Legumes are high sources of vegetarian protein and include foods such as beans, split peas, and lentils. They’re nutritious, and in addition to the high protein content, they contain loads of fiber, and minerals/vitamins which make them a great choice for a healthy and balanced meal. Many people steer away from them because of the gas factor – feeling bloating for hours after your meal is not fun!
There are many reasons that this can happen, but one reason is from improper food preparation; so in this blog I’m going to show you how to make gas-free legumes (or at least lower the amount of gas produced by your body) so legumes become an enjoyable food group for you!
1. Rehydration
This is the first step in cooking dried legumes. The trick is to soak your legumes for a sufficient amount of time, and in the right TYPE of water. Beans, lentils, and split peas have a compound in them called phytic acid. This compound is the plant’s defense against having predators such as humans eat them. Phytic acid is an “anti-nutrient”, meaning it prevents the absorption of some minerals (such as calcium and phosphorus), and prevents the release of some enzymes that our body produces to digest the proteins in your meal. The result is bloating.
Soak your legumes in warm water (49 degrees C) for approx 10-24 hours, using slightly acidic or alkaline water depending on the type of legume you are using. This leeches the phytic acid out of the legume. If you can, draining and re-soaking the legumes during this 24 hour process will help to prevent the phytic acid from getting reabsorbed.
This soaking process also does something else. It releases an enzyme from the legume itself that inactivates phytic acid, which makes this process even more crucial! Eating sprouted beans can help as well as the sprouting process reduces phytic acid content.
- Black beans – best soaked in water with some lemon juice/vinegar
- Lentils – best soaked in water with some lemon juice/vinegar
- Fava beans – best soaked in water with some lemon juice/vinegar
- Split peas – best soaked in water with a pinch of baking soda
Brown beans/White beans/Kidney beans – best soaked in soft water (devoid of minerals, so slightly acidic). If unavailable, use tap water and a bit of lemon juice (as Toronto’s tap water has an average pH of 7.7 which is more on the alkaline/”hard water” side)
2. Cooking
The next day when you’re ready to cook your legumes, drain and rinse the legumes. Replace with fresh water and simmer your legumes until they are soft. (Replace cooking water 2-3 times). At this stage what you are doing is leeching out sugars you can’t digest. These sugars such as raffinose, go into the intestines undigested, and then bacteria in the gut digest them and produce gas which then causes bloating. Adding a 4-6 inch strip of kombu (kelp – a type of seaweed found at most Asian grocery stores) will help this process as it contains enzymes that digest these sugars that make you bloated. The seaweed will NOT make your dish fishy.
This is a long process to cooking legumes, which our ancestors used, but it also the most ideal for our digestive system. If you don’t have time to do this, I suggest using organic canned legumes and soaking them in water and kombu for 30 minutes prior to use (you can do this while you’re chopping vegetables). Drain and RINSE your canned legumes, and then add it to your dish.
Healthy bacterial flora in your gut also helps with bloating – this is why I often prescribe strong probiotics. Beneficial bacteria in the gut will release enzymes that help break down the sugars in legumes that are undigestible. This is why eating a healthy diet reduces bloating – it promotes healthy bacteria in the gut which then lend a helping hand in digestion.
You can also take a Beano just before eating. This pill contains the same enzymes that are produced by healthy bacteria that break down sugars that are not digestible. If you still get bloated, it’s likely that you have an immune-related food sensitivity – a whole other topic for a different blog!
Dr. Rahim Kanji, N.D. is a Naturopathic Doctor practicing in Toronto, Canada. He has a passion for evidence-based natural medicine, specifically empowering his patients to make nutritional changes which create dramatic impacts to their health.
