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bitchkitty

(7,349 posts)
Sat Jun 15, 2013, 07:47 AM Jun 2013

Beans, beans, the musical fruit!

Are kidney beans more gassy than other types of beans? I've been a vegetarian for so long, that I don't usually have digestive problems with beans, but I haven't eaten kidney beans in years - until yesterday.

I made red beans and rice. I used kidney beans instead of my usual small red beans - mistake. They took FOREVER to cook and never did disintegrate into the sauce like they're supposed to. After 3 1/2 hours, I finally just used a potato masher and squished them up a little.

So they tasted okay, and had the right texture but within 30 minutes of eating - DAMN!!! I know beans can cause gas, but this was ridiculous! Because of this, they are inedible by anyone who wants to live in polite society. Ten year old boys would delight in these beans.

Tips for de-gassing beans?



12 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Beans, beans, the musical fruit! (Original Post) bitchkitty Jun 2013 OP
Did you use dried or canned beans? GoCubsGo Jun 2013 #1
Dried, soaked overnight bitchkitty Jun 2013 #2
I always cook dried beans in the crock pot and put a little baking soda in livetohike Jun 2013 #3
You discovered the recipe for insuring max flatus Major Nikon Jun 2013 #4
Never had this problem with bitchkitty Jun 2013 #6
It will work, but I don't like that method Major Nikon Jun 2013 #8
But there's still plenty of nutrition bitchkitty Jun 2013 #12
10-year-old boys? My ex told me that WHENEVER I farted in my sleep, I would chuckle, MiddleFingerMom Jun 2013 #5
LOL n/t bitchkitty Jun 2013 #7
You can de-gass yourself with Beano. n/t Little Star Jun 2013 #9
Made from fish - no thanks. n/t bitchkitty Jun 2013 #11
it was probably just your system Kali Jun 2013 #10

GoCubsGo

(32,061 posts)
1. Did you use dried or canned beans?
Sat Jun 15, 2013, 08:06 AM
Jun 2013

If you used dried, did you soak them? That usually helps. If not, I recommend Beano. Just be careful if you have cats. I had one who loved the stuff, and I had to hide it from him so that it was there when I needed it.

I always found that the more pale the bean, the gassier they made me. Navy beans were the worst. My gut is adapted to them now, so they no longer turn my backside into a wind farm.

bitchkitty

(7,349 posts)
2. Dried, soaked overnight
Sat Jun 15, 2013, 08:18 AM
Jun 2013

then rinsed and cooked in fresh water. I've heard of people then cooking for a short time, then rinsing and changing the water a second time - I didn't do that.

Beano's not really an option for me, it's not vegetarian/vegan. There's something called Bean-Zyme which supposedly works like Beano but I haven't needed anything like that. I eat a lot of black beans, chickpeas, lentils, and they had nothing on these kidney beans.

I think they may have been super old, since they took so long to cook.

livetohike

(22,084 posts)
3. I always cook dried beans in the crock pot and put a little baking soda in
Sat Jun 15, 2013, 09:25 AM
Jun 2013

toward the end of the cooking time. Maybe 1/2 tsp of baking soda. That seems to work for me.

My husband has trouble with kidney beans, cannellini beans, dried limas and great northern beans. I've been a vegetarian for 40+ years and still have minor issues with beans, but my husband has never improved on that front. Beano doesn't work for him. It's a waste of money.

Major Nikon

(36,814 posts)
4. You discovered the recipe for insuring max flatus
Sat Jun 15, 2013, 09:31 AM
Jun 2013

The reason why beans produce gas is because your body can't break down all the carbohydrates. When those carbs hit your lower intestines, the bacteria flora that live there have a big party. By mashing up your beans you released those indigestible carbs, but didn't cook them long enough to break them down into simpler sugars.

If you really want to limit flatus, cover the beans with water in a pot and light a fire under it. As soon as the water comes to a boil shut off the heat and allow the beans to soak for an hour. Discard the soaking water and then cook as you normally would.

This technique dissolves many of the indigestible carbs in the beans into the water you discarded. The problem is it also flushes out a lot of the good stuff. What I do is cook beans which tend to cause more flatus for a longer time at a lower temperature. This breaks down the indigestible carbs into simpler ones your upper intestines can digest. Just put them in a crock pot on low and let them cook all day if needed until they soften. Experience will tell you how long this will take for any given legume in your crock pot and the mineral content of your water (hard water creates longer cooking times). I keep a journal in my kitchen where I write these things down.

bitchkitty

(7,349 posts)
6. Never had this problem with
Sat Jun 15, 2013, 10:21 AM
Jun 2013

the small red beans, which is what I usually use for red beans and rice. The kidney beans took so long that I suspect they were super old.

You're describing the quick soak method, which I have also used. I usually just soak overnight. I may try those two in combination - soak overnight, then rinse and do the quick soak, rinse again and proceed. I actually think I read about something like this for degassing beans. Then again, I may just leave out the kidney beans from now on...

Major Nikon

(36,814 posts)
8. It will work, but I don't like that method
Sat Jun 15, 2013, 10:36 AM
Jun 2013

Along with the bad stuff you are washing away a lot of water soluble antioxidants, nutrients, and flavor. I prefer to cook them very slowly with the crock pot on low. With longer cooking beans like kidney and pinto beans, I can put them in a crock pot before I leave for work and they are ready for dinner when I get home.

bitchkitty

(7,349 posts)
12. But there's still plenty of nutrition
Sat Jun 15, 2013, 11:56 AM
Jun 2013

left - you do lose some, but definitely not all. As far as flavor, I've never noticed a loss in flavor from doing a quick soak - although that's probably because I use such a heavy hand with the spices, especially for red beans & rice!

I just won't use kidney beans again. Those little red beans work the best for this particular dish.

MiddleFingerMom

(25,163 posts)
5. 10-year-old boys? My ex told me that WHENEVER I farted in my sleep, I would chuckle,
Sat Jun 15, 2013, 10:11 AM
Jun 2013

.
.
.
When I'm awake, I'll just snicker, chortle or sometimes even howl.
.
.
.
And I am FAR from alone.
.
.
.
BTW, if you haven't guessed... I LOVE kidney beans.
.
.
.

Kali

(54,990 posts)
10. it was probably just your system
Sat Jun 15, 2013, 11:41 AM
Jun 2013

if you continued to eat them, the problem would probably diminish as your digestive flora adapted to them

I have found the first servings of beans of any kind to be more ... uh ... "active" than even later servings of the same pot. Especially if I haven't had them in a while. New varieties are especially fun.


oh and the fact that MFM is my friend is no excuse for liking kidney beans. They, and limas, are the lowest of low of the bean world. Pintos are the top all around, all purpose bean. Others have their places but kidney beans...bleh. As you noticed they never seem to cook down, and like lima beans they desicate your mouth when you eat them. too dry!

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