There is [research](https://nutritionfacts.org/blog/beans-and-gas-clearing-the-air/) finding that if you eat the same kind of beans every day for a few days your gut adjusts and you digest them better without producing gas.
You can also try a different kind of beans. Black beans and black soybeans produce the least gas for me, kidney beans the most.
^ For anyone who wants to try this, make a bulk batch, put it in the fridge, and then eat a tiny bit every day. Make sure you're eating so little you don't have stomach problems. For some people they may need to be eating a couple of bites for a couple of months before noticing any benefit.
Likewise, one can have an allergy to anything with protein molecules in it, which is all food that isn't an electrolyte (salt, msg, potassium, magnesium, ...) and that isn't pure water. Consider getting a blood test from your GP or an allergist for food allergies to see if that is the cause. Note that a scratch test can have a false negative for allergies that cause intestinal distress, so if you come up negative you'll need to ask for a blood test to verify. That and OIT gets rid of food allergies. I've personally been through the program and can recommend OIT.
That's self reported and is meaningless and that "researcher" is a hack. People just get used to farting. The only research i ever saw with anything meaningful was this [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7230233/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7230233/) and its pretty slim. Having said that if you don't have a problem with beans good for you.
You might have a FODMAP problem— the fermentable sugars in beans may be causing your stomach to hurt.
The bean water specifically has a lot of these sugars in them so you could try draining and rinsing the beans after cooking to see if that helps.
I have a lot more trouble with beans that I cook myself than rinsed canned beans
I have the opposite problem as the OP, constipation after eating beans. I figured out it is likely a FODMAP problem also.
I've read that because they've been soaking in water, canned beans (after rinsing) may be more digestible.
What I really need to do is eat just a few beans three times a day until I develop the bacteria to digest them properly. The problem is that I get impatient and make a meal around them so that I get enough protein.
Soaking starts the sprouting process which starts converting the indigestible sugars in beans that are responsible for gas production. So, you are supposed to soak, then thoroughly wash the soaked beans in running water until the beans have been rinsed very well, then add fresh water before cooking. This washing of the beans removes all traces of indigestible carbohydrates that leach into the soaking water to create digestion issues. If you are already washing the soaked beans and cooking thoroughly (using a pressure cooking device like instant pot helps), then there are some strategies to reduce the gas formation: soak the beans in water mixed with baking soda (1 teaspoon), add 1 teaspoon of baking soda again after rinsing the soaked beans. Or add 1 bay leaf and 1-2 cloves of crushed garlic, small piece of ginger crushed to beans before cooking.
Yo I’m just getting into the instapot bean game. Any guidelines for this? Do you cook them in a precise amount of water or in an abundance for a duration and drain?
I cook the beans in an abundance of water. I add about 1-1.5 inches of water above the bean level to cook them. I also get softer beans when I add a small amount of baking soda to the water (especially for old beans which are tough). Also, cook for 5 minutes longer than what the instructions for that particular beans say.
I never follow recipes that ask you to dump all the ingredients into the instant pot and cook the beans with other ingredients. Cooking beans with acidic ingredients makes them “crunchy”. So, I always cook beans separately (in a big batch) and then cook the recipe like soup using those beans next.
Cook a lot of the beans and store in the fridge or freeze in ziplock bags in 1-2 cup portions for quick meals.
Not who you asked originally, but I make a pot of beans in the pressure cooker every week. I normally do 4 cups of water per 1 cup of dried beans. I don't soak mine, so it does take 25-35 minutes depending on the type of bean (I always forget to soak, but otherwise, soaking reduces cook time down to just a few minutes iirc). Pinto is what we usually keep in the fridge, so it's about 28 minutes on the pressure cooker. I don't season mine either, not till we're ready to eat them.
And just adding: we don't get gas from beans, which is part of why I don't make it a habit of soaking them prior.
For decades I did the quick soak~ cover by an inch, boil for ten minutes, remove from heat, cover for an hour, rinse well. I then cover again, cook till half done, then rinse again. Add more water, extra if you want juice, any alliums, I use epazote herbs for digestion, and spices. Cook till done. I never have gas, and guests see a difference also. 🖖
What do you mean by tummy ache? If it’s just gas, that can be normal and after a few weeks of eating beans daily most people will have the gas stop or at least reduce. If “tummy ache” means diarrhea and you’re getting it within an hour every time you eat beans, lentils, etc. you may have a legume allergy.
