Beat Bloat with Tomato Butterbean Stew?!
Recently, one of my favorite followers [yes, I play favorites!] DM’d me and asked me a really great question:
What an amazing question!
Let me explain…
Why Beans Make You Bloat
Beans contain a type of complex sugar called oligosaccharides. Your body cannot fully break down oligosaccharides. These undigested sugars pass into your colon, where gut bacteria ferment them, producing gas as a byproduct. This fermentation can cause bloating in some people, particularly those who are not used to high-fiber foods.
Why Beans Will Make You DeBloat
Even though the oligosaccharides can cause temporary discomfort, beans are a great way to debloat over time for 2 reasons:
1. The extent to which oligosaccharides cause bloating varies depending on the composition of your gut microbiota. Some bacteria can break down these sugars more efficiently, resulting in less gas production. Over time, if you regularly consume beans and other foods high in oligosaccharides, your gut bacteria may adapt, leading to less bloating as they become more efficient at fermenting these sugars.
A study published in Nutrients found that regular intake of foods high in oligosaccharides, such as beans, led to positive shifts in gut microbiota composition, increasing the abundance of beneficial bacteria like Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus. These bacteria are known for their ability to ferment complex carbohydrates more efficiently, which reduces gas production.
Another study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that individuals who consumed beans daily for three weeks reported a significant decrease in bloating and gas compared to the first week of consumption. By the third week, only 3-11% of participants reported any significant bloating, compared to 19-50% in the initial week. This suggests that regular intake allows the gut to adapt to the higher fiber and oligosaccharide content, improving digestive comfort.
2. Beans can help with debloating because they are rich in fiber, especially soluble fiber, which supports healthy digestion and regular bowel movements. Fiber increases stool bulk and promotes peristalsis, the contractions that move food through your digestive tract, helping to relieve constipation—a common cause of bloating.
A key study published in the Journal of Nutrition showed that individuals who consumed about 1 cup of beans daily increased their stool frequency and improved stool consistency. The fiber content in beans, particularly insoluble fiber, adds bulk to the stool and stimulates peristalsis, helping move waste through the digestive system more effectively. This can relieve constipation, which is often a result of insufficient fiber intake.
Another study in the British Journal of Nutrition found that participants who included beans in their diet experienced a significant improvement in bowel movement frequency and relief from constipation symptoms. On average, participants who ate a bean-rich diet increased their daily fiber intake by 6-10 grams, resulting in softer, more frequent stools.
I always like to use this analogy: it’s like weight lifting. You experience temporary soreness afterwards, but over time, you get stronger & you rarely get sore. Just like the muscle soreness is a muscle growing pain, temporary bloat from beans is a gut microbiota growing pain.
This Dish
the ultimate comfort food: yummy butterbean & tomato stew with a spicy sesame sauce & basil lemon sauce. you can eat it with rice, quinoa, bread, potatoes, or just be a savage like me who goes in with a spoon.
The Benefits
as part of our October DeBloat by Halloween series, this dish is designed to reduce bloating, enhance elimination, and improve overall gut health. specifically:
The combination of the soluble fiber from the beans + the healthy fats from sesame add bulk to your stool while lubricating your colon, making it easier to eliminate fully, which in turn reduces bloating
The combination of prebiotic fiber from garlic & onions + the probiotics from miso helps diversify & strengthen your gut microbiome
Lemons & tomatoes help draw water into your intestines, which helps stimulate peristalsis
This stew is incredibly satiating, which often prevents overeating, which is a godsend for bloating
Garlic, onions, and miso are rich in prebiotics, which are non-digestible fibers that promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria like Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus. These bacteria ferment the prebiotics into short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), such as butyrate, which reduce inflammation in the gut and improve bowel motility. Healthy gut bacteria balance is essential for reducing bloating, as an imbalance, or dysbiosis, can lead to gas production and bloating. Miso, as a fermented food, also contains probiotics that further contribute to gut health by enhancing the population of these beneficial microbes.
Lemons and tomatoes are both rich in vitamin C, which plays a role in softening stools and improving bowel regularity. Vitamin C acts as an osmotic agent, drawing water into your intestines, which helps alleviate constipation by making stools softer and easier to pass. The increased hydration in your gut reduces the risk of constipation-related bloating. Vitamin C also supports collagen production, which strengthens the connective tissues in your gut lining, reducing gut permeability and protecting against inflammation that can lead to bloating.
Sesame seeds and butter beans provide magnesium, a mineral that is critical for muscle relaxation, including the smooth muscles in your intestines. Magnesium helps regulate peristalsis, which ensures that food and waste move efficiently through your digestive tract. Low magnesium levels can lead to slow gut motility and constipation, which contribute to bloating. By ensuring you get enough magnesium from sources like sesame, you support more efficient digestion and regular bowel movements.
Basil and garlic contain anti-inflammatory compounds, particularly flavonoids and sulfur-containing compounds like allicin. These compounds reduce inflammation in your gut, which is important for alleviating bloating caused by inflammation-related conditions like IBS. Garlic’s sulfur compounds also support liver detoxification, aiding in digestion and reducing toxic buildup, which can contribute to bloating.
The Recipe
Ingredients:
avocado oil spray
3 medium yellow or white onions
10 cloves garlic
6 medium tomatoes
2 cans butterbeans
Basil Olive Lemon Sauce Ingredients:
2 lemons
10 cloves garlic
6 tbsp chickpea or white miso
2.5 oz fresh basil
5 oz baby spinach
1 10.6 oz pitted frescetrano or castelvetrano olives
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp EVOO
Gochugaru Tahini Sauce Ingredients:
1/2 cup tahini
3/4 cup water
1 tbsp gochugaru flakes (can sub regular red chili pepper flakes)
2 cloves garlic
1 lime, peeled
1/3 cup tamari
4 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 425F convection roast
thinly slice the onions
heat up some avocado oil in a cast iron skillet on medium heat
once the oil is hot, add the onions to the skillet and let them sweat
meanwhile, chop the garlic
once the onions are translucent, spray with more avo oil, and add the garlic
meanwhile, dice the tomatoes
once the onion & garlic mixture is light brown & fragrant, add more avo oil & the tomatoes
let the tomatoes start cooking, once they are bubbling, turn the heat down to the lowest setting and let them simmer for 30ish minutes
strain & rinse the butterbeans and add to the mixture, mix them up
transfer the skillet to the oven & let it roast for 20-30 minutes (you want the top to start to charr)
Serve with the Gochugaru Tahini sauce & the Lemon Basil Olives sauce
Links
I really like BioItalia Butterbeans or Jack’s. I used Jack’s in this recipe. The reason I like these 2 brands is because they use bigger beans than some other brands, which I love
I used this tahini. It’s honestly my favorite.
For More on Gut Health & Bloating
If you want more recipes that will help you debloat, I highly recommend checking out my [free] Gut Health Cookbook, which has 5 yummy, gut-friendly, recipes. You can download it here.
