Beans and Lectins: How to Enjoy the Benefits of Beans Safely

Beans are an incredibly nutritious food that provide a variety of health benefits. They contain fiber, protein, resistant starch, and antioxidants. Beans also contain lectins—a type of carbohydrate-binding protein that can cause digestive issues in some people. Let's discuss how to prepare beans safely to remove lectins so you can enjoy all the health benefits without any of the unpleasant side effects.

Lectins are a type of protein found in beans and other plant-based foods such as grains and vegetables. While lectins play an important role in defending plants from pests and disease, they can cause digestive upset in humans when eaten in high quantities or if not prepared properly. Common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, bloating, and abdominal pain.  For this reason, it's important to take steps to reduce the amount of lectins in your food.

The first step is to soak your beans overnight before cooking them. This helps break down the outer layer of the bean which contains most of the lectin content. After soaking them overnight, rinse them thoroughly with cold water before cooking them in boiling water. Here is a chart with the soak and cook time for each bean. This will reduce the lectin content significantly so that it’s unlikely to cause any digestive issues.  Additionally, adding spices such as turmeric or ginger while you cook your beans may help decrease their lectin content even further while also adding flavor!

Another way to reduce lectin content is by using a slow cooker when cooking you're beans as this method allow for longer cooking times at lower temperatures than regular stovetop cooking which helps further break down lectin proteins. Be aware that kidney beans must boil for at least 10 minutes at high before simmering.  Using an Instapot reduces the lectin as well, and doesn't take such a long time.  You can also buy pre-cooked canned versions of many types of beans which have already had their lectin content reduced through processing but be aware that these products often contain added sodium so always read labels carefully if you’re watching your sodium intake!  Canned beans are also more expensive than dry beans, so if you are trying to watch your budget, dry beans are the way to go - and they taste better, too!

Beans are a nutrient-rich food that offer great health benefits but unfortunately they do contain some levels of lectins which can cause digestive problems for some people if eaten in large amounts or not prepared properly. To ensure that you get all the nutritional benefits from eating beans without any unpleasant side effects, follow the tips outlined above for reducing their lectin content before consuming them—soak overnight then boil & simmer or cook in an Instapot for quicker meals or a slow cooker for even longer periods at lower temperatures! Holistic moms should feel confident preparing delicious meals with beans knowing that they’re taking steps to reduce their family’s risk of experiencing unwanted side effects from eating them!