"Dried beans contain complex carbohydrates called oligosaccharides, along with high levels of lectins, which are a protein that plants use to protect themselves. The human digestive system can't fully break these natural compounds and anti-nutrients down by itself; instead of being absorbed in the small intestine, those compounds move into the large intestine, where gut bacteria ferment them. That fermentation is what produces gas and, for many people, the uncomfortable bloating that follows."
"Many traditional food processing steps, like soaking, fermenting and slow cooking, are ways of getting a jump on the digestion process before eating, so that when you consume the food, and your digestive system takes the reins, it has less to break down before accessing the good stuff, making the nutrients more bioavailable. Such is the case with soaking beans, which is a practical way to remove some of those gas-producing compounds."
Beans are high in fiber and contain oligosaccharides and lectins that the human digestive system cannot fully break down. These compounds pass into the large intestine where gut bacteria ferment them, producing gas and bloating. Traditional processing methods such as soaking, fermenting, and slow cooking partially break these compounds down beforehand, increasing nutrient bioavailability. Soaking dried beans causes some oligosaccharides to dissolve into the soaking water; draining and rinsing removes those compounds. Cooking beans in the soaking liquid retains undesirable compounds, so discarding the soak water and rinsing before cooking improves digestibility and reduces gas.
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