Fact or myth: Are baked beans fattening?

Have you heard a lot of different advice about whether you should eat baked beans or not?

“Carbs are bad so don’t eat baked beans”

“Fat is bad (so baked beans are ok)”

“Baked beans will spike my blood sugar”

But which is true?

And are baked beans fattening?

Are baked beans fattening? Breaking down the conflicting advice

First things first—how good are baked beans?! Now, I might be a little biased (my wife is English, and let’s be real, the English practically run on baked beans). But honestly, I love them.

That’s why, once upon a time, I used to stress over whether baked beans would make me fat. But guess what? No need to panic, because…

HINT: Baked beans aren’t fattening—if you eat them, and anything, the right way.

Let me break it down for you, and while we’re at it, let’s talk about how all foods can fit into a healthy diet if you approach them the right way. So, in this post, we’re finally answering the big question: Are baked beans fattening? Let’s get into it!

But with good and bad foods, so how are baked beans fattening (or not)?

I know there is a lot of conflicting information out there around what foods you should and shouldn't eat, as well as what is healthy food and junk food. 

Many experts will tell you that to lose weight, you need to cut out certain foods. And of course, certain foods such as fruits and vegetables are much more nutritious than a burger from McDonalds.

However, it turns out that banning your favourite “naughty” snacks actually makes things worse! 

A big study found that people who strictly avoid so-called “fattening” foods are more likely to go overboard and end up with a higher BMI. Meanwhile, those who take a more chill, “everything in moderation” approach tend to have better results. 

Can you really eat baked beans and not get fat?

The answer then to whether or not baked beans are fattening is to instead learn how to generally include all foods. Of course you want to include more nutritious whole foods. However, issues arise and weight often increases when we try to lose weight by restricting and cut out foods.

How to lose weight eating baked beans?

Instead of trying to blame certain foods and overly restrict ourselves, it’s much better to learn how to lose weight without dieting. 

I’m going to share the exact approach to learn how to lose weight without dieting, and you can lose weight without exercising using this approach as well!

The short answer to this is to eat like a naturally lean person. And I don't mean what they eat, though the fact that they include everything is important. Instead, HOW they eat.

Be like the annoyingly lean person who eats everything!

Can you think of someone who is naturally lean, even though they seem to be able to eat as much of whatever they want? Have you ever wondered how they are able to do that?

Often it is thought that these people just have fast metabolisms, which is actually partly true, considering what happens to our metabolism when we diet.

What is actually happening is that these people are still connected to their natural internal hunger and full cues. Put simply they eat when hungry and stop when full. 

It’s the same approach that every single wild animal in the world uses. Unfortunately domestic animals fare worse, as they are subject to our human intellect, thinking we know how much they “should” eat, rather than leaving it up to their natural in-built hunger cues.

Why do we not listen to our hunger and full signals?

Unfortunately for us dieters, myself previously included, we have had years of experts telling us that we should only have so many calories a day, or to cut out certain food types, food groups or macros in order to maintain or lose weight.

However, none of this takes into account how hungry we actually are. Every time that we ignore our body, we break the connection to our natural hunger and full signals.

How to reconnect with your hunger and full signals?

Now that you hopefully understand the importance of reconnecting with your natural hunger and full signals, you may be asking how to actually do it again. Here are a few tricks to do just that;

1. Remove all food restrictions

   
   

When you ban certain foods, you’re basically turning them into the VIPs of your cravings—off-limits and extra tempting! The key is to allow all foods without the drama. Take me, for example—I have chocolate every single night after dinner. And guess what? Knowing that I’ll get to enjoy it again tomorrow stops me from going full-on chocoholic today. It’s all about balance, not food FOMO! 

2. Savour the flavour

Ever been to a wine tasting? You know, where they make you admire the color, swirl it around, take a deep sniff—basically, it feels like an eternity before you actually get to take a sip? Now, I’m not saying you need to turn every meal into a slow-motion gourmet experience, but what if you gave your food the same respect as that fancy glass of wine?

Not only will you actually taste your food (wild concept, I know), but studies show that people who eat slowly are way less likely to struggle with their weight. So, put your fork down between bites, chew like you’re savouring a five-star meal, and actually enjoy your food—you might just find you’re satisfied sooner and feeling better! 🍽️😋

3. Always serve up your food

Ever found yourself on the couch, opening a pack of crisps, swearing you'll only have a few… and then suddenly, whoops, the whole packet is gone? Yeah, been there.

A simple trick to avoid snack sabotage? Serve your treats in a small bowl instead of eating straight from the bag. You can always go back for more, but that little pause gives your brain a chance to check in—do I actually want more, or am I just on autopilot? Plus, knowing you can enjoy them tomorrow (and the next day, and the next) takes away that “eat it all now” panic.

4. Remove distractions

Want to eat less without even trying? Simple: ditch the distractions! Studies show that people who eat without scrolling, binge-watching, or multitasking end up consuming way fewer calories. So, put down your phone, turn off the TV, and actually enjoy your meal—you might be surprised how much more satisfying it is when you're not mindlessly munching while lost in your latest Netflix binge!

Summary and next steps

In summary, you can include all foods and still lose weight. The trick is not to ask what food to eat, but how you eat food. And it’s so freeing to be able to stroll the aisles of the supermarket without stressing about whether you can put your favourite foods like baked beans in your trolley!

Do you want to feel that same freedom of being able to buy and eat whatever you want whilst losing weight? 

The best way to achieve freedom and lose weight without dieting is to get a personalised plan, because we are all a bit different. Having accountability can also be the difference between success and failure. Plus if you want to find out how I can guarantee that you will lose weight without dieting by working with me, then book in for a free discovery session now.

—-------- About the author: James Hay

Hi, I’m James, an intuitive eating weight loss coach. I teach people how to lose weight without any dieting or restrictions.

My clients lose weight whilst eating all of their favourite foods.

I’m qualified in Public Health and also a certified nutritionist and health coach. I have personally applied what I teach to lose over 25kg and can help you achieve similar results without dieting. Let’s talk