Soaking can cut down on the gas-inducing effect of beans, Yonan notes, but so can other methods. He prefers to cook unsoaked dried beans with a strip of kombu — Japanese dried seaweed, available at health food stores, supermarkets with a robust East Asian section, or online — which has the same effect on gas reduction.
Beans: An overnight soak can reduce gas
Bean consumption helps with appetite control, fighting certain cancers and heart disease, regulating blood glucose and insulin levels and improving digestive functions.
Are you afraid to eat beans because of the potential gaseous aftermath? According to the Mayo Clinic legume guide, boiling beans for two to three minutes and then covering for an overnight soak can result in 75 to 90 percent of the indigestible sugars being dissolved into the water. Draining this soak water and then rinsing the beans until the rinse water is clear can minimize post-bean consumption flatulence.
In a 2001 study out of Tulane University in Louisiana, researchers examined the effect of legume consumption on cardiovascular disease. For 19 years, the researchers followed study participants and found those who ate legumes (dry beans, peas, or peanuts) at least four times each week had a reduced risk of 21 percent for having coronary heart disease than those who ate them less than once a week.
Beans pack a protein plus fiber combination that supports blood sugar balance and regulation. Due to the low-glycemic index value of beans, consuming beans results in lower but more sustained increases in blood glucose and lower insulin demands. Due to the digestibility, beans can move through the digestive system in a more moderate pace, thus reducing strain to any specific part of the digestive tract. With better breakdown of food, extremes in simple sugar uptake from the digestive tract can be minimized.
The Michigan Bean Commission provides the nutritional breakdown for many of the varieties of beans grown here in Michigan. For some quick facts about Michigan beans, visit the Michigan Bean Commission website.
In some research studies black beans in particular have been found to lower colon cancer risk which may be related to the outstanding indigestible fraction (IF) content of this legume. Some studies show the IF of this legume is higher than lentils or chickpeas. One cup of black beans provides over 4 grams of soluble fiber, the type of fiber that is especially beneficial in lowering blood cholesterol levels. Black beans are also high in phytonutrients (antioxidant and anti-inflammatory protection) and provide health benefits to our cardiovascular system.
Beans can be found in cans and ready to eat or in the uncooked form in most grocery stores. Some great recipes for black beans can be found at the following links. Enjoy!
HOW TO DE-GAS THOSE MAGIC BEANS – “THE BASICS”
FAQ
Does soaking beans cause less gas?
How do you cook beans so they are not gassy?
Which beans cause the least gas?
Does baking soda in beans reduce gas?
How do you reduce gas when cooking beans?
To reduce gas faster, soak the beans and discard the soaking water before cooking them. Just like we’ll learn below. Canned beans are cheap. Dry beans are about 60% cheaper. Canned beans are usually packed with salt. You control the salt when you cook beans yourself.
Does increasing bean consumption help with indigestion?
When talking about consuming beans and digestion, what we think of is the way that beans are prepared and the undesirable effects it can cause, such as flatulence. To avoid problems like this, it is necessary to soak the beans in water overnight and change the water two to three times. Without a doubt, beans are not the most recommended food to aid digestion, but they play a very important role in our diet.
Does eating more beans reduce gas?
Many, many people will tell you that the key to reducing bean gas is to eat more beans. Eating more beans, they argue, works because it allows our digestive systems, and the microbiome in them, to acclimate to the beans. Over time, they say, the gassiness will go down. This makes no sense to me.
Should you soak beans before cooking?
While not every recipe calls for soaking beans before cooking them, if beans give you gas, soaking can help. Soaking overnight and then discarding the soaking water leaches out sugars in beans that are responsible for gas production. But if you don’t have time for a traditional overnight soak, a quick soak is just as beneficial.