How to Eat Beans Regularly Without Bloating

Some people avoid beans because of the risk of bloating and other digestive discomfort. However, with thoughtful preparation, cooking, and dietary techniques, you can enjoy the various nutritional benefits of beans without worrying about uncomfortable side effects.

1. Soak and Rinse Beans Before Cooking

Soaking beans before cooking helps dissolve and release some of their natural indigestible compounds, so you consume less of these substances.

The traditional process of overnight soaking dried beans involves placing the uncooked beans in a container of water and allowing them to rehydrate overnight. This also allows their gaseous compounds to dissolve in water. By changing and discarding the water used for soaking, you eliminate these compounds.

Other options for preparing beans involve:

• Quick soak: Boil the beans, then let them sit for an hour before cooking. Discard the soaking water.
• Drain and rinse canned beans: Drain and rinse canned beans to reduce residual starches and oligosaccharides, which can promote bloating.

2. Stay Hydrated When You Eat High-Fiber Foods

Consuming fiber-rich foods like beans requires staying hydrated so the fiber can move through your digestive tract. This can help prevent excess gas buildup that can lead to bloating and constipation.

3. Gradually increase beans and other fiber-rich foods in your diet

If beans aren’t a regular part of your diet, start with small portions. Then gradually increase the amounts to give your intestine time to adapt to the extra fiber intake.

Spread your bean intake over several small portions during meals or combine beans in mixed dishes with other foods to lighten the digestive load.

4. Consider using Beano

Beano contains alpha-galactosidase enzymes that break down complex carbohydrates into simple carbohydrates that are absorbed rather than fermented, thereby reducing gas production.

Also consider adding herbs and spices, such as ground cumin, peppermint, turmeric, or fennel, which can introduce health-promoting phytonutrients (natural plant compounds) to offset the bloating effects of beans.

5. Avoid Undercooking Beans

Undercooked beans can retain lectins, which are substances that can cause serious digestive problems such as vomiting, diarrhea and bloating. Follow package or recipe directions to ensure you cook the beans for the appropriate amount of time for the variety you’re using, ideally until they are very soft and easy to mash.

How Do Beans Cause Bloating?

Bloating is a feeling of abdominal fullness or swelling, sometimes accompanied by discomfort, that usually occurs due to gas and/or a buildup of food in the stomach.

Beans contain carbohydrates called oligosaccharides which humans cannot digest because their intestines lack the enzyme needed to break them down.

The oligosaccharides in beans reach your colon undigested, where they are fermented by gut bacteria, a process that generates gases including hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and methane. This contributes to bloating and other gastrointestinal symptoms.

Beans are high in resistant starch and fiber, which contribute to fermentation and slower digestion in your colon, increasing the risk of gas and bloating.

Why eating beans is worth it

The benefits of beans include:

• Good for the health of intestinal microbes: Their soluble fiber, resistant starch, and bioactive compounds enhance beneficial gut bacteria, which can reduce inflammation and support long-term digestive health.
• Reduces bad cholesterol: Regular consumption of beans is associated with lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (bad cholesterol), better blood sugar control, better weight management, and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers.
• Part of a healthy eating pattern includes: Research indicates that dietary habits that include daily bean consumption are linked to higher dietary quality scores and greater intake of deficient nutrients such as magnesium, iron, folate, dietary fiber, and potassium.