FIVE Ways to Avoid Gas with Beans - Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less (2024)

Posted on December 18, 2016April 5, 2021 by Carolyn Dunn, PhD, RDN, LDN

2021 Update

By the numbers who have read this blog post – nobody wants gas. This is not surprising as you want to eat healthy and more plant based but don’t want to pay for your healthier choices.

The 5 ways that I presented earlier still stand as good ways to avoid gas. However, I would like to add another way that is perhaps better than some from the original blog post.

Hing

FIVE Ways to Avoid Gas with Beans - Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less (1)

Hing or asafoetida comes from the leaves of giant fennel plants. You can find Hing in Asian markets or online. I will not lie, it smells really bad. It does not smell like something you would want to put in your food. Fear not, it does not make your food taste like it smells. When cooking beans, add a pinch per cup of beans.

I use about ¼ to ½ t for 2 cans of beans. Rinse the beans well and cover with fresh water. Add the hing and cook on medium for about 30 minutes. Then drain and use as you need in recipes or eat as is.

2016 Post

FIVE Ways to Avoid Gas with Beans - Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less (2)

A recent webinar on the Mediterranean diet, specifically on changing your protein – sparked a firestorm of discussion on beans and…gas. Eating more beans is a great way to get plant protein and decrease meat consumption. They are inexpensive, versatile, add variety, and taste great. So why then are we not eating more beans – you guessed it – gas.

No one wants to feel bloated after a meal. Thanks to indigestible carbohydrates found in beans, they do have a bloating – gas – filled reputation. Here are some ways to decrease the gas but keep the beans.

5 Ways to Avoid Gas with Beans

Go slow – add beans slowly into your diet. Start with just a few tablespoons and build up.
Soak well and rinse well. If you are using dried beans soak for 48 hours and drain and rinse well before cooking. Use fresh water for cooking, not the soaking liquid. If you are using canned beans, rinse well.
Cook beans until very soft. Cooking well-done until very soft can help with decreasing gas production as well. Even canned beans can be cooked more prior to serving.
Add ajwain or epazote – both of these spices will decrease gas production – I swear by the epazote! Just add about a tablespoon to a large pot of beans during the cooking process. You can also add ginger or cumin as these spices help with digestion.
Chew – eat slowly and chew well each bite.