Beans and legumes are so good for you, but many people shy away from them due to their GI notoriety. But there are some simple cooking secrets that can really help minimize the bloat and other issues if not eliminate them entirely. Try these tips to cook your own healthy and bloat free beans at home.
- Rinse your dried beans very well in a sieve. In a large bowl, add the rinsed beans and cover completely with filtered water. Add 2-3 strips of kombu or dulse or a large pinch of pink Himalayan salt. Allow to soak at least overnight, but ideally 24 hours, rinsing and changing the water and kombu at least twice.
- Consider sprouting your beans before cooking or buying beans that have been pre-sprouted.
- While cooking, skim off and discard all foam rather than stirring it back into the beans. If possible also cook your beans with two to three strips of kombu.
- Consider a taking a carbohydrate digestive enzyme (amylase) whenever you eat beans. This will help break down the sugars so they don’t begin to ferment in the gut and cause symptoms. Eating slowly, chewing well and being mindful of portion sizes helps too. I recommend taking enzymes a few bites into your meal. Do not take digestive enzymes if you have any kind of GI inflammation such as ulcers, gastritis or inflammatory bowel disease and of course always check with your personal physician before taking any new supplement.
- Increase your legume intake gradually. Start small and work your way up as tolerated. It isn’t an overnight process.
What are your favorite ways to enjoy bloat free beans? Do you have any favorite tricks to improve their digestibility? Share in the comments below and on Facebook!
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