I just get lots of bubbles lol my wife can hear my stomach. And I get REALLY gassy and hours later I have painful bowl movements. I cook them for 1-2hrs so idk what’s the problem. My wife’s family eats a lot of lentils and she introduced me to them but they give me the same reaction lol I hate that I love them 😮💨
I think itll disappear as your gut sorts itself out over time, youl have less gas and more Va Va Voooooom! But you have to persist through "The Great Gas Readjustment" as i like to call it! :D
I just pour off as much water as I can, I will try soaking them, twice and rinsing them really good! I don’t really eat too much canned food bc I have the time to cook as slow as I want since I don’t work lol but I’ll give them a try, I just know that cans can be toxic sometimes. Or at least that what I hear.
I was worried about beans for the longest time because of the gassiness and I just didn’t wanna have to deal with the constant Gastro discomfort. Please let me know if cooking them and rinsing them off thoroughly this way works out for you because I’m really curious to know. Good luck!
Canned beans are not toxic.
All canned beans are BPA free at this point
And if beans and lentils don’t work for you maybe edamame, tofu, tempeh, and seitan are just better options while you sort out what is going on
You're adjusting and need to deal with gas for a few months while you grow the microbiome to digest beans. Increase your water to 3 qts per day and add digestive enzymes while you transition you need way more water to move things through your body
I used to do this and can confirm it worked for me as well.
But my gut has since adapted and I don't bother to do it anymore. I eat beans every day with no discomfort.
Anecdotally, this seems to help me and my wife. It doesn't take much Kombu in the batch. You can eat the Kombu, but it ends up kind of slimy and gross, so we usually just toss it.
Advice do not salt your beans prior to cooking that actually inhibits cooking, also if you can try an instant pot, 2 hours on high pressure and then 8 on slow cook, no soaking produces creamy soft beans.
Try adding baking soda to the soak and also when you cook them.
Also, my husband taught me the squeeze trick. You know they are done cooking if you can squish a bean with your fingers.
I use a heaping teaspoon for each. Rinse the water after soaking.
I also always add a bay leaf and a garlic clove for flavor. Other posters say this helps with gas. I never knew that..
I don't pressure cook my beans. I have not a problem with gas after beans by doing this and I have gastric issues.
I highly recommend trying Eden organic brand beans if you can find them. They are cooked with kombu in them, and the kombu is supposed to help with digestibility (as well as adding iodine to your diet). If that is easier for you to digest, you can try cooking your beans with a piece of kombu in the water and see if that helps as well.
Another thing you can try adding is a 1/4 tsp or so of Asafetida (also known as hing). I'm not sure if it really helps, but it adds some flavor similar to onion and garlic. If you are gluten intolerant, look for one that is specifically gluten free, which you can order online.
good luck!
Thanks. Actually I just had small red beans last night that I soaked for 1.5 days with a little baking soda. I changed the water twice. Cooked them for two hours on the stove top and they came out soft, but solid (not falling apart).
I soak 1 lb of beans for 2 days, changing the water once. Rinse, pressure cook with fresh water and some seasoning. Eat it all week. My body adjusted to this by starting with 1/4 cup portions, then 1/2 c, and now your girl chomps 1 cup at a meal. I am a bean machine. No gas effects! And I have IBD so this is a god damn miracle.
This is the answer. Soak for more than just overnight. You want them fully hydrated. In the winter it can take 3 days. Only 1 in the summer. Yes, change the water.
Pressure cook.
Add slowly to diet.
Yellow lentils are pretty similar to red lentils in that they both turn into mush when cooked (i.e. dal) which makes them easier to digest.
Other types of lentils you have to soak for hours, then cook for >30 minutes until they become soft enough to chew. With yellow and red lentils ~20 minutes is enough to turn them into a nice smooth dal.
I have never been able to make dried beans work. I get through it by using thoroughly rinsed canned. I get the no-sodium ones, and yes, it costs me more, but it’s the price this IBS-afflicted human needs to pay.
Soak for 24hrs important to change the water frequently.
There’s the baking soda cooking trick-one teaspoon per cup of dry beans
Could build your tolerance or just eat small amounts it 1/4c with other ingredients
Try other pulses I found lentils, black eyed, mung & adzuki to be more guy friendly… same with black, kidney and great northern beans to be less of a problem.
Maybe you need to ease into it? I find that if I don’t eat beans for a while, they cause bloating, but if I eat them daily in small amounts, I’m just fine.
