Researchers from Venezuela have discovered a way to reduce the gas the results when people eat beans. The scientists at the University of Caracas say they have finally found a way to make people who eat beans flatulence-free. The results of the study were published in the 'Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.'
By adding particular strains of two bacteria, Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus plantarum, study leader Marisela Granito concluded that the world can be a sweeter smelling and more social place.
The two bacteria in question are found in the large intestine and cause gas to build up during the digestion of beans. That causes flatulence. But by adding them to the beans before digestion, the process begins earlier and there is much less gas during the digestion process, Granito discovered.
The study used black beans, known more scientifically as Phaseolus vulgaris.
'Legumes, and particularly Phaseolus vulgaris, are an important source of nutrients, especially in developing countries,' the study concluded. 'In spite of being part of the staple diets of these populations, their consumption is limited by the flatulence they produce.'
When they fermented the beans with the two bacteria, the researchers found that there was a decrease of more than 60 percent in the soluble fiber content of beans and that the levels of raffinose, a compound known to cause gas, were reduced by 88 percent.
Despite the reduction in flatulence, the beans were still nourishing, the study found. The researchers concluded, 'the lactic acid bacteria involved in the bean fermentation, which include L. casei as a probiotic, could be used as functional starter cultures in the food industry. Likewise, the cooking applied after induced fermentation produced an additional diminution of the compounds related to flatulence.'
Researchers have still not dealt with the fact that traditional childrens' songs will have to be revised...beans, beans, they're good for your heart...will become a thing of the past.
