The Preparation of Beans - How to Properly Prepare Them. Practical Advice
Mia Hoffmann
2026-03-23
6 min. read
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Beans belong to the family of dried seeds of legume plants. The edible parts of this plant are fruits (asparagus beans) or seeds (e.g. Jaś Karłowy beans, red beans). Despite the high nutritional value of beans, their consumption in Poland remains low. According to GUS data, the average inhabitant of Poland consumes 0.9 kg of legume seeds per year. One of the reasons for this low consumption is the experience of unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms after consumption. Is there a way to prepare beans so that they are more easily digestible?
The nutritive components in beans
Beans are a highly nutritious food source. They primarily consist of carbohydrates (60%), including starch and reducing sugars (raffinose, stachyose, verbascose). These reducing sugars cause bloating and gas. They are not digested in the human digestive tract but serve as a nutrient for bacteria that break them down in the large intestine. This results in the production of a large amount of gas. Beans are also rich in fiber, which has a positive impact on digestion. 100 g of beans provide about 16 g of fiber, which is 80% of the daily minimum requirement. Additionally, a portion of the starch in beans is resistant to digestion, which acts similarly to fiber – nourishing the gut microflora and supporting its function. Beans are also a good source of plant-based protein and a great alternative to meat in vegetarian and vegan diets. They have a very good amino acid composition, particularly containing a lot of lysine – an amino acid that is most deficient in plant-based diets. Furthermore, beans are a rich source of B-group vitamins and minerals such as magnesium, iron, potassium, and zinc. It is also important to note that beans contain antioxidants such as polyphenols, which protect the body from reactive oxygen species and have a preventative effect against many chronic diseases. The largest amount of polyphenols is found in the bean coat, which also gives them their color.
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