How to Get Used to Eating Beans Without Discomfort

December 3, 2025 •

4 min read

According to The Bean Institute, regularly consuming beans for just eight weeks can significantly reduce bothersome symptoms like bloating and abdominal discomfort as your body adjusts. If you've wondered, "how do I get used to eating beans?", the answer lies in a gradual introduction, proper preparation, and a little patience.

Quick Summary

This guide covers practical strategies for adapting your digestive system to higher fiber intake, including proper soaking and cooking methods, starting with smaller portions, and selecting easier-to-digest varieties. Explore versatile recipes and helpful cooking techniques to seamlessly integrate beans into your diet, minimizing gas and maximizing nutrition.

Key Points

Start Gradually: Introduce beans slowly into your diet, beginning with just a few tablespoons to allow your digestive system to adjust to the increased fiber intake.
Choose Easy-to-Digest Varieties: Start with lentils, split peas, or black-eyed peas, which are generally easier on the stomach before moving on to larger, denser beans.
Rinse and Soak Thoroughly: Proper preparation is key to reducing gas. Soak dried beans for 24-48 hours, changing the water regularly, and rinse canned beans to wash away gas-causing compounds.
Cook Until Tender: Ensure beans are fully cooked until they are soft and creamy, as undercooked beans are more difficult to digest.
Incorporate into Familiar Meals: Add mashed beans to sauces, blend them into dips, or mix them into dishes you already enjoy to get used to the flavor and texture.
Use Digestive Aids: Cook with herbs like cumin and ginger to support digestion, and consider over-the-counter enzyme supplements if needed.
Increase Water Intake: Drink plenty of water as your fiber intake increases to help prevent constipation and aid digestion.

Beans are nutritional powerhouses, offering an abundance of fiber, protein, and essential micronutrients like folate, iron, and magnesium. However, many people avoid them due to common side effects like gas and bloating, often caused by complex sugars called oligosaccharides. By following a few key strategies, you can train your body to love beans as much as they love you back.

Start Low and Go Slow

One of the most effective ways to get used to eating beans is to introduce them slowly into your diet. This approach gives your gut microbiome—the colony of beneficial bacteria in your digestive system—time to adapt to the increased fiber load.

Begin with small portions. Start with just a quarter of a cup (about 2 to 4 tablespoons) of beans per day. You can add this to a salad, mix it into a soup, or have it as a side dish.
Gradually increase your intake. After a couple of weeks, if you're tolerating the small serving well, increase your portion to a half-cup. Continue this incremental increase until you reach your desired amount.
Listen to your body. Pay attention to how you feel. If you experience discomfort, don't rush the process. Stick with a smaller portion for longer until your system adjusts.

Choose Your Bean Variety Wisely

Not all beans are created equal when it comes to digestibility. Some varieties are naturally easier on the stomach, making them a great starting point for beginners.

Try easier-to-digest beans first. Lentils, split peas, and black-eyed peas are generally easier to digest and quicker to cook than larger, tougher beans. Since they don't require soaking, they are an excellent option for beginners.
Progress to larger beans. As your body becomes more accustomed to legumes, you can introduce larger varieties like black beans, pinto beans, or kidney beans. These may require more thorough soaking and rinsing to minimize gas-causing compounds.
Diversify your palette. Once comfortable, explore other types of beans like cannellini, garbanzo, and adzuki beans to enjoy a wider range of flavors and nutritional profiles.

Master the Art of Preparation

Proper preparation is the most critical step in reducing the gas-causing effects of beans. This applies to both dried and canned varieties.

Soak dried beans thoroughly. Soaking dry beans, especially for 24-48 hours and changing the water several times, can reduce the amount of oligosaccharides by up to 76%. Some experts even recommend a multi-day soak for maximum effect.
Use the quick-soak method. If you're short on time, cover beans with water, bring to a boil for a few minutes, then cover and let stand for one hour before cooking.
Rinse canned beans. Canned beans can be rinsed with fresh, cool water to remove some of the indigestible sugars present in the canning liquid. This simple step also helps reduce sodium intake.
Cook beans until tender. Under-cooked beans are harder to digest. Boil your beans thoroughly in fresh water until they are tender and creamy, which helps break down the gas-producing fibers. Avoid adding salt or acidic ingredients until the beans are fully cooked, as this can toughen the skins and prolong cooking time.

