How to cook common beans

Beans provide a good source of dietary fiber. Beans or peas, eaten together or at separate meals, form a high-quality protein essentially equivalent to that from animal sources.

How to cook common beans

Common beans originated in Central America, where archaeological remains of these beans, found in association with the remains of maize and squash, have been carbon dated to more than 7,000 years of existence. Columbus and subsequent Spanish and Portuguese explorers carried beans back to Europe and eventually introduced them throughout Asia and Africa.

Why do beans cause gassiness?

Beans do cause flatulence in many persons who eat them. The gassiness is the result of fermentation of the seeds’ complex sugars, or oligosaccharides, by bacteria in the large intestine. Persons who eat beans frequently find that they do not develop gas as much.

To reduce the flatulence effect, try these strategies:

• The flatulence-producing effect of beans can be further reduced by changing the water several times during soaking and during cooking and by simmering the beans slowly until they are tender.
• If a recipe calls for salt, lemon juice, vinegar, or tomatoes, these ingredients should be added near the end of cooking because acidic ingredients stop the process by which legumes absorb liquid and soften.
• Use commercially available products that can be added to dishes before serving. These products contain an enzyme that breaks down the complex sugars before they start causing problems.