Why do beans swell? The tricks you do not know to avoid the air in the belly

You know, beans tend to swell but do you know why? Let's find out the reasons and tricks that help us avoid the air in the belly.

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Why do beans swell? Have you ever asked it to yourself? It depends on the oligosaccharides (raffinose and stachyose) contained in them, which the body struggles to digest due to a lack of specific enzymes and which, therefore, reach the intestine intact, where they are attacked by the bacterial flora.

The problem is that the bacterial fermentation produces waste gas and so, after eating them, we feel bloated and predisposed to flatulence, which prevents gas from accumulating in the body.

But there is a way to avoid the accumulation of air in the belly? Well yes, there are some swelling-proof tricks. Here they are listed below.

Index

Gradually introduce beans to your diet

Go ahead and eat beans but if you don't want to get too bloated, gradually introduce them into your diet, alternating them with other foods. You can start with 1 or 2 servings per week, gradually increasing them over time. In this way the intestinal microflora will have time to adapt to the oligosaccharides, promoting better digestion.

Soak the beans for at least 12 hours

Opinions differ but it seems, according to this study, that leaving the beans to soak overnight, for at least 12 hours, makes them more digestible. To prove this, the researchers soaked the beans in both water and a mixture of water and baking soda for 6 to 12 hours.

In both solutions, the compounds linked to the production of gas had disappeared in the beans which had been immersed for 12 hours. According to the study, therefore, immersion in water for a long time would help counteract the swelling. But be careful not to use the same water to cook them, it should be thrown away or if anything recycled to wet the garden. It is also good practice to change the soaking water several times.

Add a small piece of kombu seaweed to the cooking water

The addition of a piece of kombu seaweed to the cooking water, but also of any herbs and spices (bay leaf, mint, oregano, basil, etc.) tends to make beans, and legumes in general, more digestible. To try!

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