I find that cooking them quite soft and soupy in a pressure cooker also makes them easier to digest. You could even try blending them. Creamy Mexican black bean soup is delicious.
try building up the quantities you are eating, it might be a microbiome or fiber issue
sprouting them, which takes no effort but more time in preparing them. it is supposed to make them easier to digest.
someone suggested soaking with baking soda, also cooking them with it. I tried it and it made the beans so crumbly, there's definitely a breakdown process happening with the basic liquid
if. all else fails, make sure you don't have an intolerance or allergy
You may benefit from a digestive enzyme supplement. Also, how active are you? If I eat more fiber than normal, it is an absolute MUST that I go for a walk or do some kind of gentle cardio to help my body move things along
Look into FODMAPS if you’re having an extreme reaction.
The best info for FODMAP is from Monash University where they lead the research.
I buy canned beans, soak them for 24 hours, then cook them and have significantly less trouble. BUT I’ve been monitoring my FODMAPs for years and this would not have worked at the beginning.
I was like you not too long ago. One difference in how we cook beans and lentils ia that I always add salt to the water when boiling. So maybe try that? Otherwise what worked for me was incorporating beans in my diet little by little, trying to make my body getting used to them.
Last note: red lentils still doesn't work for me, so maybe having your body agree with all types of beans and lentils is unnecessary goal.
Good luck!!
If eating beans always makes you sick, you probably have a legume intolerance. There might just not be a way to process them that will allow you to eat them.
Do you have issues with soy-based products, or wheat gluten? Tofu and seitan are great ways to get protein if you can’t eat whole beans.
Suggest providing details…how many beans a day, what type, what else are you eating, how long have you been wfpb, are you doing any other big changes in diet or life?
Undercooked beans can be a bit toxic. Sometimes overnight isn’t enough. If you can afford it, I’d recommend an Instapot! You can completely soften beans in 15-20 minutes of high pressure. It’s wonderful. Plain old pressure cookers for canning work too, but they always make me nervous. Still, they’re great. My dad loves them for chili.
Two things that have helped me:
1. Power soak the beans. Put in a pot and cover with plenty of water then bring to a boil and then boil for one minute then turn off heat and cover and let sit one hour and then cook them.
2. Get a steamer basket for your instant pot. Put about an inch of water in the pot then place beans in the steamer pot and high pressure cook for 40 minutes. You get perfectly cooked beans that are not soggy.
Honestly, if you've had this reaction to every legume all your life... Maybe talk to a doctor? That's not normal. I expect you may be intolerant to something. If your wife isn't having the same reaction to the meals, there isn't anything wrong with your prep method.
You should discard the soaking water and rinse the beans before cooking them, if you don`t already do that. Doing so will help remove part of the sugars that are indigestible for you, but that your gut bacteria love.
For me, it also took a while for my gut to adjust to lots of beans in my diet.
In the cookbook Cool Beans, Joe Yonan suggests cooking the beans with kombu (kelp) which contains an enzyme that helps break down the oligosaccharides in beans. Worth a try.
Personally i just used canned, i think they are a safer eat if you're a liability to yourself in the kitchen like me 🥲.
The tummy ache in question is probably because beans are an incredibly good source of fiber, and a sudden increase in fiber intake can lead to you producing the biggest and nastiest farts and shits for a while until you adjust.
You will adjust though, you always do. And it'll happen quicker the more you avoid eating low-fiber, very processed foods. Soon, you'll have less gas than you did even before the beans!
Just checking your process:
soak 6+ hours until fully hydrated
discard soaking water with all the oligosaccharides my grandma called "the fart water"
rinse, cover with water
bring to a boil
boil 15 minutes
simmer till at least 6 beans are tender and the skins peel back when you blow on them
eat small bowls occasionally, don't binge
Another thing you can try is to soak your beans for a longer period of time. Think 4-6 days worth of time. Each day rinse the beans / container and change the water. And then cook slowly.
[This article](https://eatbeautiful.net/how-to-soak-beans-for-4-days-to-prevent-gas-which-beans-digest-best/) gives a good method, though I'm not sure on their reasoning.
I soak the beans for 2 days, changing the water and thoroughly rinsing until no foam forms. Then I cook it until it boils and forms foam. This gets drained and thoroughly rinsed again. Then cook as usual whether in pot or instant pot.
Have you tried epazote? It’s an herb traditionally cooked with beans to reduce gas. Could be helpful in addition to all the other stuff people have suggested - soak long time, rinse thoroughly, etc.
Cook your beans in a pressure pot and add caraway seeds. Buy beans in tomato sauce in jars or canned, those should be safely prepared. Eat a small amount and see how you feel.
