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Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Beans and legumes are a vital part of the Mediterranean diet, which protects against heart disease, dementia, cancer and other chronic illnesses. The problem with beans is that digesting their sugars often creates a fragrant, musical byproduct: gas, or flatulence. But that doesn’t mean you can’t experiment with different methods — or different legumes.

More legumes, more fiber When your doctor tells you to eat more beans, says Dr. Todorov, the extra fiber you’re getting creates gas. If you suddenly start eating 1 cup of beans per day, that’s a big increase. Typically, gas levels will return to normal once you’re eating legumes regularly. Does the type of bean matter? A review of three studies found that different legumes cause different amounts of gas. In the first week, black-eyed peas caused less flatulence than either the pinto beans or baked beans.