Beans are a great protein filled food and they are really great for your food budget, they have a great shelf life so they are awesome for food storage and they are very versatile. Beans are great for those that are trying to avoid sugar spikes, as they have are lower on the glycemic index than similar carbs. With all that greatness comes a major deterrent, and you know which topic I am attempting to politely skirt aroma, I mean, around.

Sometimes, beans make tummies unhappy and gassy. This also might make others unhappy too! There are many ways and perhaps some myths to making beans easier to digest, though it seems that those individuals who eat them more frequently, have an easier time processing them because the body develops the needed enzymes. This helps the beans be more fully digested, as the undigested bits are the problem inducing part.

The most commonly reported way to reduce gas, is to soak beans at least 8 hours, or overnight, and pour off the soak water, give the beans a rinse and then cook according to recipe directions.

Some suggest boiling the beans with some baking soda, then dumping and rinsing the beans, but that is reported as a less successful method. Another tip some use is to boil beans with something called epazote which is an herb used in Mexican cooking and dishes. Beano, is an additive made with enzyme alpha-galactosidase, it aids in dietary digestion, though some choose not to use it because it is an additive. Beans that are more completely cooked, and mashed may cause less shock to digestive systems as well because the bean nature is broken down more completely.