04/4How to reduce the bloating effect of chickpeas
The best way to secure the release of oligosaccharides from chickpeas is to soak the legumes overnight. This significantly reduces the components of the sugar, thus reducing the discomforting and gas-causing effect of oligosaccharides.
If you are using canned chickpeas, drain and rinse them with water to cut the sodium (salt) content by almost a half. Rinse well in cold water to make them easier to digest and less gas-producing.
Beans, lentils and chickpeas are notorious for their ability to cause bloating and wind thanks to their high fibre content. Despite this, you may not need to avoid them altogether. Many people tolerate canned legumes better than they do dried varieties.
To degas your chickpeas using an Instant Pot, start by soaking the beans for 4 to 8 hours. Drain them well and give them a rinse. Place them in the pot of the pressure cooker and add water to about 2-inches above the beans. Set the pressure to high and cook 10 to 12 minutes, followed by a natural pressure release.
Cooking well-done until very soft can help with decreasing gas production as well. Even canned beans can be cooked more prior to serving. Add ajwain or epazote – both of these spices will decrease gas production – I swear by the epazote! Just add about a tablespoon to a large pot of beans during the cooking process.
Use an OTC enzyme supplement to help break down the gas-producing sugars in beans. Beano is one well-known brand but any supplement containing alpha-galactosidase will work. Rinse all canned beans before using them. This reduces the amount of gas-producing sugars.
Canned chickpeas provide numerous health benefits and are considered a nutrient-dense food. Research shows chickpeas are beneficial for weight management, blood sugar regulation, heart disease, and digestive health (1).
Chickpeas can sometimes be quite hard to digest, especially if you are not used to eating them regularly. Luckily, there are some useful tips to prevent the annoying bloating and gas caused by their consumption.
Raffinose leads to flatulence
Studies have shown raffinose may have beneficial effects on the bacteria living in your gut, but when raffinose is broken down, several gases are produced which cause flatulence and bloating.
They heat the mixture in a pot for a few minutes before adding water and cooking the chickpeas as usual. The alkaline environment created by the baking soda helps break down the pectin in the beans, softening the beans' skins so well that they disintegrate during cooking and are easily rinsed away.
Canned chickpeas are pre-cooked chickpeas. You can eat canned chickpeas straight out of the can! (Just be sure to rinse them off before chowing down to wash out excess sodium) Otherwise, you can roast them or turn them into any number of delicious dishes, like these here.
Regrettably, chickpeas are not a low FODMAP food. This means they are not the best choice for the typical FODMAP diet for children experiencing an IBS flare (if chickpeas are a known trigger food for them).
Chickpeas are made up of oligosaccharides, sugars that are also found in other foods like rye, onions, and garlic. Since they are highly concentrated in chickpeas, a lot of it has to pass through our system, causing longer and more severe bouts of bloating or uneasiness.
So, what foods cause gas and bloating? Legumes (beans, peas, lentils, chickpeas, broad beans) are at the top of the list of foods that cause bloating. The reason for this is raffinose, a complex carbohydrate composed of glucose, fructose, and galactose.
Raw chickpeas need to be soaked for eight hours or overnight. Part of what I love about canned ones is that they just need to be opened and rinsed. If soaking beans isn't your forte, don't let that stop you from leaning on chickpeas for an easy-to-make dish. Canned chickpeas are just as good.
People with the following digestive tract diseases are advised to avoid chickpeas: Crohn's disease. Ulcerative colitis. Diverticulitis.
You can eat at least one serving (28 grams) of chickpeas per day. However, don't eat more than 70 grams a day since that can cause adverse side effects. If you consume too many chickpeas, some side effects you may get include bloating, nausea, and gas. It's important to remember that chickpeas should not be eaten raw.
Portion out your chickpeas! If you've ever eaten a lot of chickpeas in one sitting, you've probably experienced this feeling firsthand. Not to mention, the legume is high in fiber, which is also an indigestible carbohydrate and causes bloating and gas if eaten in too high of quantities.
Bottom Line. If beans make you uncomfortably gassy, sprinkle a little baking soda into their soaking water. It will reduce the volume of gas produced by the legumes, plus, they will cook quicker. If you're even shorter on time, you may want to try some of our favorite recipes to make with a can of black beans.
If you do add baking soda, the amount your friend suggested is too large. Usually, you only use 1/4 teaspoon baking soda to a pound of beans. The best way to reduce the problem is simply to eat more beans. People who eat beans regularly have the least trouble digesting them.
"Gas production is normal, albeit for some people, uncomfortable." Bottom line: Adding baking soda or vinegar to your soaking beans might help reduce the oligosaccharide content and there are no negative side effects associated with doing so, so it could be worth trying.