This musical fruit has earned quite the smelly reputation, but beans truly are a superfood. So let’s have a little chat on how you can eat beans freely and avoid gas at the same time. You’re body will thank you for all the protein, fiber, and macro-nutrients, and your neighbor will thank you for the clean air.

The reason that beans cause flatulence is because beans contain a sugar called oligosaccharide which the human body can not break down. As these sugars pass through your system in tact rather than being broken down, you experience gas. Boo! So how do we get rid of this problem? Easy peasy.

The best option is to change the water that beans are cooked in several times. This works for cooked beans or canned beans. Soaking and rinsing the beans will help remove some of the oliogosaccharide sugars, so it will substantially help prevent and reduce gas.  Additionally, a few studies have shown that cooking beans with garlic and cumin sometimes eliminates gas promoting chemicals in the beans. Curried lentils anyone?

So, now that you know know how to eliminate much of the gas from beans, you might be interested in why you should eat them. Beans are called the “poor man’s meat” for a reason! They are loaded with protein without carrying the saturated fat that is often found in animal protein. They are an excellent source of complex, energy boosting carbohydrates, and soybeans in particular are thought to reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, and also relieve menopausal symptoms. The nutritional profile of beans starkly contrast their dreary, flatulence-producing reputation. And trust me, you’ll have a hard time finding a cheaper or healthier food.

Quit making such a stink about it.