Goya Premium Pinto Beans: Labelgrade B (77/100)
B 77 / 100 — Very low saturated fat and effectively zero sugar.
🛒 Buy on Amazon →The short answer
Goya Premium Pinto Beans delivers 7.01g of protein and 120 calories per 1/2 cup (126g) (USDA FDC 2596430). Per 100g that’s 5.6g of protein; per oz, 1.6g. The Labelgrade is B (77 / 100): Very low saturated fat and effectively zero sugar.
Why this Labelgrade
| Dimension | Grade | Score | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein density | C- | 58 / 100 | 5.6g 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 | B- | 70 / 100 | 340mg per serving (76mg per oz) — moderate |
| Sugar load | A+ | 99 / 100 | 0.995g sugar, no added sugar listed |
| Fiber | C- | 58 / 100 | 5.04g per serving — modest fiber contribution |
| Overall | B | 77 / 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goya Premium Pinto Beans (this product) | 7.01g | 5.6g | 1.6g | 120 |
| Goya Black Beans | 7g | 5.7g | 1.6g | 100 |
| Bush’s Best Pinto Beans | 6.99g | 5.4g | 1.5g | 110 |
| Goya Chick Peas (Garbanzos) | 6g | 4.9g | 1.4g | 100 |
| Plain cooked chicken breast (benchmark) | — | 31g | 8.8g | ~165 |
A solid, no-drama bean — and where it sits in the lineup
Pinto beans are a workhorse, and this can grades like one: a dependable B. The two dimensions that matter most for “is this clean” are perfect — 0g saturated fat and effectively 0g sugar — and the ingredient list is short and recognizable. What you get is a cheap, shelf-stable 7g of protein and 5g of fiber per 1/2 cup, the building block of refried beans, chili, burritos, and countless one-pot dinners.
It scores a hair below its shelf-mates for two honest reasons. Fiber here is 5.04g — good, but our formula reads it as a C- because the standout beans clear higher. And sodium is 340mg per serving (a B-), normal for a salted can but above the lowest-sodium options. Stack it against Goya’s black beans, which carry 8g of fiber and just 120mg of sodium, and you can see why black beans take the top grade in this set while pinto lands a notch back. That’s a ranking within a strong category — pinto beans are still one of the better packaged foods you can buy — not a knock on the food. If pinto is the bean your recipe calls for, this is a perfectly good can; if you’re optimizing purely for the grade, black beans edge it.
Get the most out of the can
Two things make this bean shine. First, drain and rinse to deal with the only real weak spot: a few seconds under cold water washes out roughly 40% of the sodium that’s sitting in the packing liquid, dropping a serving from 340mg toward 205mg without touching the protein or fiber. On a bean you’re likely to cook into something seasoned anyway, that lets you control the salt from a low starting point.
Second, lean into what pinto beans do best — they break down creamy. Simmer them and mash for refried beans, fold them whole into chili or tacos, or blend them into a soup for body. The calcium chloride firming agent keeps them intact straight from the can for salads and bowls, while a little extra cooking turns them soft and silky. Either way you’re starting from a base with no added sugar and no saturated fat, so the nutrition of the finished dish comes down to what you add — which is exactly the position you want to be in with a pantry staple this cheap and this durable.
Scope
This page covers Goya Premium Pinto Beans (15.5 oz), UPC 0041331124379, as represented in USDA Branded Foods FDC 2596430. Goya 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)
PINTO BEANS, WATER, SALT, CALCIUM CHLORIDE (FIRMING AGENT), CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA (FOR COLOR RETENTION)
Where to buy
Affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. The Labelgrade score is independent of affiliate relationships. More.
🔬 Compare this product side-by-side with any other →
Quick Facts
Per serving · 1/2 cup (126g)
See how this fits your day — protein calculator · macro calculator
Full nutrition facts
| Nutrient | Per Serving (1/2 cup (126g)) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 120 |
| Protein | 7.01g |
| Total Fat | 0g |
| Saturated Fat | 0g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Total Carbohydrates | 21g |
| Dietary Fiber | 5.04g |
| Total Sugars | 0.995g |
| Added Sugars | 0g |
| Sodium | 340mg |
| Cholesterol | 0mg |
| Calcium | 56.7mg |
| Iron | 2mg |
| Potassium | 470mg |
Scope: This page applies specifically to Premium Pinto Beans (15.5 oz) · UPC 0041331124379. 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 pinto beans actually healthy?
Yes. Canned pinto beans are a cheap, shelf-stable source of plant protein and fiber with no saturated fat and no added sugar — a genuinely good packaged food. Goya's deliver 7g of protein and 5g of fiber per 1/2 cup for 120 calories. The only meaningful knock is sodium (340mg per serving), which a quick drain-and-rinse cuts substantially.
Why does Goya Premium Pinto Beans score a B (77/100)?
Saturated fat and sugar are both effectively zero (A+ each) and the ingredient list is short and clean, which carries the grade. Three things keep it at a B rather than higher: protein density (5.6g per 100g, below the high-protein bar), fiber that's solid but not standout at a C-, and sodium at 340mg (a B-). None of that means it's unhealthy — pinto beans are a legume, so modest protein and a salted can are exactly what you'd expect — it just lands a notch below the highest-fiber, lowest-sodium beans like black beans.
Are canned pinto beans as nutritious as dried beans you cook yourself?
Yes, for practical purposes. The bean is the same food whether it's canned or dried — canning just pre-cooks it for you, and it doesn't meaningfully degrade the protein or fiber. The only real difference is sodium: dried beans start at zero and you salt to taste, while a can like this arrives at 340mg per serving. Drain and rinse and you close most of that gap, trading a few minutes of cooking for the convenience of opening a can.
What is the calcium chloride and EDTA in the ingredient list?
Both are routine, food-grade additives. Calcium chloride is a firming agent that keeps the beans from turning mushy in the can, and calcium disodium EDTA helps preserve color. Neither carries a health concern at the small amounts used, and they're why the texture holds up. The list is still short — pinto beans, water, salt, and those two — with no sweeteners or flavorings.
Does draining and rinsing reduce the sodium?
Yes. Most of the 340mg of sodium per serving is dissolved in the packing liquid rather than inside the bean, so draining the can and rinsing under cold water for a few seconds removes roughly 40% of it — taking a serving down toward 205mg. It's the simplest way to improve this can's one weak dimension, and it costs you about fifteen seconds.
When was this data last verified?
2026-06-05, against USDA FoodData Central FDC 2596430. We re-verify top-traffic pages monthly and update within 7 days of a reformulation.