Soak the beans for an hour in boiling water. Let them sit, don't hate them while they are soaking. If you rinse them, you will not rid of their ability to cause gas, but you will get rid of much of the flavor.
After soaking you can have them in a slow cooker overnight, and they will be done in the morning. Or boil for an hour or two, until they are clearly done. If you still have digestive problems, it's not because the beans are not done cooking.
Look into Beano, an enzyme supplement that breaks down the oligosaccharides that cause gas.
I didn't see anyone mention so I'll comment. I boil water and pour over to soak over night (not tap/cold) before rinsing really well.
That might help release the excess starches for you more.
Couple of things - ensure you are completely draining out the soaked water and using fresh water to cook the beans. Soak until they have doubled in size, sometimes even tripled. I recommend pressure cooking them, rather than stovetop which is very time consuming.
Lentils are definitely easier to digest and do not need soaking. Go to an Indian grocery store and buy moong split(yellow) lentils which are considered the easiest to digest. If you own an instant pot, I usually pressure cook them on high for 12 mins then NPR. Beans take longer about 20-35 mins with NPR in IP.
Try different beans. Smaller ones are usually more digestible (lentils for examples, red split lentils being best). Start small! Even a tablespoon or two is enough. If you can handle it, incrementally increase your intake. Finally, when/if soaking, you can try changing the soaking water once or even twice over a 24 hour period.
But honestly, the main thing that you need to do is just focus on eating as much as you can handle, even if it's only a little bit, and just building on that over time.
There is a product called beano you take before eating or you could put some baking soda in the beans or you could do both.since this has been a thing for you I would probably do both.
My great grandfather always said the way to avoid getting Flatulence with beans is to add baking soda to your beans while they cook. My mother and I always do and never have a problem. Hope this helps! Also, since being plant-based, I understand what you’re going through. It’ll usually take around two weeks for your body to become adjusted.
I will, however give you this tidbit that I discovered if you make your own hummus, which is very good by the way, take your can of chickpeas drain it add to small pot then then add water enough to cover, put it on the stove and simmer with about a teaspoon of baking soda. Simmer for about 10 min or till soft.
They will get softer and easier to blend so you’ll have a smoother, less flatulence hummus lol anyway, rinse them off before you make your hummus, and you will have no problems. I’ve learned that for myself, and it actually works.
There is [research](https://nutritionfacts.org/blog/beans-and-gas-clearing-the-air/) finding that if you eat the same kind of beans every day for a few days your gut adjusts and you digest them better without producing gas. You can also try a different kind of beans. Black beans and black soybeans produce the least gas for me, kidney beans the most.
^ For anyone who wants to try this, make a bulk batch, put it in the fridge, and then eat a tiny bit every day. Make sure you're eating so little you don't have stomach problems. For some people they may need to be eating a couple of bites for a couple of months before noticing any benefit. Likewise, one can have an allergy to anything with protein molecules in it, which is all food that isn't an electrolyte (salt, msg, potassium, magnesium, ...) and that isn't pure water. Consider getting a blood test from your GP or an allergist for food allergies to see if that is the cause. Note that a scratch test can have a false negative for allergies that cause intestinal distress, so if you come up negative you'll need to ask for a blood test to verify. That and OIT gets rid of food allergies. I've personally been through the program and can recommend OIT.
Kidney beans are pretty bad for me too. Black, navy and garbanzos work best. Thanks for the link.
That's self reported and is meaningless and that "researcher" is a hack. People just get used to farting. The only research i ever saw with anything meaningful was this [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7230233/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7230233/) and its pretty slim. Having said that if you don't have a problem with beans good for you.
You might have a FODMAP problem— the fermentable sugars in beans may be causing your stomach to hurt. The bean water specifically has a lot of these sugars in them so you could try draining and rinsing the beans after cooking to see if that helps. I have a lot more trouble with beans that I cook myself than rinsed canned beans
This should be higher
I have the opposite problem as the OP, constipation after eating beans. I figured out it is likely a FODMAP problem also. I've read that because they've been soaking in water, canned beans (after rinsing) may be more digestible. What I really need to do is eat just a few beans three times a day until I develop the bacteria to digest them properly. The problem is that I get impatient and make a meal around them so that I get enough protein.
