Soaking beans is one way to help reduce gas.
Beans are a source of protein and sometimes the only source of protein for people who do not eat meat. But beans are notorious for causing gastric issues which often deter people from eating more of this healthy food. With a few simple steps, you can reduce the gas that comes from eating beans and enjoy more meals with this protein packed food.
Instructions
1. Soak the beans in an alkaline water solution. Make the alkaline solution by adding ½ tbsp. of baking soda to the water. Use enough water to totally cover the beans. The baking soda helps pull the complex sugars out of the beans and reduces the amount of gas the beans will cause.
2. Drain beans halfway through the soaking process, using a kitchen strainer. This allows the sugars which are in the water to be removed before adding fresh water. Run the beans under fresh water after draining them and before putting them back into the soaking bowl.
3. Add fresh water and another ½ tbsp. of baking soda. Again add enough water to totally submerge all the beans. At the end of the 16 hours of soaking, the beans should be twice their original size and the skins easy to remove.
4. Boil the beans using fresh water. As the beans begin to boil, a white foam will form at the top of the pan. Use a large spoon to skim this foam off and discard it. The foam is full of the complex sugars which cause gas and gastric distress. Removing as much of the foam as possible will help eliminate the gas from the cooked beans.
5. Drain the beans after boiling them and put the beans back into a soaking water bath. Use fresh water and allow the beans to soak for one to two additional hours.
6. Drain one last time and use in recipes, spices or add to salads. By continuously soaking and draining the beans, you are removing as much of the complex sugars as possible and allowing the true nutrition of the bean to shine.
Tags: fresh water, baking soda, complex sugars, back into, back into soaking, Drain beans