Incorporate Beans into Familiar Meals

To make eating beans feel natural, try integrating them into dishes you already enjoy. Blending or mashing can also help with texture aversion.

Hide them in ground meat dishes. Add mashed or whole beans to ground beef for dishes like chili, meatballs, or burgers. This is a great way to boost fiber and extend the meal.
Add them to soups and stews. Stirring a can of rinsed beans into your favorite soup or stew adds bulk and a protein punch.
Try bean-based dips. Hummus is a great entry point, but you can create delicious dips with black beans, cannellini beans, or edamame. Serve with vegetables and whole-grain crackers.
Make salads and bowls heartier. Toss some black beans, chickpeas, or kidney beans into your next salad or grain bowl for an extra layer of texture and nutrition.

Comparison of Common Bean Varieties


Bean Variety	Flavor Profile	Texture (Cooked)	Best For...	Digestibility	Soaking Required?
Lentils	Mild, earthy, peppery	Soft, slightly chewy	Soups, curries, salads	Very Easy	No
Black-eyed Peas	Mild, nutty	Creamy, tender	Stews, casseroles	Easy	No (often)
Navy Beans	Mild	Soft, creamy	Baked beans, purees, soups	Moderate	Yes
Pinto Beans	Earthy, rich	Soft, floury	Mexican dishes, refried beans	Moderate	Yes
Black Beans	Earthy, mild	Creamy	Rice dishes, salads, burgers	Moderate	Yes
Chickpeas (Garbanzo)	Nutty	Firm, dense	Hummus, salads, roasts	Moderate	Yes
Kidney Beans	Rich, earthy, slightly meaty	Firm	Chili, red beans and rice	Difficult	Yes, must be boiled

Utilize Digestion-Supporting Techniques

In addition to preparation, certain habits can support your body as it gets used to beans.

Drink more water. Increasing your water intake as you boost your fiber consumption helps to prevent constipation and discomfort.
Add carminative herbs. Cooking beans with herbs and spices like cumin, ginger, epazote, or asafetida can help alleviate gas and support digestion.
Consider a digestive aid. Over-the-counter enzymes like alpha-galactosidase (commonly known as Beano) can help break down the complex sugars that cause gas.

Conclusion

Making beans a regular part of your diet is a worthy goal for your overall health, but it requires a strategic approach. By starting with small, manageable portions, choosing the right beans for your comfort level, and committing to proper preparation techniques like soaking and rinsing, you can overcome initial digestive hurdles. The benefits—from improved cardiovascular health to better blood sugar control—far outweigh the temporary discomfort. With a little experimentation and patience, you'll find that getting used to eating beans is an achievable and rewarding journey toward better nutrition.

For more detailed information on the health benefits of dried beans, you can read more from sources like the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition at ScienceDirect.

Frequently Asked Questions

Beans contain complex sugars called oligosaccharides that the human body cannot easily digest. When these reach the large intestine, gut bacteria ferment them, producing gas.

Yes. Rinsing canned beans thoroughly removes some of the oligosaccharides present in the liquid from the can, which helps to reduce gas and bloating.

Lentils, split peas, and black-eyed peas are generally considered the easiest beans to digest because they contain fewer gas-producing sugars and cook more quickly.

For best results, soak dried beans for at least 8 hours or overnight. For maximum gas reduction, some experts recommend a 24-48 hour soak, changing the water frequently.

Yes. Thoroughly cooking beans until they are soft and tender helps break down the fibers. Slow-cookers, however, may not reach high enough temperatures for some varieties, so it's recommended to boil beans on the stovetop first.

Yes, cooking beans with carminative herbs like cumin, ginger, epazote, or asafetida can help alleviate gas and improve digestion.

Yes, incorporating mashed beans into ground meat, mixing them into sauces, or blending them into soups and dips can help you get used to the flavor and texture subtly.