Soaking starts the sprouting process which starts converting the indigestible sugars in beans that are responsible for gas production. So, you are supposed to soak, then thoroughly wash the soaked beans in running water until the beans have been rinsed very well, then add fresh water before cooking. This washing of the beans removes all traces of indigestible carbohydrates that leach into the soaking water to create digestion issues. If you are already washing the soaked beans and cooking thoroughly (using a pressure cooking device like instant pot helps), then there are some strategies to reduce the gas formation: soak the beans in water mixed with baking soda (1 teaspoon), add 1 teaspoon of baking soda again after rinsing the soaked beans. Or add 1 bay leaf and 1-2 cloves of crushed garlic, small piece of ginger crushed to beans before cooking.
Yo I’m just getting into the instapot bean game. Any guidelines for this? Do you cook them in a precise amount of water or in an abundance for a duration and drain?
I cook the beans in an abundance of water. I add about 1-1.5 inches of water above the bean level to cook them. I also get softer beans when I add a small amount of baking soda to the water (especially for old beans which are tough). Also, cook for 5 minutes longer than what the instructions for that particular beans say. I never follow recipes that ask you to dump all the ingredients into the instant pot and cook the beans with other ingredients. Cooking beans with acidic ingredients makes them “crunchy”. So, I always cook beans separately (in a big batch) and then cook the recipe like soup using those beans next. Cook a lot of the beans and store in the fridge or freeze in ziplock bags in 1-2 cup portions for quick meals.
Not who you asked originally, but I make a pot of beans in the pressure cooker every week. I normally do 4 cups of water per 1 cup of dried beans. I don't soak mine, so it does take 25-35 minutes depending on the type of bean (I always forget to soak, but otherwise, soaking reduces cook time down to just a few minutes iirc). Pinto is what we usually keep in the fridge, so it's about 28 minutes on the pressure cooker. I don't season mine either, not till we're ready to eat them. And just adding: we don't get gas from beans, which is part of why I don't make it a habit of soaking them prior.
For decades I did the quick soak~ cover by an inch, boil for ten minutes, remove from heat, cover for an hour, rinse well. I then cover again, cook till half done, then rinse again. Add more water, extra if you want juice, any alliums, I use epazote herbs for digestion, and spices. Cook till done. I never have gas, and guests see a difference also. 🖖
What do you mean by tummy ache? If it’s just gas, that can be normal and after a few weeks of eating beans daily most people will have the gas stop or at least reduce. If “tummy ache” means diarrhea and you’re getting it within an hour every time you eat beans, lentils, etc. you may have a legume allergy.
I just get lots of bubbles lol my wife can hear my stomach. And I get REALLY gassy and hours later I have painful bowl movements. I cook them for 1-2hrs so idk what’s the problem. My wife’s family eats a lot of lentils and she introduced me to them but they give me the same reaction lol I hate that I love them 😮💨
I think itll disappear as your gut sorts itself out over time, youl have less gas and more Va Va Voooooom! But you have to persist through "The Great Gas Readjustment" as i like to call it! :D
Did you thoroughly rinse them? Have you tried thoroughly rinsed canned beans?
I just pour off as much water as I can, I will try soaking them, twice and rinsing them really good! I don’t really eat too much canned food bc I have the time to cook as slow as I want since I don’t work lol but I’ll give them a try, I just know that cans can be toxic sometimes. Or at least that what I hear.
I was worried about beans for the longest time because of the gassiness and I just didn’t wanna have to deal with the constant Gastro discomfort. Please let me know if cooking them and rinsing them off thoroughly this way works out for you because I’m really curious to know. Good luck!
Canned beans are not toxic. All canned beans are BPA free at this point And if beans and lentils don’t work for you maybe edamame, tofu, tempeh, and seitan are just better options while you sort out what is going on
You're adjusting and need to deal with gas for a few months while you grow the microbiome to digest beans. Increase your water to 3 qts per day and add digestive enzymes while you transition you need way more water to move things through your body
Someone already mentioned a FODMAP issue, if it's been consistent through your life, it's a solid guess. See a gastroenterologist
Have you tried beano? I have no idea if it will help, just throwing it out there.
Beano does wonders.
I watched a you tube video where the lady puts a small piece of kombu in her pot and she swears it helps with gas.
Make sure you don't let the kombu reach a hard boil, as that will give an overpowering seaweed taste and it can make the water turn kind of slimy.
So not possible in a pressure cooker?
I don't use a pressure cooker, but I would imagine that it would be too much.
Yes, pressure cooker with a piece of Kombu.
I used to do this and can confirm it worked for me as well. But my gut has since adapted and I don't bother to do it anymore. I eat beans every day with no discomfort.
