This Doctor on Call question comes from a viewer concerned about sodium. She writes, "I have heard that it is wise to rinse your high-sodium foods like canned beans, chicken, and tuna fish. How much sodium does it really remove by rinsing these items?"
Unfortunately, most canned foods are quite high in sodium, much more so than their fresh or frozen versions.
We checked with a registered dietician who said that rinsing will remove about 50 percent of the sodium. As for chicken, our dietician says she would not recommend it; even though it takes some of the sodium out, it also takes out a lot of the flavor and texture away.
You could rinse tuna, but tuna is a salt water fish, and it will still remain high in sodium.
