include grain based vinegar, which is important to be aware of if this is something that you are sensitive to.
B&M Baked Beans
B&M offers seven different types of baked beans that are all considered to be gluten-free, following the legal standard of containing less than 20 parts per million of gluten.
The seven different types of beans that you can get from this brand are Original, Boston’s Best, Vegetarian, Country Style, Maple, Bacon & Onion, and Home Style. They are all made from navy beans.
Bush’s Best Baked Beans
Bush’s baked beans are typically available in grocery stores nationwide, and they offer an easy choice for those that follow a gluten-free diet.
All varieties of their beans are gluten-free, and you can choose from Original, Vegetarian, Organic, Barbecue, Brown Sugar, Brown Sugar Hickory, Country Style, Homestyle, Maple & Cured Bacon, Honey Sweet, Onion, Sweet & Tangy, Sweet Heat, and Boston Recipe.
The company has stated that all of their canned bean products are gluten-free. They have said that they use cornstarch in some of their products, but it does not contain gliadin gluten that comes from wheat, barley, oats or rye grains.
This means that it is possible for it to cause adverse responses in people that suffer from celiac sprue. The vinegar that is used is corn-based and distilled.
Heinz Baked Beans
Heinz is probably the most popular brand when it comes to beans, and they make baked beans in numerous different varieties. Some of their baked bean flavors include Original, Bourbon & Molasses, Bacon & Brown Sugar, Bold & Spicy, Hickory Smoke, Molasses & Pork, and Sweet & Spicy.
Although, you should be aware that only three of these varieties are gluten-free, which are Original, Hickory Smoke, and Molasses & Pork. None of these flavors are also vegetarian.
All three of these gluten-free Heinz baked beans flavors do contain distilled vinegar, but this is a type of vinegar that is derived from corn. You should also note that the Hickory Smoke baked beans contain smoke flavoring, but this does not contain barley like most other smoke flavorings.
Baked Bean Brands That Aren’t Gluten-Free
Now that you know which type of baked beans and brands are suitable for a gluten-free diet, it is also important to be aware of the brands that you should steer clear from. The following brands that we are going to mention are not gluten-free.
- Campbell’s
- Pacific Foods
- Van Camp’s
- Grandma Brown’s
- Trader Joe’s
Summary
Beans are a great source of fiber, which is really important for those that follow a gluten-free diet, as this is something that you will be lacking in. Beans are also often a staple for many people as they make the perfect addition to so many different types of meals.
So, if you are following a gluten-free diet, but you don’t want to say goodbye to baked beans, you don’t have to. You can still include baked beans in your diet as long as you stick to the brands that you know to be gluten-free and avoid those that are not.
Thankfully, you will be able to find gluten-free beans at most supermarkets, and this is because most of the gluten-free brands are widely distributed.
Alternatively, you could even make your own baked beans at home by following a simple recipe. You just have to be sure that all of the ingredients that you are using are gluten-free.