The date on those canned beans might be a couple of years ago, but did they really go bad? We asked food safety experts to chime in. Getty Images. EatingWell design. Reviewed by Dietitian Emily ...

Plain canned beans, such as kidney beans or chickpeas, might seem like a healthy choice, but many brands contain surprisingly high levels of sodium. A half-cup serving can contain up to 480 ...

Many canned beans are preserved in a salty brine, which can significantly increase sodium levels. Depending on the brand, a half-cup serving may contain anywhere from 80 mg to 400 mg of sodium.

It sounds counterintuitive—after all, canned beans are already cooked—but this little step reaps big rewards. Shilpa’s method goes like this: Sizzle a lot of garlic in oil.

Otherwise, if that can is good to go, toss the beans into one of these 20 Easy Soup Recipes That Use a Can of Beans. Read the original article on Eating Well . Related articles ...