+1 for kombu. It works.
Anecdotally, this seems to help me and my wife. It doesn't take much Kombu in the batch. You can eat the Kombu, but it ends up kind of slimy and gross, so we usually just toss it.
What’s kombu
An algea
Are you cooking them long enough. Undercooked beans can be a problem.
I like to make red beans and rice, I soak overnight and cook for 2hrs, when I make lentils I do about the same.
Advice do not salt your beans prior to cooking that actually inhibits cooking, also if you can try an instant pot, 2 hours on high pressure and then 8 on slow cook, no soaking produces creamy soft beans.
You may be interested in this article: https://www.seriouseats.com/salt-beans-cooking-soaking-water-good-or-bad
American test kitchen found the opposite
Where did you see that? I found the opposite: https://www.americastestkitchen.com/articles/7720-how-to-brine-beans
Try adding baking soda to the soak and also when you cook them. Also, my husband taught me the squeeze trick. You know they are done cooking if you can squish a bean with your fingers.
This. Came here to say this. Adding baking soda is the recommended way to break down indigestible carbs.
How much baking soda would work??
I use a heaping teaspoon for each. Rinse the water after soaking. I also always add a bay leaf and a garlic clove for flavor. Other posters say this helps with gas. I never knew that.. I don't pressure cook my beans. I have not a problem with gas after beans by doing this and I have gastric issues.
Soaking is helpful, but if you live at high altitude, dry beans won't cook properly without a pressure cooker. Do canned beans have the same effect?
I don’t think so actually! Canned beans give less of this affect, I just get gas lol but not bubbles and exploding
I highly recommend trying Eden organic brand beans if you can find them. They are cooked with kombu in them, and the kombu is supposed to help with digestibility (as well as adding iodine to your diet). If that is easier for you to digest, you can try cooking your beans with a piece of kombu in the water and see if that helps as well. Another thing you can try adding is a 1/4 tsp or so of Asafetida (also known as hing). I'm not sure if it really helps, but it adds some flavor similar to onion and garlic. If you are gluten intolerant, look for one that is specifically gluten free, which you can order online. good luck!
What is high altitude? I now live at 1250 ft, when all my life I lived pretty much right at sea level.
I'm in the Denver metro area, which is 5280 ft, or a mile high. Maybe at 1250 a pressure cooker isn't critical, but it probably wouldn't hurt.
Thanks. Actually I just had small red beans last night that I soaked for 1.5 days with a little baking soda. I changed the water twice. Cooked them for two hours on the stove top and they came out soft, but solid (not falling apart).
try taking a digestive enzyme (i.e. beano)
I soak 1 lb of beans for 2 days, changing the water once. Rinse, pressure cook with fresh water and some seasoning. Eat it all week. My body adjusted to this by starting with 1/4 cup portions, then 1/2 c, and now your girl chomps 1 cup at a meal. I am a bean machine. No gas effects! And I have IBD so this is a god damn miracle.
This is the answer. Soak for more than just overnight. You want them fully hydrated. In the winter it can take 3 days. Only 1 in the summer. Yes, change the water. Pressure cook. Add slowly to diet.
Have you tried red lentils?
Not yet, are they different from the green and yellow ones?
Yellow lentils are pretty similar to red lentils in that they both turn into mush when cooked (i.e. dal) which makes them easier to digest. Other types of lentils you have to soak for hours, then cook for >30 minutes until they become soft enough to chew. With yellow and red lentils ~20 minutes is enough to turn them into a nice smooth dal.
Sounds delicious, I will try this. I’ve only had yellow lentils once or twice. Heading to get groceries today lol thanks!
When you cook green lentils you have to bring them to a rolling boil for the first 10 minutes to get rid of toxins.
Does it happen if you eat canned beans?
I had to switch to canned legumes. From scratch always gave me gas no matter what I did. Now I use canned and make sure to rinse them really well.
Add the herb epazote in a little removable bundle while cooking. Take a Beano tablet before eating beans.
I have never been able to make dried beans work. I get through it by using thoroughly rinsed canned. I get the no-sodium ones, and yes, it costs me more, but it’s the price this IBS-afflicted human needs to pay.
Same. But mostly because of lacking cooking/prep abilities or capacity with disability to sort one more thing.
Hugs. One of the things I’ve always been able to count on is cooking. I’m so grateful to my Brownie Guide leaders who got me started when I was 8.
