Don’t let the negative connotation of beans stop you from eating this nutritious food. The health-related benefits of eating them more than outweigh the side effects. High in protein and fibre, beans have an attractively low glycemic index and have been shown to prolong satiety. Beans also may help in the control of a variety of intestinal disorders like colorectal cancer and irritable bowel syndrome, as well as cardiovascular disease.
Here are four things you can do to lessen the gassy nature of beans:
1. Eat more. By gradually increasing the frequency and amount of beans you eat, your gut will have a chance to adapt to the higher fibre and carbs, decreasing the effects over time. Make sure to drink lots of water too.
2. It’s all about the soaking. If you use dry beans, change the soaking water once or twice during the long cold soak and discard the liquid rather than use it for cooking.
3. Make sure they are cooked. Cook beans thoroughly, as undercooked starch is harder to digest.
4. Drain and rinse. When using canned beans, thoroughly drain and rinse before using. Not only will this remove excess starch, but draining and rinsing also eliminates up to 40 per cent of the sodium used in the canning process.
Find more information and great recipes online at ontariobeans.on.ca