Got Gas? How To Prepare Your Legumes And Why

Are you a lover of beans but not the intestinal gas production that follows? Do you think twice before digging into your favorite bowl of Mexican chili? Or are you eliminating (or thinking of eliminating) these nutritious legumes from your diet in an effort to cut down on your emissions?

Let me clear the air by saying that intestinal gas is normal and healthy (no pun intended).  For some people, legumes can be difficult to digest (myself included). As a result of poor bean digestion, problems with flatulence, irritability, and unclear thinking are not uncommon symptoms to experience; and in many cases, the solution may just lie in the proper preparation of these legumes, choice of legume, and proper food combining.

NUTRIENTS IN LEGUMES

Before you decide to ditch those beans, know that legumes (beans, peas, and lentils) are not only high in protein, fat and carbohydrates, but they also provide minerals such as calcium, iron, and potassium. They are also rich in several B-vitamins and make an excellent source of vitamin C and enzymes when sprouted.

HOW TO PROPERLY PREPARE LEGUMES

Step 1 – Soak

  • Presoaking is crucial for improving the digestibility of your legumes
  • The soaking process helps to soften the skin, promote faster cooking, and helps to eliminate phytic acid so that precious vitamins and minerals are more bio-available and easier to absorb
  • Soak legumes for 12 hours or overnight in four parts water to one part legume. Change the water once or twice for best results

Step 2 – Rinse

  • After soaking, discard the soak water as the gas-causing enzymes and trisaccharides in legumes are released into the soak water
  • Rinse well

Step 3 – Cook

  • Place soaked legumes in a large pot with plenty of cold water (at least two times the amount of legumes – see chart below)
  • Bring legumes to a boil and reduce heat to low
  • Scoop off and discard foam
  • Continue to simmer until soft – without the lid at the beginning of cooking to let steam rise (this will break up and disperse enzymes that are indigestible)
  • Cook legumes with fennel or cumin to help prevent gas

TIP 1: Add some soaked kombu or kelp seaweed in bottom of the pot before adding legumes and water, for improved digestibility, flavor, more nutrients, and faster cooking. Add 1 part seaweed to 6 or more parts legumes.

TIP 2: If you are seasoning with sea salt, miso, or soy sauce, add them near the end of the cooking period. If added in the beginning, the beans will not cook completely and skins will remain tough.

WATER AND COOKING TIME
LEGUME TYPE SIMMER PRESSURE
(1 cup dried) Cups water Time Cups water Time
 

Aduki bean

 2-3 1 ½ hrs 2-3 45 mins
Black bean 2-3 2 ½ hrs 2-3 1 ¼ hrs
Lentils 3-4 1 hr 3 20 mins
Green split peas 3-4 1 hr 3 20 mins
Whole peas 3-4 3 hrs 3 1 hr
Pinto-Kidney bean 2-3 2-3 hrs 2-3 1 hr
Garbanzo bean 3-4 4-5 hrs 3 2-3 hrs
Limas and Black-eyed peas 2-3 1 hr 2-3 35 mins
Mung bean 3-4 1 hr 3 20 mins
Yellow or black soybean 4 4-6 hrs 3 2 hrs
 

Note: The above guidelines represent minimum cooking times. In many traditional cultures, simmering legumes, especially the larger beans, all day, ensured digestibility.  Source: P. Pitchford, Healing with Whole Foods   (third edition)

CHOOSING YOUR LEGUMES

Legumes that are most easily digested and recommended to be eaten regularly are:

  • Aduki beans
  • Lentils
  • Mung beans
  • Peas

Legumes that are harder to digest and to be eaten occasionally are:

  • Pinto beans
  • Kidney beans
  • Navy beans
  • Black-eyed peas
  • Garbanzo beans
  • Lima beans
  • Black beans

Legumes that are most difficult to digest are:

  • Soybeans
  • Black Soybeans

Note: Soy products such as tofu, tempeh, soybean sprouts, soy milk, miso, and soy sauce are easily digested.

PROPER FOOD COMBINING

Legumes combine best with GREEN OR NON-STARCHY VEGETABLES, and SEAWEEDS

STILL GASSY? HERE'S WHAT YOU CAN DO

Pour a little apple-cider, brown-rice, or white-wine vinegar into the water towards the end of cooking.

If using in a salad, marinate cooked beans in a solution of two-thirds vinegar and one-third olive oil at least one-half hour before serving (this combination with vinegar allows for the breakdown of protein chains in indigestible compounds).

Sprout legumes until they have rootlets – this maximizes their digestibility and as a bonus, vitamins and minerals are at their peak. Start with lentils, aduki beans, and mung beans as they are most easy to sprout.

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