Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | Re: doing so good, now a bad morning

Many kinds of legumes including white beans can be problematic for individuals with IBS. They contain the complex sugar raffinose which the human body cannot breakdown to use. As a result it ends up in the colon where it can produce D and colonic bacteria can break it down to produce gas. If you eat beans a number of days in a row the bacteria population in the colon that breaks raffinose increases resulting in more gas being produced more quickly but less D.

If you boil the beans and let them sit for a hour or so then throw out the water and boil them again in fresh water you can reduce the amount of raffinose in things like white beans. And if this doesn't work you might try taking Beano before eating white beans.

However, some people even those without IBS can have difficulties with gas from beans no matter how often they eat them or how they prepare them.

You can read more about the problem with legumes and other foods for individuals with functional bowel disorders like IBS in the first two link in my signature.

Also, white beans are high in insoluble fiber. They contain about 0.5 grams soluble fiber and 4.0 grams of insoluble fiber per 1/2 cup which can be an additional problem for individuals with IBS.

I cannot tolerate beans of any kind no matter how they are prepared.

Good luck

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STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS

The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
FODMAP Chart & Cheatsheet
The Role of Food & Dietary Intervention in IBS

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