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The simple overnight process of how to soak beans (by type) will help to eliminate gas and intestinal issues so you can enjoy eating these nutritious plant foods again!
I went on a bean soaking binge this past weekend, and the amount of scum that came to the top of the large pot of soaking kidney beans was so huge, I thought it deserved its own blog post. Soaking beans for many hours before cooking them produces a lot of scum which is course, is rinsed and drained away when the soaking is complete.
What is all that scum anyway? Anti-nutrients, that’s what! And those anti-nutrients such as phytic acid, lectins, and enzyme inhibitors are going to be in your gut causing you gas, heartburn, reflux, and whatever other digestive ills beset you when you eat something that isn’t particularly digestible unless you soak your beans before cooking them.
Traditional cultures took great care to prepare their legumes with a long soak before cooking to enhance digestibility and nutrient absorption.
I love Mexican food but really try to avoid Mexican restaurants for this reason .. they don’t soak their beans before cooking them!
After a meal at a Mexican restaurant, I will typically feel very bloated. Eating the same meal prepared at home where I soaked the beans properly before cooking results in no digestive upset whatsoever.
Take the Soaked Beans Challenge!
If you think unsoaked beans don’t cause you any trouble .. take this challenge. Soak beans next time before cooking and notice the difference in your stomach after eating.Â
You may think that the unsoaked beans don’t cause you any trouble, but you just may find that soaked beans are infinitely more filling and that you eat less and enjoy the meal more as a result!
Traditional peoples were very wise in the preparation of their foods. They not only selected nutritious foods but they prepared them for maximum digestibility and nutrition. Â
What good is eating nutritious legumes if the body is so whacked by the anti-nutrients that it can’t very easily extract and digest the nutrition?
So, the next time you make your beans, make sure you soak them first!
I soak large pots of various types of beans every month or so and then cook them – freezing for easy, quick meals when beans are required like homemade chili.
**If you absolutely do not have time to do this, at least buy pre-soaked legumes and beans packed in glass jars. Your digestion will thank you!
How To Prepare Beans by Soaking (video tutorial)
If you’ve never soaked beans before, it’s so easy. It’s a very similar process to soaking nuts. The method also mimics the wisdom of traditional societies that soaked seeds.
See this short video below that demonstrates the simple process.
Kidney shaped beans
For kidney shaped beans and dried/split peas, put a pinch of baking soda and enough water to cover in a large pot and soak uncovered for 12-24 hours. Drain, rinse and cook as usual.
Examples of kidney-shaped beans include:
- Red kidney beans
- White kidney beans (cannellini beans)
- Pinto beans
- Anasazi beans
- Black-eyed beans (black-eyed peas)
- Great Northern beans
- Lima beans
Non-kidney shaped beans (and other legumes)
For more oval-shaped beans and other legumes, soak for 12-24 hours in filtered water to cover plus 1 tablespoon of cider vinegar or lemon juice for every cup of dried beans/legumes used.
A homemade apple cider vinegar recipe or store-bought are both fine (make sure the ACV is packed in glass). Liquid whey from yogurt, kefir, or clabbered milk may also be used. Drain, rinse, and cook as usual.
Examples of non-kidney shaped beans include:
- Black beans (turtle beans)
- Navy beans
- Fava beans
- Adzuki beans
- Chickpeas
- Lentils
For maximum digestibility, it is best to rinse and refresh the filtered water and baking soda or the acidic medium once or twice during the soaking period. If you forget, no worries.
I try to always soak beans for the full 24 hours instead of just overnight. Sometimes if I get busy, I might even soak them 36 hours, but this is risky as they can get moldy sometimes if you go over 24 hours. Best to stay between 12-24 hours particularly during summer months.
How to Cook Beans After Soaking
After soaking, be sure to thoroughly drain and rinse the beans until all the scum is washed away. Then, complete the process by doing the following.
- Fill the pot of rinsed pre-soaked beans with fresh filtered water, bring to a boil, and skim away any additional foam that may come to the top at the start of the boil. Â
- Turn down the heat to a simmer, add 4 crushed garlic cloves, and cook until the beans are soft (about 4 hours).
- Drain beans and add to your favorite dish or let cool and freeze in large freezer bags for quick meals at a later date!
You won’t be needing over-the-counter gas meds after preparing beans the traditional way!
Should You Use the Soaking or Cooking Water?
Some alternative cooking circles advocate using the soaking or bean cooking water. Unfortunately, neither of these practices is traditional.
Using the cooked bean water or aquafaba is actually a dangerous practice. See the linked article for reasons to avoid this modern food especially during pregnancy!
Other Types of Legumes
This article plus video on soaking lentils provide additional information specifically for this legume. Because they are soaked exactly the same as all non-kidney shaped beans, it is helpful for visual learners.
Lentils were the favorite of nutritional pioneer Dr. Weston A. Price due to their very high potassium content.
Recipes Using Pre-soaked Beans and Legumes
Here are some recipes to try using soaked beans and other legumes to entice you!
I covered my beans with water, added some vinegar, and the next morning the water had been soaked up and the beans were sprouted, I was delightfully surprised, but not exactly the results I was looking for, help?
I think that’s what happened in my case. I went ahead and cooked them but then experienced the worst gas ever!!
