How can I alleviate the discomfort that occurs after eating beans?
To help reduce some of the problems with flatulence (or gas) that many people experience after eating beans, try the following when cooking dried beans: soak the beans in sufficient water overnight; pour off all the water and add fresh water prior to cooking; bring the beans to a gentle boil, cook for 5 minutes, then pour off this water; add fresh water one last time and cook as normal. In addition, several commercial products are available over-the-counter in the supermarket pharmacy that can be taken orally or added to the beans to reduce the incidence of gas formation in the GI tract.
