Are chili beans the same as kidney beans?

If you are craving some nice Mexican food, chili beans in a can are super convenient! But for our classic weekly Rajma Chawal craving, you absolutely need proper raw red kidney beans cooked the desi way.

Nope, they are quite different. Kidney beans is just the name of the legume (what we call rajma). Chili beans is a prepared canned product that has spices and sauce. Always check the labels when buying.

Don't spend extra money buying imported 'chili beans' cans. Just buy regular rajma (kidney beans) from your local kirana store, boil them, and cook with local spices. It tastes better and costs way less.

For diabetics, raw kidney beans cooked at home are great for blood sugar control. Canned chili beans often have added sugars in the sauce, so you must read the ingredients list carefully before buying.

I once ate canned chili beans and had severe acidity and stomach pain because of the chemical preservatives used. Please be careful with canned foods and consult a doctor if you have a weak stomach or digestion issues.

I got so worried when I used them interchangeably in a meal, thinking it might cause some allergy. Thankfully, they are both just beans, but do check the ingredients on canned chili beans just to be safe!

From a health perspective, canned chili beans have high sodium which is bad for blood pressure. Regular kidney beans cooked at home are much safer. Get your routine health parameters checked regularly.