I go through a package of Hurst Hambeens soup once a week, and I stopped soaking my beans about 2 months ago as part of an experiment. I have not soaked them since. I rinse them to get excess dirt off the surface, but that is all. I have actually had fewer problems with gas and digestion since I stopped soaking my beans. Plus, I find they retain more flavor and have more of an al dente texture.
I’m not sure if your experiment varies by the beans you use, but I have never had film on my beans after a soaking period of 24 hours. The only time film appeared was during the initial boiling phase. When I soaked my beans for 12-24 hours, my beans would emit about 2-3 inches of film during the boiling process. When I did not soak them at all, there was less than an inch of film during the boiling process, and the film wasn’t as thick.
I make sure I eat a lot of fiber at every meal to keep my digestive system running smoothly. I found that when I started skimping on my daily fiber, I had a more challenging time digesting fiber-rich foods. If you eat low fiber most of the time and then hit your body with a big shot of fiber, digestion problems will be inevitable.
Perhaps this varies from person-to-person. I suggest that everyone reading this should try eating beans that haven’t been soaked. Do it for a week or two and see if your body adapts to the change. Also, try exceeding 100% of your daily fiber requirements. It might make your digestive system less susceptible to gas and digestive problems overtime. Finally, exercise more often, even if it isn’t a moderate or heavy pace . Just walk more. Exercise will help to keep your system moving at a steady pace.
After my experiment I completely agree with this post!
I have a question. Do you need to soak fresh beans? I do soak dried beans, but my roommate will also buy fresh beans at the farmer’s market. She tried to get me to eat some, but I was uncertain of the effects, and so I refused.
I didn’t realize kidney shaped beans needed to be soaked in a more basic pH. I soaked some red kidney beans with vinegar (the skins broke open). I also soaked rice (in vinegar and water, again), and then I made beans and risotto, which was very good. Did the skins break open because of the vinegary water? And how should I soak rice?
Soak rice in a similar manner, with one of the acid mediums listed above. Rice can be soaked for a short amount of time because it is one of the few grains where soaking is not absolutely essential.
I fully agree with a nice long soak. Though I disagree with the addition of the acidic element. Here is my logic. Forget the soaking part. What happens when you cook beans in a pot with tomatoes or anything else acidic? The acid prevents the bean from softening and keeps it closer to it’s original state. I’ve cooked black eye peas with tomatoes added at the start of cooking and no matter how long you cook them the peas keep a sort of granular unappealing texture and seem to not be fully cooked. When you soak in acid you’re not letting them do what their intended to do. You are holding them back. In nature can you imagine a seed or a bean ever falling into an acidulated pool of water. In my opinion you should trust your senses and go with what is natural and feels and tastes good. I think you should just soak beans and seeds in salt water like the Indians in Central America would do.
But you’re not cooking them with any acid. You are letting them sit in the acid and then rinsing it off. Not to mention, we are talking a few TBSP of acid in a ton of water. Very different from putting beans in an entire pot of acid and not rinsing it away…
I’ve been soaking my beans, but I use plain yogurt and leave the beans overnight in the crockpot. I’ve recently began soaking my oatmeal and brown rice as well (you don’t rinse, so it doesn’t get “bad” stuff off, but it does make the nutrients absorb into your body better!
How much yogurt do u use to soak a batch of beans? (how many cups of beans do u use too?)
Do u soak in water first, then soak again for another 24hrs with the yogurt? And can soy yogurt be used?
Do you know by any chance a website that lists minimum times to soak various nuts? I saw it once but lost track of it. I tend to overdo it. Thanks.
I now realize what I have been doing wrong with my beans. I have been soaking but apparently not long enough. So beans were indeed causing me to have a heavy and bloated feeling. I have been soaking overnight, but that has obviously not been long enough. Thanks for this article! We buy beans in major bulk from a food coop so I am excited to start cooking them again.
Nickole @ http://www.savvyteasandherbs.com
Update on my pinto beans: I decided to soak them longer to see if it would make a difference “scum-wise”. Going into day three (with a water change halfway through), and we have scum! I’ve never soaked them this long before, so maybe thats why there wasn’t any scum before. Not sure how the extra long soaking time will affect the cooking/texture in the end, but I’ll know tonight.
I have tried pretty much every bean soaking method there is: short-soak, long-soak, acid medium, baking soda, boil for two minutes and soak for 24 hours. They all soften up nice, release tons of scum — but I still have terrible gas! I also get gas from eggs, onions, all kinds of things. Is there something wrong with my bean method, or with me?
P.S. The gas doesn’t really bother me any … but it drives my husband to want to sleep on the couch! It’s that bad.
Sheila, you may just have ultra sensitive digestion. There is no food even if whole that works for everyone 100% of the time. If it bothers you, try eating just the amount that gives you no symptoms. If it still bothers you, then beans just may not be for you.
Don’t eat those foods you listed. Eat meat, non starchy vegetables, fruit,…
Hi Sarah,
Is there any added benefit to sprouting them first? Will that further reduce phytic acid or is it an unneeded step?
Thanks!
Hi Paula, you don’t need to sprout them first unless you want to. Sprouting will add some extra nutrition especially B vitamins and vitamin C but I am thinking the vitamin C would not survive the long cooking. Most of the vitamin C in raw milk is destroyed by pasteurization for example.