Beans, lentils and chickpeas with IBS: canned, rinsed and sprouted

Often, yes, in smaller portions and the right form. Monash University explains that legumes are naturally high in oligosaccharides, specifically GOS and fructans, but that they don’t need to be strictly avoided: canned legumes, or those boiled and drained, tend to be lower in FODMAPs, and many have a low-FODMAP serving in the Monash app.

Legumes bring fiber, protein and plenty of nourishment, so the goal is to find the types and amounts that suit you rather than to cut them out. This guide covers the forms that tend to be gentler, the legumes Monash lists as particularly high in GOS, and the allergy and celiac points that matter just as much.

For peanut itself, see our guide to nuts, FODMAPs and allergies. If you have an allergy to any legume, SafeBelly answers "No, avoid this." for foods that contain it.

GOS (galacto-oligosaccharides) are chains of sugars that the small intestine can’t break down. The NIDDK lists legumes, including beans, peas and lentils, among foods that commonly cause gas. When GOS reach the large intestine, gut bacteria ferment them. For most people that just means some extra gas. For people with IBS, it can mean bloating, pain or changes in bowel habit.

Monash’s overview of where FODMAPs are found names GOS as the main FODMAP in legumes and pulses, and lists red kidney beans, split peas, falafel and baked beans as particularly high in GOS. In its legume article, Monash also suggests firm tofu and tempeh as swaps for meat in Asian-style dishes.

The form of the legume makes a real difference, because GOS and fructans dissolve in water.

The sprouting results come from Monash’s report on whether sprouting reduces FODMAP content, which tested chickpeas, red kidney beans and mung beans alongside three grains. The team suggests that enzymes released during germination may break down oligosaccharides, but notes that this doesn’t happen enough in every food, and that other legumes would need testing. Their advice is to try a small amount of a sprouted food and see how you feel.

Monash’s list of foods that are low FODMAP at a smaller serving includes canned butter beans and boiled lima beans: a half serve is green when a full serve is red. That shows why portion size matters, and why the Monash app is the place to check current amounts.

1. Start with canned legumes, then drain them in a colander and rinse well under running water.
2. Begin with a small portion as part of a mixed meal, not a whole bowl of bean chili.
3. Spread legumes across the day rather than having them at every meal, because FODMAPs from different foods add up.
4. Use them as one part of a dish: Monash suggests replacing part of the meat in a sauce or casserole with canned lentils, adding butter beans to soup, or sprinkling cooked mung beans over a salad.
5. Keep a food and symptom diary so you can see which legumes and amounts suit you.

Watch what the legumes come with. Canned baked beans, refried beans, hummus and bean soups often contain onion and garlic, which are high in fructans. Our guide to hidden garlic and onion shows where to look.

Legumes appear in many foods that don’t look like beans. Monash’s label-reading advice lists chickpea flour and soy flour among ingredients that add oligosaccharides. Other places to check include gluten-free breads and pastas made with legume flours, veggie burgers and meat substitutes, protein bars and snack crisps.

• Peanut is a legume. FARE notes that being allergic to peanut does not mean you are more likely to be allergic to other legumes such as beans, peas, lentils or soy. Ask your allergist what applies to you.
• Lupin is the exception. The FDA warns that people allergic to peanut may also react to lupin, and that these reactions can be severe and life-threatening. Some people react to lupin without a peanut allergy.
• Lupin is not a major allergen in US law. In Europe it must be labeled as an allergen. In the US it must still appear by name in the ingredient list, so look for lupin, lupine or lupini, especially in gluten-free baked goods and pasta.
• Soy is one of the nine major US allergens, so it must be declared on FDA-regulated packaged foods. See food allergies and the major allergens.

Beans, lentils and chickpeas are not gluten grains. The catch is how they are grown and handled. Gluten Free Watchdog reports that US grading standards allow lentils to contain a certain percentage of foreign grain, including wheat, barley and rye, and that it has found stray gluten grains in bags of lentils. In its limited testing, lentils that were picked through and rinsed tested lower than lentils tested as they came.

• Pour dry lentils onto a light plate or tray and pick out anything that looks like a grain of wheat or barley.
• Rinse them very thoroughly under running water.
• Gluten Free Watchdog suggests doing the same for all dry legumes as a precaution.
• Check canned legumes in sauce, such as baked beans, for wheat-based thickeners.

If you have not been tested for celiac disease, get tested while you are still eating gluten. Our celiac disease guide explains why.

If legumes don’t suit you right now, these can fill the same role in a meal:

• Firm tofu or tempeh for protein in stir-fries and curries, as Monash suggests (if soy suits you).
• Mung bean sprouts for crunch in salads and noodle dishes.
• Plain meat, poultry, fish or eggs, which Monash lists as low-FODMAP proteins.
• Seeds, which Monash notes are mostly low FODMAP, for texture and fiber.

Talk to a doctor or registered dietitian if legumes seem to cause ongoing pain or bowel changes, if you are cutting out several food groups at once, or if your symptoms change. For any allergic reaction to a legume, see an allergist, and for severe symptoms such as trouble breathing or throat swelling, call emergency services.