Beans are an amazing food.  But, in order for them to grow successfully in nature, they contain several molecules which are perfect for keeping away predators, but not so perfect for our digestive systems.
 
Thus, GENTLE BEANS® was created to make a bean flour that IS good for our digestive systems.

So, what are these molecules and what do they do in our bodies?

bean lectins (1,2)	phytic acid (3,4)	tannins (5,6)	enzyme inhibitors (7,8)	oligosaccarides (9,10)
What are bean lectins?    They are a special kind of protein found in raw or poorly processed beans.  Plants use them as a protective agent against predators.	What is phytic acid?   Phytic acid is found in grains, legumes and nuts and is the principle form of phosphorus in these foods.   Plants use phytic acid to bind to the minerals it would need to sprout a new plant.	What are tannins?    Tannins are astringent tasting compounds found in the skins of many foods.  Due to this astringent taste, plants use tannins to protect themselves from predators.	What are enzyme inhibitors?    Enzyme inhibitors (sometimes called protease inhibitors), specifically trypsin, chymotrypsin and alpha-amylase are found in many plant seeds and especially in beans.  They are thought to fight off insects from eating the seeds.	What are oligosaccharides?   The oligosaccharides in beans are specifically called Raffinose Family Oligosaccharides and consist of raffinose, stachyose and verbascose.  They are large sugar molecules that transport and store the sugar sucrose as food for plants.
What do lectins do in our bodies?   The lining of the digestive tract contains cells that lectins can bind with causing impairment of the normal physiological function of the intestine. This can cause local and systemic issues. ​These issues range from interference of nutrient absorption and cell turnover in the gut, to disruption of metabolism and promoting atrophy or enlargement of key organs. This can create long-term issues as well as short-term pain and discomfort during digestion.    In animal studies (not initiated or performed by GENTLE BEANS®), the toxicity of lectins from raw beans resulted in impaired growth and diarrhea, followed by eventual death of experimental animals.	What does phytic acid do in our bodies?   Phytic acid is able to bind to minerals, but sadly our bodies are not designed to break apart this bond, so these minerals (specifically iron, zinc and calcium) remain less available to us from food containing phytic acid.  In addition, it is also possible that phytic acid has a similar effect on the digestion of protein. That said; phytic acid also has the beneficial aspects of being an antioxidant.	What do tannins do in our bodies?    Tannins interact with proteins, decreasing their digestibility. When tannins are present in animal feed, the animals tend to eat less, thus depressing their growth rate.  ​Another issue is inhibition of digestive enzymes and increased excretion of stored protein.	What do enzyme inhibitors do in our bodies?    Enzyme inhibitors inhibit the enzymes that help us digest our food. The enzyme inhibitors in beans affect both starch and protein digestion. Higher amounts of enzyme inhibitors in the diet have shown not only a decrease in the digestibility of proteins, but also an increase in losses of stored protein.  That said; these inhibitors are also proteins themselves and typically contain the amino acids that are found in lesser quantities in legumes.	What do oligosaccharides do in our bodies?   These large sugar molecules are a type of carbohydrate that our bodies cannot digest due to a lack of a specific digestive enzyme, thus they reach the large intestine fairly unchanged and feed the beneficial bacteria living there. That is the good news; the bad news is in doing that these bacteria release gas, creating uncomfortable flatulence, bloating and sometimes diarrhea.
GENTLE BEANS® flour has NO detectible lectins.	The GENTLE BEANS® process coaxes much, but not all, of the phytic acid away from the beans.	GENTLE BEANS® flour contains no detectible tannins.	The enzyme inhibitors have been lowered in GENTLE BEANS® flour to a suitable level.	The GENTLE BEANS® process removes most of the oligosaccharides from the beans, leaving only a small portion that can be available to feed these beneficial bacteria, but only at a level that should cause little or no digestive distress for you.

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2. Donnatucci, D.A, Liener, I. & Gross, C., 1987. Binding of Navy Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris)  Lectin to the Intestinal Cells of the Rat and Its Effect on the Absorption of Glucose.  American Institute of Nutrition 2154-60.
   
3. Carnovale, E., Lugaro, E. & Lombardi-Boccia G., 1988. Phytic Acid in Faba Bean and Pea:  Effect on Protein Availability.  Cereal Chemistry 65(2): 114-117.
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7. Huisman J., Jansman A.J.M., 1991. Dietary effects and some analytical aspects of anti-nutritional facts in peas (Pisum sativum), common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) and soybeans (Glycine max L.) in monogastric farm animals.  A literature review.  Nutr. Abstr. Rev. 61, 901-921.
8. Apostolatos, G., 2007. Nutritional significance of trypsin inhibitors from edible dry beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). International Journal of Food Science & Technology 19, 561–567.
9. Saini, H.S., 1989. Legume seed oligosaccharides.  In:  Huisman, J., Van Poel, A.F.B., Liener, I.E. (Eds. )  Recent Advances of Research in Antinutritional Factors in Legume Seeds.  Pudoc, Wageningen.  Pp. 329-341.
10. Rackis, J. J., 1975. Oligosaccharides of Food Legumes: Alpha-Galactosidase Activity and the Flatus Problem. ACS Symposium Series Physiological Effects of Food Carbohydrates 207–222.