A thread for all things bean related
> why should I eat BEANS?
Beans are typically the cheapest source of bulk protein, have a better nutritional value than other comparable sources of carbohydrates like rice, pasta, noodles etc.
BEANS are easy to store if you have limited space, and a long shelf life.
> BEANs give me gas
There are several separate issues that contribute to this, but all are avoidable. Canned BEANS are cooked at too high a temperature, and leech starch into the liquid. Discarding the liquid in canned BEANS is always recommended and rehydrating your own BEANS is preferable (more on this later). Another major cause of gas is poor digestive health, BEANS are both the problem and the solution in this regard because fibre and slow to digest food will improve your gut health over time.
> Which BEANS are best
Kidney BEANS are probably the most nutritious type which are widely available and particularly important for vegans who need dietary iron.
> How do I cook BEANS
Canned beans are already cooked, so you just have to drain the liquid and reheat them. Some are suitable for cold salads.
Dry beans and lentils need to be rehydrated, the time this takes depends on how large the BEAN or lentil is. Kidney BEANS and other large beans should be rehydrated overnight.
If you change the water the BEANS are rehydrating in, it will remove more of the starch and this will result in BEANS that are easier to digest.
Do not worry if the BEANS stay in the water for longer than is needed, smaller lentils however don't like being kept in water too long.
Once rehydrated BEANS need to be boiled hard to destroy the toxins in them, eating raw BEANS can make you sick, especially kidney bean. Rehydrating ensures the BEAN cooks through evenly and reduces cooking time.
Pressure cookers are the best option, radically reducing the cooking time even when making large batches, boiling in a pot is also fine just ensure the pot is actually boiling not just simmering