How to prepare beans to avoid wind

Beans like kidney beans, black beans, butterbeans, soy beans and chickpeas (garbanzo beans) are one of the most affordable and beneficial foods we can eat for our health. However, we may avoid eating them because they can cause wind. Here are some tips you can use to prevent this.

Beans contain a carbohydrate that we may have difficulty digesting because humans do not naturally produce the enzyme needed to break it down.

If you are using canned beans, you can remove some of the carbohydrate by draining them, discarding the original liquid and rinsing the beans well before using them. Some of the carbohydrate is transferred from the beans into the liquid while they are in the can so removing the liquid and rinsing them helps make them easier to digest.

If you are cooking dried beans, soak them in plenty of water for 24-48 hours before cooking. Choose a container that will allow enough room for the beans to expand during soaking. Rinse the beans and change the water a couple of times during the soaking time. Drain and discard the soaking water and rinse the beans again before cooking them in fresh water.

Always cook beans very well until they are tender and break apart easily. Pressure cooking is one of the easiest ways to achieve this and saves time and energy but you can also use a normal pan or slow cooker. Whichever method you choose, make sure the beans are well cooked. This helps remove the troublesome substances that negatively affect our ability to digest them. I like to cook beans separately so I can discard the cooking water before adding them to other ingredients.

Kombu seaweed contains the enzyme needed to breakdown the carbohydrate in beans. Simply adding some kombu to your beans during cooking or to the finished dish will make the beans easier to digest. Kombu also has a salty umami flavour reducing the need for added salt. You can buy kombu online, or in some Asian food shops or health food shops. I use clean scissors to cut the kombu into small pieces to add to dishes like soups, chillies or curries during cooking. Alternatively, you can add larger strips of kombu to beans during cooking and remove it when you strain the beans. If you are preparing dishes that do not require cooking like hummus or bean dip, chop and then soak the kombu for a few minutes in boiling water to soften it before adding it to the other ingredients.

Adding herbs and spices to your bean dishes will also support your digestion. Experiment with fennel, cumin, caraway, ginger, turmeric, chilli, cayenne, paprika, mint, parsley, coriander, oregano, sage, bay and others.

If you are still experiencing digestive issues after eating beans, increase your intake gradually by small amounts added to your meals over time. Your gut bacteria will adapt and thrive as they are nourished by healthy foods like beans but making big changes quickly is more likely to result in digestive symptoms. Other legumes like lentils, peas and soy (as edamame, tofu and tempeh) may be easier to digest and have health benefits similar to beans so these can be helpful to start with.

Finally, helping your healthy bacteria to thrive is the best thing you can do to promote good digestion. Beans are one of the best foods you can eat to support your gut bacteria along with a variety of other vegetables plus probiotic foods like unpasteurised sauerkraut, kimchi, homemade pickles, miso, tempeh, kombucha and apple cider vinegar.

Bonus tip: Eat beans and other legumes with foods rich in Vitamin C e.g. tomatoes, lemon/lime juice. This makes it easier to absorb iron from the beans.

Please let me know how you get on and enjoy eating beans as often as you can! Beans are one of the cheapest and most versatile sources of protein available, are high in fibre and contain lots of essential vitamins and minerals too. I would love to hear about your favourite ways of eating beans so drop me an email. I love eating beans in my easy All-In-One Plant-Based Chilli. See the recipe here.