Kitchen tips · Yado Market Blog
How to Make Beans Less Gassy
Love ewa agoyin, beans porridge and moi moi, but not the bloating? You don't have to give up beans. Here's why beans cause gas and 8 simple, kitchen-tested ways to make them easier on your stomach.
Quick answer: Beans cause gas because they contain natural sugars (oligosaccharides) that your gut bacteria ferment. To reduce gas, soak dried beans overnight and throw away the soaking water, parboil and change the water, cook them until very soft, start with smaller portions and increase slowly, and try an over-the-counter enzyme supplement taken with your first bite.
The science, simply
Why Do Beans Cause Gas?
Beans are full of fiber and natural sugars called oligosaccharides (like raffinose and stachyose). Our bodies don't have the enzyme to break these sugars down in the small intestine, so they travel to the large intestine, where gut bacteria ferment them. That fermentation produces gas, which can lead to bloating and flatulence.
The good news: many of these sugars dissolve in water, and your gut can get used to beans over time. That's why soaking, rinsing and gradually eating more beans make such a difference. And that fiber is one of the reasons beans are so good for you.
Kitchen-tested
8 Ways to Make Beans Less Gassy
Combine a few of these for the biggest difference. Soaking, rinsing and cooking until very soft do the most work.
1
Soak overnight
Cover dried beans with plenty of water and soak 8–12 hours. Many of the gas-causing sugars dissolve into the water.
2
Throw out the water
Always drain the soaking water and rinse the beans well. Cook in fresh water.
3
Parboil & change water
A Nigerian kitchen classic: boil for 10–15 minutes, drain, rinse, then finish cooking in new water.
4
Cook until very soft
Undercooked beans are harder to digest. Cook until they mash easily; a pressure cooker speeds this up.
5
Start small, go slow
Begin with small portions and eat beans a little more often. Your gut bacteria adjust over a few weeks.
6
Add warming spices
Many cooks add ginger, cumin, fennel or bay leaf. The evidence is mostly traditional, but they add great flavor either way.
7
Chew well & drink water
Eating slowly and staying hydrated helps your digestive system handle the extra fiber.
8
Try an enzyme supplement
Over-the-counter alpha-galactosidase supplements, taken with your first bite, help break down bean sugars before gut bacteria can.
If you have ongoing bloating, pain or changes in your digestion, talk to a doctor. Conditions like IBS can make beans harder to tolerate.
Beans in West African cooking
Honey Beans & Favorite Bean Dishes
Nigerian honey beans (ewa oloyin) are small brown beans with a naturally sweet taste and a soft, creamy texture when cooked. They're a favorite for beans porridge, and many people find soft-cooked honey beans easy to enjoy.
Ewa agoyin
Mashed soft beans with a dark, spicy palm-oil pepper sauce. Lagos street food at its best.
Beans porridge (ewa riro)
Beans slow-cooked with palm oil, pepper and onion, often with ripe plantain.
Moi moi & akara
Peeled black-eyed peas or brown beans, blended and steamed (moi moi) or fried (akara).
Red red & waakye
Ghana's bean stew with fried plantain, and rice and beans cooked with waakye leaves.
Where to Buy Honey Beans
Yado Market carries Nigerian honey beans in 5 lb and 10 lb bags, plus red palm oil and waakye powder, at 1651 E 87th St, Chicago, and online.
