Canned Beans and Nutrition - as part of the expert series by GeoBeats. Are canned beans good for you? My answer is going to be yes. Beans, such as pinto beans or kidney beans or black beans that come in a bag and are dry, do take a long time to cook and if somebody has the time and desire, yes those are better than canned black beans or canned pinto beans. But we still, in canned beans, get the better benefit of a very high fiber food that has lots of nutrition, and it is a good vegetable source of protein. There are ways to reduce the sodium. First of all, you can look for canned beans that are low sodium, where less has been added. And second, when you open up your can of beans, put them in a colander and run cold water over them and that will reduce the sodium significantly, as well. But do not be concerned about the sodium or especially the preservatives, in canned beans. Overall, they are very good for you.