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Happy FFF Fun & Flexible Friday and A.N.S.
Thank you, Lauren, for being so AWESOME!! And THANK YOU ALL for your fantastic questions! Please keep them coming.
Mo the Morselist (aka, Maura) will be doing a Healthy Baking Demo at the GREEN FESTIVAL in Los ANGELES! I’m SOOO excited & would LOVE to see you there! I’ll be using Mac-n-Mo’s MORSELICIOUS MIX! http://www.greenfestivals.org/speakers/los-angeles-2011/Page-5 — Q: I’ve been trying a Veganish Diet but have severe sensitivities to beans and wheat.
Do you have Protein Suggestions for these limitations?
A: You may want to consider a low Fodmap diet: It is basically limiting the type of carbohydrates
that may cause bloating, gas, pain in IBS sufferers.
So carbohydrates including beans and brussel sprouts, broccoli and other produce from the cabbage family
(gas causing, as many of you may know) are suggested to be avoided/limited.
And, instead, the FODMAP diet concentrates on consumption of fruits/vegetables/whole grains that are lower in the Fodmap values –
But be sure not to eat too much of anything at a time,
as even moderate items can add up in Fodmap value and subsequently cause distress.
However, as you mentioned, you do need to be sure you are getting enough protein,
and truly, beans are a great source for vegetarians/vegans.
If you must limit your bean intake, some alternative protein sources include
You can also try including soybeans (edamame, soy milk, tofu, tempeh, soynuts and even miso),
and spirulina (works great in smoothies) into your diet.
Theses are all complete protein sources, which means each of these options contain all 9 essential amino acids.
In most cases it is important to include legumes and whole grains to ensure a “complete protein”.
With the exception of those noted above, whole grains are generally deficient in the amino acid Lysine,
while legumes are deficient in the amino acids Methionine and Tryptophan. So they complement each other to form a “complete protein”.
Here are some good nut/seed choices:
But don’t give up on beans just yet. There is hope. Beans are a very nutrient-dense natural food.
They providing a rich amount of protein, iron, Folate B vitamin and soluble fiber
which is helpful in reducing cholesterol levels….and yet they have been known to cause trouble with gas.
their higher phytate content and the soluble fibers in which our bodies don’t have the ability to break down
sufficiently before reaching the large intestine where the trouble begins.
Soluble fibers and raffinose are subsequently left intact in the large intestine
causing intestinal discomfort because they produce Carbon Dioxide as fermentation occurs.
Try this first: To reduce phytate content, help break down soluble fibers and reduce effects of raffinose,
heat in non-salted water, rinse again until clear, discard water, and, finally boil in fresh water.
This may help prevent or lessen intestinal gasses by reducing raffinose oligosaccharides (sugars)
and activating phytase enzymes (3) present in the beans to transform phytic acid (phytates)
and reduce binding which prevents certain mineral absorption and causes gas discomfort.
Some methods include adding baking soda to the soak, however other sources deny this will help.
One source suggested adding acid (2) after the beans are tender.
Consider starting with small amounts, after “soaking” accordingly, and boiling in fresh water.
(4) Eaten with grains will not only make it easy to eat in smaller amounts, but benefti by make a complete protein.
Additionally, because whole grains contain smaller amounts of raffinose,
combining helps you eat less beans at a time and consume less raffinose than you would
if you ate the same amount – all beans.
Finally, a study on humans showed the improved protein digestibility
when legumes were combined with maize vs beans eaten alone. (5)
If these methods still don’t work, consider getting your proteins from the alternative sources listed above,
and enjoy a diet rich in dark leafy greens which provide an array of vitamins & minerals and antioxidant benefits.
And, as mentioned, there is the FODMAP diet, which allows for quinoa and buckwheat, both complete protein whole grains.
References:
1. Natural Sugar in Beans and Cabbage – Raffinose
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Me, too, Karen!!!
I’ll email you about my TV roles! 🙂
Thanks for asking!
I love beans, but they don’t love me…I’ll try some of the tips. Tell me more about your TV doctor role!
Thanks, Lauren!
Would LOVE to have you there! 🙂
Thank you for the clarification! Also, I thought I would mention that Mo also isn’t a doctor . . . although she may have played one on TV!
haha! I was just thinking of that one: “I’m not a doctor, but I play one on TV”…and with all Mo’s acting credits, she may very well have played one.
You two make me laugh and yes, I have played a Doctor on T.V.! 🙂 Glad you liked the explanation, Reece. I did, too.
Thanks, Lauren!
You’re welcome, Mo! Congrats on the upcoming event – would love to see your demo!
Wow – I have never had anyone explain in layman’s terms WHY beans give you gas. I LOVE them but usually avoid them; however, after reading Dr. O’Connor’s way of preparing them to lessen the raffinose (another great new word!), I might just give it a go. I’m printing this blog to go inside my Joy of Cooking in the “beans” section! Thanks again!
Reece,
I’m glad you liked the explanation. I’m not a Doctor, rather a registered dietitian, but thanks for the mention. The references/articles I cited were very helpful in my research on beans. And I hope these suggestions do work for you.