Dried beans and legumes have a lot going for them nutritionally: They’re high in protein, fiber, and antioxidants. People who eat more legumes generally have a higher overall diet quality, reduced risk factors for disease, and are more likely to be a healthy weight. That’s why eating more legumes is part of my 30-Day Nutrition Upgrade program.
Unfortunately, beans can also be the source of intense digestive discomfort. One breast-feeding mom in my 30-Day Nutrition Upgrade group found to her dismay that eating legumes even gave her baby gas pains! Not cool.
While attending this year’s Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo in Nashville, I had a chance to grill Jessie Hunter, the Director of Research for the American Pulse Association for her best advice.
Here are a few tips on how to reduce the uncomfortable side effects of eating beans–all of which should help reduce the effects on nursing babies, as well.
- Try lentils. The gas we experience after eating legumes is a by-product of the bacterial fermentation of certain large sugar molecules found in beans. But some types legumes are higher in these sugars than others. Chick peas are among the highest in gas-producing sugars; Lentils are among the lowest.
- Easy does it. Increase your intake of beans gradually, beginning with small amounts and increasing your serving sizes over time.
- Give it time. Although you may initially experience some additional gas when you add legumes to your diet, research has found that this effect diminishes dramatically if you continue to include them in your diet on a regular basis.
- Slow down and chew more thoroughly. Enzymes in your saliva along with the mechanical action of chewing helps break down carbohydrates more thoroughly before they reach your intestinal tract, resulting in less gas formation. When you eat quickly, you also tend to swallow more air, which ends up in your colon and has to get out somehow.
- Use an OTC enzyme supplement to help break down the gas-producing sugars in beans. Beano is one well-known brand but any supplement containing alpha-galactosidase will work.
- Rinse all canned beans before using them. This reduces the amount of gas-producing sugars. (It also cuts down on sodium.)
- Soak twice and discard the water. If you’re cooking beans from scratch, place them in hot water and allow to soak for several hours before cooking. A second soak using fresh water can reduce the offending sugars even further. Discard the soaking water and use fresh water to cook the beans.