Learn to love legumes: a guide to incorporating more beans!
Legumes - they’re one of the most nutritious foods you can eat and a dietary staple of many healthy and long-lived populations 1. Loaded with fibre, high in protein and low in saturated fat, legumes are an incredibly healthful addition to any diet. Unfortunately, this nutrition powerhouse is often avoided or minimised for fear of causing bloating and gas. How is it then, that a food so nutritious and good for us can cause these unpleasant symptoms?
Let me introduce you to galacto-oligosaccharides, or GOS for short. GOS are a type of short-chain carbohydrate (fibre), that are found in legumes, which are universally malabsorbed in the small intestine and instead make their way into the large intestine where they are rapidly fermented by gut bacteria, often causing gas. For most people this gas production is a normal and healthy part of digestion, but for some people with particularly sensitive guts, like those with IBS, this gas production can also lead to pain, bloating and abdominal discomfort 2.
What’s important to know is that GOS are NOT a bad thing- in fact they are incredibly beneficial! GOS are considered ‘prebiotic’ fibres, which are fibres that feed our healthy gut bacteria. In particular, research has shown that they stimulate the growth of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus 3, two species which have been linked to a beneficial gut microbiota.
So how do we got about incorporating more legumes into our diet without getting too gassy? The good news is that most people will adapt to an increased fibre intake from legumes within a couple of weeks 4, however if you are still concerned the below tips may be helpful:
Start slow. This is probably the most important thing you can do when it comes to increasing your legume intake. Often when we start to consume more legumes, our dietary fibre intake also increases. Increased fibre intake is certainly a good thing, however sometimes our gut is just not ready to handle that increase right away. Starting with 1-2 tablespoons of legumes a day and increasing from there can allow your gut to slowly adapt, and allows time for the legume-loving gut bacteria to take up residence, which help us digest legumes better!
Rinse (and soak) them well. GOS are water soluble, meaning that they leach out into the water they are stored or cooked in. Because of this, the water surrounding tinned legumes can be high in GOS, so make sure you rinse your tinned legumes well. If using dry legumes, it is also important to soak and rinse them well before cooking. Soaking time depends on the type of legume, and the soaking water should be changed regularly.
Start with lower fibre legumes. Legumes are not all created the same when it comes to their fibre content, with some legumes being easier to digest than others. Typically, the smaller legumes like green peas, lentils and navy beans (for example those found in baked beans) are easiest to digest, whereas the larger beans like kidney beans, chickpeas and black beans can be more difficult.
Make sure to exercise! Exercise decreases the time it takes for high fibre foods to travel through your body, meaning it may help reduce bloating and keep you regular as you introduce more legumes. Drinking more water is also important with an increase in fibre intake, as soluble fibre- like that found in legumes- draws water into the bowel and helps support more regular bowel movements.
Consider a digestive enzyme supplement. If the above has not worked, consider taking the supplement ‘Bean-zyme’ when eating your legumes, which can aid in digesting them. Bean-zyme contains the enzyme responsible for breaking down the fibres, making them easier to digest (Note that ‘Beano’, the more well-known enzyme brand, is not advertised as vegan).