Navy beans are extremely high in the fiber you need for a healthful diet. Unfortunately, fiber often means flatulence -- embarrassing gas and uncomfortable gas pains. But you don't need to nix navy beans from the menu. These beans are rich in protein and other essential nutrients. There are ways to prepare navy beans and dried legumes to reduce the gas associated with eating these foods. Medical experts also suggest other ways to reduce problem flatulence so you can eat the foods you enjoy.
Navy Bean Nutrition
Navy beans got their name because they were a dietary staple in the U.S. Navy in the last half of the 19th century. These beans are a key ingredient in Boston baked beans, a popular side dish. The Linus Pauling Institute lists navy beans as one of the foods highest in fiber. A cup-sized serving of unsalted navy beans cooked from dried has almost 20 g of dietary fiber, 14 g of protein and roughly 260 calories. Navy beans are also a source of calcium and iron. However, beans contain a complex sugar called raffinose, which can cause gas, says the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, or NDDIC.
Fiber and Gas
Flatulence occurs when you can't digest a certain type of food in its entirety. The food moves from your small to large intestine, where your gut's natural bacteria go to work at breaking it down. By-products of this process are hydrogen, carbon dioxide and methane. Eventually these gases exit through the rectum in the form of flatulence. Gas is extremely common. The NDDIC states that most people experience flatulence around 14 times a day. Navy beans and other high-fiber foods can produce gas. However, MayoClinic.com suggests a way to prepare your beans to cut down on flatulence.
Cooking Tips
To "de-gas" navy beans, cook 1 lb. of beans in 10 cups of water for two to three minutes. Take the pot off the stove. Cover the pot without draining the beans. Let it stand overnight. Rinse the navy beans once again before you cook them the next day. MayoClinic.com indicates that by pre-preparing navy beans and other dried beans and legumes in this way, you can get rid of up to 90 percent of their indigestible sugars.
Other Suggestions
Gas-reducing, sugar-digesting enzymes are over-the-counter products recommended by MayoClinic.com that may reduce gas associated with eating navy beans. These products can reduce gas associated with problem sugars in cereals, grains nuts, seeds and vegetables. These products come in tablets and drops. According to Drugs.com, most people add about five drops to each serving of food or take three tablets per meal -- one for every 1/2-cup serving. Although beans are one of the main perpetrators of flatulence, many foods can contribute to it, including cabbage, onions, peaches, prunes, apples, sugar-free candy, milk and other dairy products and carbonated drinks. If you have a problem with excessive gas, MayoClinic.com recommends cutting back on your fiber for a while and slowly reintroducing it to your diet.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Beans
- Linus Pauling Institute: Fiber
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearing House: Gas in the Digestive Tract
- Medline Plus Medical Encyclopedia: Gas-Flatulence
- MayoClinic.com: Beans and Other Legumes--Types and Cooking Tips
- MayoClinic.com: Gas and Gas Pains
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