Why do beans make you fart? Beans are known to cause bloating, gas, and stomach pain for some people. It is high in dietary fiber and fiber is a plant compound that resists digestion as it moves through your digestive system. And it is also rich in soluble fiber and that type of fiber absorbs water in the digestive tract.
Why do beans make you fart? Photo credit: iStock-egal
Some of the benefits of soluble fiber from beans is the following:
- Lower LDL bad cholesterol levels
- Blood sugar management
- Improved digestive regularity.
If you increase your fiber intake quickly it can cause negative side effects like gas and bloating so that is where the gas and bloating can come from while eating beans. Also, if you eat large amounts of fiber, it can cause diarrhea, stomach pain and discomfort.
Beans also contain a compound called raffinose and it is a non-digestible carbohydrate that is found in cabbage, broccoli, and Brussel sprouts. Raffinose typically passes through the stomach and small intestine and enters the large intestine while it’s fermented by gut bacteria.
And the end of raffinose passing through your gut is the production of gases like methane, hydrogen and carbon dioxide which causes gas and bloating.
How Can You Prevent Gas?
Research studies have shown if you soak and cook your beans before eating them it will decrease the raffinose content and help prevent gas production in the colon. If you do have gas issues from eating beans there are over the counter products that contain digestive enzymes called alpha galactosidase.
And this can help ease the digestion of beans and other legumes. If you drink lots of water while eating beans and rich fiber foods that can also help minimize gas and bloating.
Here are the nutritional facts of 1 cup of pinto beans:
- Protein- 15 grams
- Fat: 1 gram
- Carbs: 45 grams
- Fiber: 15 grams
- Iron- 20% of the Daily Value
- Calcium- 8% of the Daily Value
- Magnesium- 21% of the Daily Value
- Phosphorus-25% of the Daily Value
- Potassium- 21% of the Daily Value
- Folate- 74% of the Daily Value
It is also contains good amounts of zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, vitamin B1, vitamin B6, E and K. It contains 245 calories in just one cup. Beans is considered a weight loss friendly food because it is low in calories and low in protein and fiber. And those are two of the most important nutrients when it comes to weight loss.
There was a study done on people who followed a high fiber diet experienced less hunger and lost 3 pounds in 4 weeks. There was another study linked to bean intake that lowered body weight and reduced belly fat.
Research studies have also shown that eating beans can help lower your risk of heart disease and bad cholesterol levels.
“Beans are known to cause bloating, gas, and stomach pain for some people.” Celebrity Fitness & Nutrition Expert Obi Obadike
The Bottom Line is that for some people beans will make you pass gas. But if you drink lots of water while you are eating beans it can help ease the gas and bloating.
If you have any interest in trying any of our Ethical Supplement products to help you heighten your immune system or assist you with your fitness, weight loss or health goals. You can get a discount below at this link.
https://offer.ethicalinc.com/suppressant-offer/ ?utm_source=blog
References
- Messina V. Nutritional and health benefits of dried beans. Am J Clin Nutr. 2014 Jul;100 Suppl 1:437S-42S. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.113.071472. Epub 2014 May 28. PMID: 24871476.
- Winham DM, Hutchins AM. Perceptions of flatulence from bean consumption among adults in 3 feeding studies. Nutr J. 2011 Nov 21;10:128. doi: 10.1186/1475-2891-10-128. PMID: 22104320; PMCID: PMC3228670.
- Afshin A, Micha R, Khatibzadeh S, Mozaffarian D. Consumption of nuts and legumes and risk of incident ischemic heart disease, stroke, and diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2014 Jul;100(1):278-88. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.113.076901. Epub 2014 Jun 4. PMID: 24898241; PMCID: PMC4144102.
- Ha V, Sievenpiper JL, de Souza RJ, Jayalath VH, Mirrahimi A, Agarwal A, Chiavaroli L, Mejia SB, Sacks FM, Di Buono M, Bernstein AM, Leiter LA, Kris-Etherton PM, Vuksan V, Bazinet RP, Josse RG, Beyene J, Kendall CW, Jenkins DJ. Effect of dietary pulse intake on established therapeutic lipid targets for cardiovascular risk reduction: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. CMAJ. 2014 May 13;186(8):E252-62. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.131727. Epub 2014 Apr 7. PMID: 24710915; PMCID: PMC4016088.
- Messina V. Nutritional and health benefits of dried beans. Am J Clin Nutr. 2014 Jul;100 Suppl 1:437S-42S. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.113.071472. Epub 2014 May 28. PMID: 24871476.
- Bouchenak M, Lamri-Senhadji M. Nutritional quality of legumes, and their role in cardiometabolic risk prevention: a review. J Med Food. 2013 Mar;16(3):185-98. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2011.0238. Epub 2013 Feb 11. PMID: 23398387.
- Leidy HJ, Clifton PM, Astrup A, Wycherley TP, Westerterp-Plantenga MS, Luscombe-Marsh ND, Woods SC, Mattes RD. The role of protein in weight loss and maintenance. Am J Clin Nutr. 2015 Jun;101(6):1320S-1329S. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.114.084038. Epub 2015 Apr 29. PMID: 25926512.
- Clark MJ, Slavin JL. The effect of fiber on satiety and food intake: a systematic review. J Am Coll Nutr. 2013;32(3):200-11. doi: 10.1080/07315724.2013.791194. PMID: 23885994.
- Turner TF, Nance LM, Strickland WD, Malcolm RJ, Pechon S, O’Neil PM. Dietary adherence and satisfaction with a bean-based high-fiber weight loss diet: a pilot study. ISRN Obes. 2013 Oct 29;2013:915415. doi: 10.1155/2013/915415. PMID: 24555159; PMCID: PMC3901975.
- USDA- https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/173796/nutrients
- Lin LZ, Harnly JM, Pastor-Corrales MS, Luthria DL. The polyphenolic profiles of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Food Chem. 2008 Mar 1;107(1):399-410. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2007.08.038. PMID: 25544796; PMCID: PMC4276374.
- Papanikolaou Y, Fulgoni VL 3rd. Bean consumption is associated with greater nutrient intake, reduced systolic blood pressure, lower body weight, and a smaller waist circumference in adults: results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2002. J Am Coll Nutr. 2008 Oct;27(5):569-76. doi: 10.1080/07315724.2008.10719740. PMID: 18845707.
