My 5 Secrets to Cooking Non-Gassy Beans
One easy way to lower your saturated fat is to replace some of the meat you eat with another hearty, high-protein food like beans. Beans are much cheaper than meat (about $1.15 per pound), delicious, rich in calcium, iron, zinc and fiber and simply a very healthy addition to your diet.
Researchers from the University of Kentucky reported that people who eat beans have lower levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) and higher levels of “good” cholesterol (HDL).
In a 2012 study published in the British Journal of Nutrition, the researchers concluded that the consumption of beans such as pinto, black, navy or kidney may be beneficial in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardio vascular disease and cancer. “These conditions seem to be reduced in individuals who eat more beans”, they said.
And if the vast amount of research and studies that have been conducted is not enough to convince you, history has shown that the populations of people who live the best and live the longest are those who consume legumes on a regular basis.
So, yes, to feel better, include beans in your diet.
The problem with beans is that most people don’t know how to cook them to help with those pesky gassy side effects that some people experience. This article is going to change that – I am going to share with you my 5 secrets to reduce the gassy side effects when cooking beans.
My 5 Secrets
- Soak dry beans for 18 – 24 hours before cooking.
- Rinse the soaked beans not once, not twice but at least 3 times before adding the final fresh water to the pot to cook them in.
- Cook dried beans in distilled water. Not tap water, not filtered water, but distilled water. Go ahead, give it a try.
- Add one carrot to the pot when cooking beans. I learned this tip from an African cook who learned it from his mother. It’s like magic and who doesn’t like magical tips.
- Don’t add your salt and other seasoning until the last 15 – 30 minutes of cooking.
There you have it. My top 5 secrets to cooking non-gassy beans.
Sources
Hutchins AM, Winham DM, Thompson SV. Phaseolus beans: impact on glycaemic response and chronic disease risk in human subjects. Br J Nutr. 2012 Aug;108 Suppl 1:S52-65. doi: 10.1017/S0007114512000761. PMID: 22916816.
https://ukhealthcare.uky.edu/gill-heart-vascular-institute/conditions/general/hyperlipidemia
https://nutritionfacts.org/video/preventing-prediabetes-by-eating-more/
Mullins AP, Arjmandi BH. Health Benefits of Plant-Based Nutrition: Focus on Beans in Cardiometabolic Diseases. Nutrients. 2021 Feb 5;13(2):519. doi: 10.3390/nu13020519. PMID: 33562498; PMCID: PMC7915747.
