# Which beans are the least musical? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 2, 2011, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-beans-are-the-least-musical/591188 "2011-08-02T16:09:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-beans-are-the-least-musical/591188/1 "2011-08-02T16:09:36Z")
Beans, beans, they’re good for your health, full of protein, practically a meal by themselves, etc, but not nearly as healthy for your social life. Which type gives you the most beany goodness for the least gas? ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-beans-are-the-least-musical/591188/2 "2011-08-02T16:17:53Z")
Refried. I’ve never had any problem with them. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-beans-are-the-least-musical/591188/3 "2011-08-02T16:42:04Z")
Just grab some Beano next time you shop for beans and eat what you want. Or add a little baking soda to your soak water. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-beans-are-the-least-musical/591188/4 "2011-08-02T16:47:26Z")
uneaten ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-beans-are-the-least-musical/591188/5 "2011-08-02T16:53:41Z")
coffee ---
**Author:** ![Disheavel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@Disheavel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disheavel)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-beans-are-the-least-musical/591188/6 "2011-08-02T17:05:19Z")
Jelly? Green beans (string?) have never been a problem either. ---
**Author:** ![GilaB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@GilaB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GilaB)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-beans-are-the-least-musical/591188/7 "2011-08-02T17:08:55Z")
I’m not sure that there _is_ an answer to this question. IME, different foods are triggers for different people (beans give me no problem at all, but nuts…) and you need to experiment a bit to find what works best for you. That said, if you’re cooking dried beans, soaking them for a few hours/overnight, then discarding the soaking liquid and cooking them in a fresh change of water is supposed to reduce the gassiness. ---
**Author:** ![TheChileanBlob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thechileanblob/32/435_2.png) [@TheChileanBlob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheChileanBlob)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-beans-are-the-least-musical/591188/8 "2011-08-02T17:27:17Z")
I have been told that if you cook a potato with your beans, it will soak up the gas. (Don’t eat the potato.) ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-beans-are-the-least-musical/591188/9 "2011-08-02T18:25:52Z")
> [@TheChileanBlob](#): > > I have been told that if you cook a potato with your beans, it will soak up the gas. (Don’t eat the potato.) There’s no gas to soak up in the pot. The gas is produced after eating the beans because certain bacteria in the gut digest components of the beans and produce gas as a byproduct. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-beans-are-the-least-musical/591188/10 "2011-08-02T20:55:39Z")
Oh lord, but refried beans make me gassy as hell. That’s not universal. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-beans-are-the-least-musical/591188/11 "2011-08-02T21:54:43Z")
My BIL made some refritos that nearly killed me and those around me. He used lard and kept adding it as the beans soaked it up. Beans have an amazing capacity for soaking up grease. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-beans-are-the-least-musical/591188/12 "2011-08-02T22:19:42Z")
I have the least problems with garbanzos. I love me some garbanzos, too, so good times all around. Kidney beans and black beans I try to avoid, though their antioxidant properties are supposed to be superior. My gut just doesn’t get along with them. If I’m going to be home alone all day the next day, I’ll have at it, though, and add some garlic, why not? ---
**Author:** ![mikews99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@mikews99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikews99)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-beans-are-the-least-musical/591188/13 "2011-08-02T22:33:43Z")
Lentils cooked using the hot soak method (bring to boil, turn off heat, let sit for an hour, then bring to boil again and simmer for 1/2 hour) seem to produce very little gas for me compared to other beans. Mmmm, I think I’ll go make some burritos now . . . ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2011, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-beans-are-the-least-musical/591188/14 "2011-08-03T00:00:34Z")
Along then same lines, you can use this recipe: **Fartless Beans** • Bring water that is three times the volume of the dry beans to a boil (roughly 6 cups per pound of beans) • Don’t forget that the beans will expand, so use a large enough pot! • Add beans and continue boiling for 2 minutes, let stand in the water for 1 hour and then drain. • Add fresh water and finish cooking. ---
**Author:** ![GameHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2011, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-beans-are-the-least-musical/591188/15 "2011-08-03T01:14:34Z")
> [@mikews99](#): > > Lentils cooked using the hot soak method (bring to boil, turn off heat, let sit for an hour, then bring to boil again and simmer for 1/2 hour) seem to produce very little gas for me compared to other beans. Anecdotal evidence, but any dried then soaked beans (I cold soak overnight) cause less unpleasantness than the canned variety. I only have experience with the pinto and kidney type, but it seems to be true for me. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2011, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-beans-are-the-least-musical/591188/16 "2011-08-03T02:29:45Z")
Reason I’m asking is that I’ve found canned bean soup on rice makes a quick and filling (and presumably healthy) meal. While I thank you for your tips on degassing beans via soaking, it’s already too late at the point I am getting them (unless [Amy](http://www.amys.com/products/product-categories/soups) does it herself. Though for all I know, she does). ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2011, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-beans-are-the-least-musical/591188/17 "2011-08-03T04:14:23Z")
Then get the Beano. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2011, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-beans-are-the-least-musical/591188/18 "2011-08-03T05:48:13Z")
Blackeyed peas produce less gas than do most varieties of bean. [Here is a page listing several varieties of beans](http://www.freedomyou.com/recipes/beans.htm), from gassiest to least gassy. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2011, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-beans-are-the-least-musical/591188/19 "2011-08-03T06:05:27Z")
> [@dracoi](#): > > Refried. I’ve never had any problem with them. Gawd bless ya. But you is not me! > [@rachelellogram](#): > > Oh lord, but refried beans make me gassy as hell. That’s not universal. Same here. I eat vegetarian fat free refried beans about once a week as part of my diet routine. For no fat and low calories they are very filling (and yummy!). But before eating them I always take into account what I’m doing for the next 36 hours. The amount of gas coupled with it’s horrific stench could get me in legal trouble in some counties. I find green and yellow beans to produce the least amount of gas. But that is not to say they produce no gas. YMMV!