Bush's Best Pinto Beans: Labelgrade B (76/100)
B 76 / 100 — Very low saturated fat and effectively zero sugar.
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Bush’s Best Pinto Beans delivers 6.99g of protein and 110 calories per 1/2 cup (USDA FDC 2769769). Per 100g that’s 5.4g of protein; per oz, 1.5g. The Labelgrade is B (76 / 100): Very low saturated fat and effectively zero sugar.
Why this Labelgrade
| Dimension | Grade | Score | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein density | C- | 58 / 100 | 5.4g per 100g — below the high-protein bar; not the right product for protein hunting |
| Ingredient quality | B+ | 80 / 100 | Short 5-ingredient list, no additive flags |
| Saturated fat load | A+ | 100 / 100 | 0g saturated fat — perfect |
| Sodium load | C+ | 65 / 100 | 430mg per serving (94mg per oz) — moderate |
| Sugar load | A+ | 99 / 100 | 1g sugar, no added sugar listed |
| Fiber | C- | 57 / 100 | 4.94g per serving — modest fiber contribution |
| Overall | B | 76 / 100 | Weighted blend: protein 25% · ingredients 22% · saturated fat 18% · sodium 15% · sugar 12% · fiber 8% |
How it compares
| Product | Protein per serving | Per 100 g | Per oz | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bush’s Best Pinto Beans (this product) | 6.99g | 5.4g | 1.5g | 110 |
| Goya Premium Pinto Beans | 7.01g | 5.6g | 1.6g | 120 |
| Goya Black Beans | 7g | 5.7g | 1.6g | 100 |
| Goya Chick Peas (Garbanzos) | 6g | 4.9g | 1.4g | 100 |
| Plain cooked chicken breast (benchmark) | — | 31g | 8.8g | ~165 |
A genuinely clean label — the thing this bean does best
Where a lot of canned beans pad the list with flavorings and additives, Bush’s keeps it to five ingredients: prepared pinto beans, water, salt, calcium chloride and calcium disodium EDTA. The last two aren’t anything to worry about — calcium chloride is a firming agent that keeps the beans from going mushy in the can, and the EDTA preserves color. There’s no added sugar, no MSG, no oil. That short, recognizable label is why this scores a B+ on ingredient quality, the strongest dimension on the page, and it’s the practical reason to reach for a plain bean like this over a pre-seasoned one: you start from a clean base and control the salt and flavor yourself.
It’s worth being clear-eyed about why this still lands at a B rather than an A overall. Beans are healthy — that’s not in question. But two structural facts cap the grade. Protein density per 100g (5.4g) is modest next to actual meat because a canned bean is mostly water and starch, and the sodium load is real. Neither is a flaw in the product so much as a fact of what a canned bean is.
Pinto vs the rest, and the sodium fix
Among the common canned beans, pinto sits in the middle of the pack: at 6.99g of protein per 1/2 cup it’s a hair behind Goya’s pinto and black beans (7g) and slightly ahead of chickpeas (6g), but well behind kidney beans (10g), which are the protein standout of the group. Its real edge isn’t the macros — it’s texture and use. Pintos cook down soft and creamy, which makes them the right bean for refried beans, burrito fillings and a pot of beans where you want them to break down, rather than hold their shape the way kidney beans do in chili.
The one caveat across every canned bean, this one included, is sodium: 430mg per 1/2 cup, about 19% of the FDA’s 2,300mg daily limit. The fix is the same as always and it’s worth repeating because it’s so effective — drain and rinse for about 30 seconds and you wash away roughly 40% of it, dropping this to around 250mg per serving. With a clean bean like this there’s no downside to doing so; you’re only rinsing off salt, not seasoning. Do that and you’ve got one of the most affordable, lowest-fat plant proteins in the store.
Scope
This page covers Bush’s Best Pinto Beans (111 ONZ), UPC 00039400018186, as represented in USDA Branded Foods FDC 2769769. Bush’s Best sells multiple variants in this product line — other sizes, flavors, or fat levels may have different macros and Labelgrade scores. Manufacturers periodically reformulate; always cross-reference the actual package label, especially if you have allergies or dietary restrictions.
Ingredients (from the USDA Branded Foods entry)
Prepared Pinto Beans, Water, Salt, Calcium Chloride (Firming Agent), Calcium Disodium EDTA (Promotes Color Retention).
Where to buy
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Quick Facts
Per serving · 1/2 cup
See how this fits your day — protein calculator · macro calculator
Full nutrition facts
| Nutrient | Per Serving (1/2 cup) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 110 |
| Protein | 6.99g |
| Total Fat | 0g |
| Saturated Fat | 0g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Total Carbohydrates | 20g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4.94g |
| Total Sugars | 1g |
| Added Sugars | 0g |
| Sodium | 430mg |
| Cholesterol | 0mg |
| Calcium | 49.4mg |
| Iron | 1.6mg |
| Potassium | 439mg |
Scope: This page applies specifically to Pinto Beans (111 ONZ) · UPC 00039400018186. Other sizes, flavors, or formulations may differ.
How this fits each diet
Each score is computed from the same USDA nutrition + ingredient data, against the published rules of each diet. They tell you "does this food fit this diet" — not whether the diet is right for you.
contains no listed animal products
contains no listed meat or fish
no wheat, barley, rye, or malt detected in USDA ingredient list
Frequently Asked Questions
Are canned beans healthy?
Yes. Canned pinto beans are an inexpensive, shelf-stable source of plant protein and fiber with almost no fat and only 1g of sugar — 7g of protein and 5g of fiber per 1/2 cup here, for 110 calories. The main caveat is the sodium added during canning, and draining and rinsing removes most of it. The convenience of a can versus dried beans costs you essentially nothing nutritionally.
Why does Bush's Best Pinto Beans get a Labelgrade B?
It earns a B (76/100). The fundamentals are excellent — 0g saturated fat, effectively no sugar, useful fiber, and a notably clean five-ingredient label with no additive flags. What keeps it from an A is that protein density per 100g is modest next to meat, and sodium sits at 430mg per 1/2 cup. For a plain canned bean, this is about as good as the grade gets.
Does Bush's Best Pinto Beans only come in a giant can?
No. The USDA entry we cite happens to be a 111-oz food-service can, but the per-serving nutrition is identical to the standard retail sizes — Bush's sells these pinto beans in the usual ~15-16 oz grocery can. Every number on this page is per 1/2 cup, so it applies regardless of which can size you buy.
Does draining and rinsing canned beans reduce the sodium?
Yes. Draining the can and rinsing the beans under cold water for about 30 seconds removes roughly 40% of the sodium that sits in the packing liquid — taking this product from 430mg down to somewhere around 250mg per 1/2 cup. Because this is a clean bean without seasoning baked in, you lose nothing but salt by rinsing.
What is a serving of Bush's Best Pinto Beans?
A serving is 1/2 cup (130g), delivering 6.99g of protein, 20g of carbohydrate, 4.94g of fiber and 110 calories. A standard retail can holds about three and a half servings.
When was this data last verified?
2026-06-05, against USDA FoodData Central FDC 2769769. We re-verify top-traffic pages monthly and update within 7 days when a manufacturer reformulates.