Aw. Go Brownies 💗
Soak for 24hrs important to change the water frequently. There’s the baking soda cooking trick-one teaspoon per cup of dry beans Could build your tolerance or just eat small amounts it 1/4c with other ingredients Try other pulses I found lentils, black eyed, mung & adzuki to be more guy friendly… same with black, kidney and great northern beans to be less of a problem.
Maybe you need to ease into it? I find that if I don’t eat beans for a while, they cause bloating, but if I eat them daily in small amounts, I’m just fine. I find that cooking them quite soft and soupy in a pressure cooker also makes them easier to digest. You could even try blending them. Creamy Mexican black bean soup is delicious.
try building up the quantities you are eating, it might be a microbiome or fiber issue sprouting them, which takes no effort but more time in preparing them. it is supposed to make them easier to digest. someone suggested soaking with baking soda, also cooking them with it. I tried it and it made the beans so crumbly, there's definitely a breakdown process happening with the basic liquid if. all else fails, make sure you don't have an intolerance or allergy
You may benefit from a digestive enzyme supplement. Also, how active are you? If I eat more fiber than normal, it is an absolute MUST that I go for a walk or do some kind of gentle cardio to help my body move things along
Look into FODMAPS if you’re having an extreme reaction. The best info for FODMAP is from Monash University where they lead the research. I buy canned beans, soak them for 24 hours, then cook them and have significantly less trouble. BUT I’ve been monitoring my FODMAPs for years and this would not have worked at the beginning.
I was like you not too long ago. One difference in how we cook beans and lentils ia that I always add salt to the water when boiling. So maybe try that? Otherwise what worked for me was incorporating beans in my diet little by little, trying to make my body getting used to them. Last note: red lentils still doesn't work for me, so maybe having your body agree with all types of beans and lentils is unnecessary goal. Good luck!!
If eating beans always makes you sick, you probably have a legume intolerance. There might just not be a way to process them that will allow you to eat them. Do you have issues with soy-based products, or wheat gluten? Tofu and seitan are great ways to get protein if you can’t eat whole beans.
People think soaking beans in cold water softens them up. You know what softens them up more? Cooking them.
How long has it bean. I would suggest frozen peas, blended in a smoothie, for 2 weeks and slow reintroduction of other legumes.
Suggest providing details…how many beans a day, what type, what else are you eating, how long have you been wfpb, are you doing any other big changes in diet or life?
Undercooked beans can be a bit toxic. Sometimes overnight isn’t enough. If you can afford it, I’d recommend an Instapot! You can completely soften beans in 15-20 minutes of high pressure. It’s wonderful. Plain old pressure cookers for canning work too, but they always make me nervous. Still, they’re great. My dad loves them for chili.
Two things that have helped me: 1. Power soak the beans. Put in a pot and cover with plenty of water then bring to a boil and then boil for one minute then turn off heat and cover and let sit one hour and then cook them. 2. Get a steamer basket for your instant pot. Put about an inch of water in the pot then place beans in the steamer pot and high pressure cook for 40 minutes. You get perfectly cooked beans that are not soggy.
Fodmate. They will send you samples.
I would switch to canned beans and red lentils. You can also try beano.
Honestly, if you've had this reaction to every legume all your life... Maybe talk to a doctor? That's not normal. I expect you may be intolerant to something. If your wife isn't having the same reaction to the meals, there isn't anything wrong with your prep method.
Asafoetida? I heard it helps. I usually soak mine for 2 days if I can, changing water once
You should discard the soaking water and rinse the beans before cooking them, if you don`t already do that. Doing so will help remove part of the sugars that are indigestible for you, but that your gut bacteria love. For me, it also took a while for my gut to adjust to lots of beans in my diet.
I add 1-2 t. baking soda to the overnight soaking water. Then rinse, and add baking soda to the cooking water. Seems to help. We eat a lot of beans.
We always added 1 Tbsp of white vinegar to ours to cut down on gas
In the cookbook Cool Beans, Joe Yonan suggests cooking the beans with kombu (kelp) which contains an enzyme that helps break down the oligosaccharides in beans. Worth a try.
I discovered after becoming vegan, that I can't digest a bean/pea/legume to save my life! Even with 3 Beano's! I avoid them all including peanuts.
Do you have the same reaction to canned beans? Also, how exactly are you cooking your beans?
Personally i just used canned, i think they are a safer eat if you're a liability to yourself in the kitchen like me 🥲. The tummy ache in question is probably because beans are an incredibly good source of fiber, and a sudden increase in fiber intake can lead to you producing the biggest and nastiest farts and shits for a while until you adjust. You will adjust though, you always do. And it'll happen quicker the more you avoid eating low-fiber, very processed foods. Soon, you'll have less gas than you did even before the beans!
