How to Avoid Gas from Beans

Insights and recommendations from nutritionist and biochemist Karen Hurd.

If you’ve ever experienced gas, bloating, or even pain from eating beans or lentils, you’re not alone. It’s a common reaction that can leave many people swearing off these nutrient-rich foods for good. But before you do, let’s break down why this happens and how you can enjoy beans comfortably.

Karen Hurd, a renowned nutritionist and biochemist, explains that bloating is simply trapped gas. It’s gas that isn’t being released as a burp or flatulence, and when it’s stuck, it causes that painful, balloon-like pressure. But where does this gas come from? It’s all about how your body digests food.

The Science Behind Digestion: Enzymes vs. Fermentation

Our bodies break down food in two ways: with digestive enzymes or through fermentation. Digestive enzymes do the job cleanly, without producing gas. Fermentation, however, creates methane gas (CH4), which has that unmistakable odor. If you find yourself fermenting food more than digesting it enzymatically, hormones are often the culprit.

Here’s where it gets fascinating: Hormones, especially stress hormones, influence whether your body uses fermentation instead of digestive enzymes. The liver is responsible for clearing these hormones from your bloodstream by packaging them into bile, which gets released into your gut.

But unlike other molecules that get used up, hormones remain active, continually triggering reactions until they’re expelled from your body.

If your bile is loaded with hormones and you’re not consuming enough soluble fiber to bind to that bile, those hormones keep recycling. This recycled bile triggers fermentation, causing the gas and bloating you’re experiencing. It’s a cycle that needs to be broken.

digestive system drawing overlayed on woman's body

How to Break the Cycle

Karen Hurd suggests a gentle, gradual approach. Start with one bean. Yes, just one. If you tolerate that without gas, try two beans at your next meal. If three beans cause discomfort, stay at three until your body adjusts. The small amount of soluble fiber from just a few beans will begin to bind with those hormones in your bile, reducing the fermentation process over time.

As your body gets used to it, you’ll be able to increase your bean intake gradually, reaping the detoxifying and nutritional benefits.

Remember: The goal is to go slowly and let your body adapt. This approach has worked for many, and it could work for you too.

For more detailed information on how to support your health and detox your system using soluble fiber, Karen Hurd’s courses are a fantastic resource. She offers comprehensive guidance on various symptoms and ailments. You can explore her offerings at www.karenhurd.com.