Legumes

[Evie4]

A little background: I've been living about 95% gluten free since last year and had a a positive responsive, no longer suffering from constant constipation. It was like a miracle. I have IBS for at least 15 years now. It REALLY affects me 10-14 days before my period. I have severe colon spasms and fatigue as my worst symptoms. I try not to take my Donnatol because it just makes a zombie out of me and I have a full-time job where I have to think a lot and it's a terrible struggle. I've been doing a lot of reading here and other places, and got the basics down on celiac disease. I'm now going to (go back again) work at looking at other possible problem foods hoping I might still be able to improve my condition.

Today I'm hoping to learn from you that have problems with legumes and if constipation is a symptom, and any other experiences you'd like to share around that. Last weekend I made a big pot of chick peas and throughout the week it's been chick peas in salad, chick pea salad and hummus. So now it's time to limit the beans (at the very least) or maybe have to give them up (say it isn't so!) I've been noticing the bean problem throughout the year. I did have to give up split pea soup many years ago, I got terrible acid reflux from it--though I ate it with no problem growing up (I'm in my 40s). I don't get acid reflux from other beans though. Interesting.

[Lynayah]

A little background: I've been living about 95% gluten free since last year and had a a positive responsive, no longer suffering from constant constipation. It was like a miracle. I have IBS for at least 15 years now. It REALLY affects me 10-14 days before my period. I have severe colon spasms and fatigue as my worst symptoms. I try not to take my Donnatol because it just makes a zombie out of me and I have a full-time job where I have to think a lot and it's a terrible struggle. I've been doing a lot of reading here and other places, and got the basics down on celiac disease. I'm now going to (go back again) work at looking at other possible problem foods hoping I might still be able to improve my condition.

Today I'm hoping to learn from you that have problems with legumes and if constipation is a symptom, and any other experiences you'd like to share around that. Last weekend I made a big pot of chick peas and throughout the week it's been chick peas in salad, chick pea salad and hummus. So now it's time to limit the beans (at the very least) or maybe have to give them up (say it isn't so!) I've been noticing the bean problem throughout the year. I did have to give up split pea soup many years ago, I got terrible acid reflux from it--though I ate it with no problem growing up (I'm in my 40s). I don't get acid reflux from other beans though. Interesting.

Hello!

Are you using canned or dry beans?

I ask because, before I realized that I needed to be tested for celiac disease, I though beans were part of my problem. I had horrible lower GI symptoms (not constipation but instead loose stools). I was using canned beans and canned fat free refried beans.

I did have a couple weeks where I was gluten free (before having to go back on gluten so I can be tested) and during that time I was eating home-prepared beans without a problem, which gives me hope. I won't be gluten free again now until after I've been tested, so it is difficult to separate one from another.

That said, I do believe I have a problem eating canned legumes -- there may be cross-contamination issues.

[Evie4]

Hello!

Are you using canned or dry beans?

I ask because, before I realized that I needed to be tested for celiac disease, I though beans were part of my problem. I had horrible lower GI symptoms (not constipation but instead loose stools). I was using canned beans and canned fat free refried beans.

I did have a couple weeks where I was gluten free (before having to go back on gluten so I can be tested) and during that time I was eating home-prepared beans without a problem, which gives me hope. I won't be gluten free again now until after I've been tested, so it is difficult to separate one from another.

That said, I do believe I have a problem eating canned legumes -- there may be cross-contamination issues.

Thanks for the response. I'm using dry beans...soak, rinse and cook. Makes me sad, I love my beans!

[Lynayah]

Thanks for the response. I'm using dry beans...soak, rinse and cook. Makes me sad, I love my beans!

You might want to experiment with dry red kidney beans only - those seem to be okay for me. Maybe for you, too?

[Lynayah]

Hi, Evie:

Okay, so I'm bound and determined that we're going to be able to eat our much-loved beans no matter what!!!!!

I've been doing a little research, and it seems cross-contamination is a huge problem, both with dry beans as well as canned. With my one bag of red beans, I probably just lucked out and got a bag that -- so far -- might not have been cross-contaminated, but that doesn't mean the next bag won't be.

If you look at Bob's Red Mill, NONE of their dry beans are marked gluten free. Hmmmmm . . .

There are threads here and about that also discuss the cross-contamination issue. One member said she was going to grow her own beans to try to get what she needed. Thread here: Dry Beans, gluten free beans?

So, let's get on a quest to find some gluten-free beans! I love them as much as you do and am praying I can eat them once I figure this whole thing out.

Everyone else - any help here most appreciated! How do you deal with legumes?

[chatycady]

Beans contain both starch and sugar which can be hard for celiac's to digest. You can try soaking them for no less than 12 hours - then rinse them thoroughy - and throw out the water. Navy beans (white) have the least amount of starch.

Cross contaimination is an issue, however, more times than not its not cross contaimination - it's starchy and complex and simple carbohydrates that cause celiac's problems. Our villi are damaged and we may not produce the enzymes to split these complex starch/sugar molecules.

Good luck! Remember even a healthy digestive system has trouble with beans - thus the gas!

[Lynayah]

Beans contain both starch and sugar which can be hard for celiac's to digest. You can try soaking them for no less than 12 hours - then rinse them thoroughy - and throw out the water. Navy beans (white) have the least amount of starch.

Cross contaimination is an issue, however, more times than not its not cross contaimination - it's starchy and complex and simple carbohydrates that cause celiac's problems. Our villi are damaged and we may not produce the enzymes to split these complex starch/sugar molecules.

Good luck! Remember even a healthy digestive system has trouble with beans - thus the gas!

Thank you for this information -- very interesting. I had not read about that anywhere else before now. Much appreciated.

[mushroom]

Good luck! Remember even a healthy digestive system has trouble with beans - thus the gas!

So true. I used to have a baked bean recipe that I used to call "Fartless Beans" but don't know what happened to it. It was a Boston Baked Bean recipe, and we even took them on a houseboat with another couple!!

However, there is a product on the market called Beano which aids in digesting beans. I don't know its gluten free status.

[jerseyangel]

However, there is a product on the market called Beano which aids in digesting beans. I don't know its gluten free status.

The last I checked, Beano was not gluten-free, so anyone thinking of trying it should call and check--just in case

[sicl4015]

Hello,

There may be more going on than Celiac/gluten-free/no cross-contamination.

Hard to digest Galactans are in beans and are a FODMAP.

Look at Monash University (Australia) world center for research on this digestive study.

Here are some links:

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

2009 UP TO DATE list of foods

Open Original Shared Link

A little background: I've been living about 95% gluten free since last year and had a a positive responsive, no longer suffering from constant constipation. It was like a miracle.