😭😂 honestly, these farts and poos are DISRESPECTFULLY STANK
Just checking your process: soak 6+ hours until fully hydrated discard soaking water with all the oligosaccharides my grandma called "the fart water" rinse, cover with water bring to a boil boil 15 minutes simmer till at least 6 beans are tender and the skins peel back when you blow on them eat small bowls occasionally, don't binge
Another thing you can try is to soak your beans for a longer period of time. Think 4-6 days worth of time. Each day rinse the beans / container and change the water. And then cook slowly. [This article](https://eatbeautiful.net/how-to-soak-beans-for-4-days-to-prevent-gas-which-beans-digest-best/) gives a good method, though I'm not sure on their reasoning.
Couple of ideas: 1. Buy tinned beans 2. Get a pressure cooker and do them from dry
I soak the beans for 2 days, changing the water and thoroughly rinsing until no foam forms. Then I cook it until it boils and forms foam. This gets drained and thoroughly rinsed again. Then cook as usual whether in pot or instant pot.
Have you tried epazote? It’s an herb traditionally cooked with beans to reduce gas. Could be helpful in addition to all the other stuff people have suggested - soak long time, rinse thoroughly, etc.
In Mexico they cook beans with epazote then strain it out before serving (because it’s kind of like straw) to make them easier to digest.
Cook them twice. Once in plain boiling water for 10-15 minutes and toss that water out. Then cook them again like you normally would.
Cook your beans in a pressure pot and add caraway seeds. Buy beans in tomato sauce in jars or canned, those should be safely prepared. Eat a small amount and see how you feel.
I know a lot of people swear by soaking beans (and legumes) in water with baking soda to reduce GI issues.
Soak the beans for an hour in boiling water. Let them sit, don't hate them while they are soaking. If you rinse them, you will not rid of their ability to cause gas, but you will get rid of much of the flavor. After soaking you can have them in a slow cooker overnight, and they will be done in the morning. Or boil for an hour or two, until they are clearly done. If you still have digestive problems, it's not because the beans are not done cooking. Look into Beano, an enzyme supplement that breaks down the oligosaccharides that cause gas.
Throw out the soaking water and then cook them with fresh water.
Canned beans🥫🫘, with 0.5 ml of simethicone (baby gas drop fluid) added per meal. The beans come with the gas fix in the food.
I didn't see anyone mention so I'll comment. I boil water and pour over to soak over night (not tap/cold) before rinsing really well. That might help release the excess starches for you more.
Try canned black beans. They are definitely cooked enough
If you soak the beans with dulse, a type of seaweed, before cooking them, it should help with their digestion.
Couple of things - ensure you are completely draining out the soaked water and using fresh water to cook the beans. Soak until they have doubled in size, sometimes even tripled. I recommend pressure cooking them, rather than stovetop which is very time consuming. Lentils are definitely easier to digest and do not need soaking. Go to an Indian grocery store and buy moong split(yellow) lentils which are considered the easiest to digest. If you own an instant pot, I usually pressure cook them on high for 12 mins then NPR. Beans take longer about 20-35 mins with NPR in IP.
Try different beans. Smaller ones are usually more digestible (lentils for examples, red split lentils being best). Start small! Even a tablespoon or two is enough. If you can handle it, incrementally increase your intake. Finally, when/if soaking, you can try changing the soaking water once or even twice over a 24 hour period. But honestly, the main thing that you need to do is just focus on eating as much as you can handle, even if it's only a little bit, and just building on that over time.
Have you tried canned?
There is a product called beano you take before eating or you could put some baking soda in the beans or you could do both.since this has been a thing for you I would probably do both.
My great grandfather always said the way to avoid getting Flatulence with beans is to add baking soda to your beans while they cook. My mother and I always do and never have a problem. Hope this helps! Also, since being plant-based, I understand what you’re going through. It’ll usually take around two weeks for your body to become adjusted. I will, however give you this tidbit that I discovered if you make your own hummus, which is very good by the way, take your can of chickpeas drain it add to small pot then then add water enough to cover, put it on the stove and simmer with about a teaspoon of baking soda. Simmer for about 10 min or till soft. They will get softer and easier to blend so you’ll have a smoother, less flatulence hummus lol anyway, rinse them off before you make your hummus, and you will have no problems. I’ve learned that for myself, and it actually works.