You Can Have Your Beans and Eat Them, Too!

The summer months are a great time to reduce our consumption of meat and dairy in favor of a more plant-based diet — yes that means beans too — for several reasons: 

• Meat is harder to digest on the hot summer days and sits like a brick in the stomach;
• The produce section is colorful and overflowing;
• The farmer’s markets are bustling; and 
• Smaller, fresher meals of veggies, fruits, nuts and seeds, and of course, beans and legumes are easier to digest in the summer heat. 

As “ America’s Gut Doctor ” and a longtime student of nutrition, I can say with confidence that beans are one of the most underrated superfoods. As you’ll learn in this blog, they have some incredible benefits for your gut and the rest of your body. But despite their nutritional profile and tastiness, I know many of you avoid beans due to digestive distress (i.e. farts), oftentimes in the form of excessive gas that can threaten to ruin an otherwise lovely day, evening, or even keep you awake at night. And no one wants their spouse, kids or partner complaining about their “stink bomb”! [Been there; done that!] But avoiding beans entirely isn’t the only solution, which is why this week, I want to dive into the benefits of the most magical food — and how you can have your beans and eat them too. 

What are the Benefits of Beans?

For all you “Plant Paradox” readers ready to live a life devoid of beans and legumes, I’d hate to say it, vilifying them is only part of the story. We’ll get to the dark side of beans next, but first let’s consider their benefits (backed by science).

When it comes to beans, there are a lot of “pros” to consider. For one, they are high in fiber, which means they keep you full and keep you regular. They are also high in fermentable fiber, which is what your gut bacteria feed off of, which means beans can help you support a robust immune response and support gut microbiome diversity over time. Even though I wrote fiber may not be the most important food nutrient in “What is the Best Diet for Gut Health?” , it’s still a very important component of a gut-healthy diet. Without enough fiber, you don’t support the production of bacterial metabolites, like short-chain fatty acids, which have been linked to blood sugar issues, obesity, and metabolic issues. 

Beans are also high in plant-based protein , which is not only good for the environment, but also particularly important for those of you on a vegan or vegetarian diet. You’ll often hear that together, beans and rice are a complete protein. This means that when combined, they contain all 9 essential amino acids — the building blocks of proteins that are crucial for dozens of bodily processes … anything from building muscle to creating antioxidants to healing wounds to regulating metabolism. Beans and legumes can also contain other nutrients that aren’t present in many other foods. For example, black beans are high in magnesium — known as nature’s “relaxation” mineral — with 60 milligrams in just half a cup. One cup of black beans also contains 14 grams of protein, 16 grams of fiber, and 4.5 milligrams of iron.

Now, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that one of the main benefits of beans is their affordability and convenience. You can easily get canned or dried beans in virtually any grocery store for an extremely affordable price. These facts are what really push beans and legumes to the top of my list of under appreciated superfoods. However, don’t mistake convenience for health benefits. Just because beans can be bought in a can or purchased dried by the pound doesn’t mean they should be consumed without some accommodations. Let’s talk lectins!

What’s the Deal with Lectins — Should We Avoid Them?

After reading the above, you might wonder why beans aren’t praised more often. Unfortunately, in recent years it’s become trendy to vilify a type of compound found in most beans, called lectins. And admittedly, high-lectin foods (which are mainly foods like beans and legumes, grains, and nightshade vegetables) can cause bloating, cramping, and stomach pains in some people. Lectins are also known as “anti-nutrients” which means they inhibit the absorption of other key nutrients. Animal and cell studies show that active lectins can interfere with how your body absorbs minerals, especially calcium, iron, phosphorus, and zinc. 

Consuming too many lectins can leave you vulnerable to nutrient deficiencies. Last year around this time, I did a three-part blog series called the Lectin Paradox , where I explained that the lectin debate is way more nuanced than other experts would leave you to believe. In those blogs, I explain that the solution to the lectin issue isn’t as simple as avoiding all lectins — if you did, you’d miss out on some of the planet’s most amazing foods and all of their other health benefits. Instead, it’s all about figuring out the lectin content of different beans and strategizing your consumption accordingly. And luckily, I’ve gone through the trouble for you. Below, you’ll find a list of the most digestible beans to the least based on their lectin content and other properties.

What Beans Are the Easiest to Digest?

 Listed here from the [1] Least Easily Digested to [12] Most Easily Digested:

1. Red Kidney Beans* These beans can be extremely high in lectins and are best avoided entirely, especially if you have a lectin issue. 
2. White Kidney Beans
3. Soybeans
4. Lima Beans
5. Chickpeas  
6. Black Beans
7. Pinto Bean 
8. Black-Eyed Peas
9. Adzuki Beans 
10. Anasazi
11. Lentils 
12. Mung beans

But just knowing the lectin content of beans and which ones to avoid or eat is not enough. There are ways we can make beans more easily digestible and gut-friendly, starting with sprouting, soaking, and pressure-cooking. Let’s dive into it some more.

Can You Have Your Beans and Eat Them Too?

The short answer to the question above – “Can you have your beans and eat them, too?” — is YES, you can! The truth is that you don’t have to avoid beans entirely because of their lectin content. In fact, if you avoid the top five gut mistakes people make when eating beans (and instead, listen to my advice on how to eat beans the gut-friendly way) you can enjoy beans fully.

So if I were to summarize the best way to prepare and eat your beans in order or importance:

• Sprout

• Overnight Soak

• Pressure cook

• Avoid eating too many at once

• Eat low-lectin beans first

As you can see, there are so many ways to have your beans and eat them too — without uncomfortable gas, bloating, or pain. I’ll leave you with my favorite black bean recipe, handed down to me by my grandmother, which is the perfect addition to any late summer meal. (Sorry for the Spanish, but I wanted to keep it authentic…just like my grandma wrote it, with English translations :-)).