Toxicity of uncooked beans -- how serious?

Tasaio · Sep 8, 2006

Hi, 
I'm a 20-year old male, and I turned vegan 2 weeks ago. 
For those past 2 weeks, I've been eating a bowl of beans every day: kidney beans, navy beans, chickpeas, lentils, and peas. 
My approach has been to let them boil for at least 10 minutes. I notice that the water turns dark brown during this time. (Is this a sign the toxins are being removed?) 
Even after cooking the kidney beans, I don't find them soft at all. (Is this a sign they haven't been cooked enough?) 
I'm concerned about the poison in the beans, because, this morning, I experienced terrible cramps in my abdominal section. I was very stiff in walking around. 
(This next bit is kind of embarrassing -- my apologies if this is inapproprite.) 
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I've also noticed that my stools have turned dark black. (Before I turned vegan, they were brown.) I also have residual gas problems from the beans I ate last night. Is this is a sign that I've been poisoned? 
This next part is even more embarrasing (my apologies if it's inappropriate) 
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At the same time I developed these abdominal cramps, my testicles began to ache severely. Is there something in beans that could have damaged my testicles/reproductive system? 
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(end of embarrassing/inappropriate material) 
One thing to note is that I had to do some bloodwork this morning -- so I fasted from 8:00 the night before. And the pains started early the next morning. 
The thing is, I fasted the *exact same way* some days earlier, and I didn't have any pains. What could have been different today? 
The only other thing I've done differently the past two weeks is using baking soda instead of fluoride toothpaste (fluoride is very bad). The baking soda is extremely salty -- could this extra salt be affecting me in some way? 
Thanks so much for any advice you can give me -- I'm very concerned that I've done some terrible damage to my body in undercooking these beans.<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/sad.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="

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Keelin · Sep 9, 2006

Are you referring to dried beans or canned beans? 
If you're referring to dried beans, 10 minutes is definitely NOT enough cooking time! Look for a chart online, but most beans require *hours* of soaking and boiling.

froggythefrog · Sep 9, 2006

Eating mostly raw beans is not a good idea. The only beans I know of that are really toxic are red beans. You need to slow cook most beans -- like in a crock pot -- for several hours before you eat them. If you find the beans are not soft, they are not ready to eat and will give you the severe abdominal pains that you are experiencing now. 
Since it seems you are new to beans, may I make some recommendations? If you want beans right away, I suggest lentils, fresh peas, dried split peas, and mung beans or canned beans. Most other beans you will need to put in a slow cooker covered with water and no salt. You will need to soak these beans for several hours and then drain off the water and then cover them with water again before you cook them. After that, cook them on low for many hours. It might take 8 hours for pintos and even more for kidney beans. 
I doubt youve poisoned yourself. I think you are having severe digestive upset which will subside once you get all the raw legumes out of your system.

Tasaio · Sep 9, 2006

Thanks for the replies. I now have some canned kidney beans. 
Yes, I'm afraid I've been using dried kindey beans(!). This means that, for 2 weeks now, I've been eating dry, uncooked toxic beans. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/undecided.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":-/"> 
You seemed to imply that the "toxicity" referred to digestive cramps, nothing more serious. How exactly are these beans "toxic"? What type of damage will they do, exactly? 
Since I have a mixture of beans per day, I'd guess that I have about 5-8 kidney beans. 
This means that, for the past 2 weeks, I've been having 5-8 raw kidney means, every single day. Does that sound like enough to do any serious damage?

Tesseract · Sep 10, 2006

This link may help you cook beans properly so they don't upset your stomach. <a href="http://www.veggieboards.com/boards/showpost.php?p=1171821&postcount=6" target="_blank">Tip of the Day: Beans</a> 
PS: I found this website on the bean toxicity and it seems to suggest that the problem resolves itself without lasting injury. "...recovery is usually rapid (3 - 4 h after onset of symptoms) and spontaneous... All symptoms usually resolve within several hours of onset." All you have to do is stop eating the raw beans. <a href="http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~mow/chap43.html" target="_blank">http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~mow/chap43.html</a>

Lothar M Kirsch · Sep 10, 2006

They won't harm you, but make life unnecessarily uncomfortable. And the haemacclutinins and lectins interfere with proper protein digestion. 
If you like to go raw, peas can be eaten raw, all other legumes must be cooked. 
Do you also eat more kale, spinach (leafy green veggies)? Or drink or eat dark blue/black berries/juices? Otherwise it might be a sign for blood in the digestive tract and you'd better see your doctor.

rabid_child · Sep 11, 2006

I believe the toxins in the beans will cause severe, sudden, and short lasting gastric upset. Not ongoing, slow, etc... Your body may be adjusting to the jump in fiber, or just may not be used to the gas causing elements in beans. You could try getting some vegetarain digestive enzymes and see if that helps, and in order to make sure your beans are toxin free, boil them for a few minutes before you go on the long soaking/simmering process.... or use canned beans. They're still pretty cheap, and extremely easy. (Rinse to reduce gas effects)

Gita · Sep 12, 2006

Here is a list of toxins in common vegetables: <a href="http://www.nzfsa.govt.nz/consumers/food-safety-topics/chemicals-in-food/natural-toxins/index.htm" target="_blank">http://www.nzfsa.govt.nz/consumers/f...xins/index.htm</a>

rawgirl · Sep 13, 2006

I eat sprouted, uncooked beans every day and know many other people who also do. I have experienced no problem. You may have some gas at first if you're not used to them, but it will pass (pardon the pun!)

Fyvel · Sep 13, 2006

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by rawgirl <a href="/forum/post/0"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a> 
I eat sprouted, uncooked beans every day and know many other people who also do. I have experienced no problem. You may have some gas at first if you're not used to them, but it will pass (pardon the pun!)</div>
</div>
 
Raw sprouted beans are different than raw (or undercooked) beans. The sprouting process causes changes that makes the beans more edible. 
Watch out for raw soybeans: they have compounds in them that can block protein digestion. (These compounds are destroyed in processing so things like soy milk and tofu are ok!)

catswym · Sep 13, 2006

i want to address another point you bring up: using a toothpaste without fluoride is a bad idea. 
the ingestion of fluoride may or may not be a bad thing (no need to debate here) but fluoride in your toothpaste is a very good idea. i would switch back.

Fyvel · Sep 13, 2006

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by catswym <a href="/forum/post/0"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a> 
i want to address another point you bring up: using a toothpaste without fluoride is a bad idea. 
the ingestion of fluoride may or may not be a bad thing (no need to debate here) but fluoride in your toothpaste is a very good idea. i would switch back.</div>
</div>
 
That depends on whether or not you're drinking fluoridated tap water.. in that case you'd likely be getting more than enough. (Note that Brita filters don't remove significant amounts of fluoride - I still haven't decided if that is a good or bad thing).

rawgirl · Sep 14, 2006

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by fyvel <a href="/forum/post/0"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a> 
Raw sprouted beans are different than raw (or undercooked) beans. The sprouting process causes changes that makes the beans more edible. 
Watch out for raw soybeans: they have compounds in them that can block protein digestion. (These compounds are destroyed in processing so things like soy milk and tofu are ok!)</div>
</div>
 
I don't eat raw soybeans. Definitely it's best to sprout beans, whether you're going to cook them or not.

lovebeans · Mar 23, 2014

1 cup of beans at a time is a lot for the digestive system. I would encourage you to get 1 and 1/2 cups of legumes a day, but break them up into 6 times - eating 1/4 cup at breakfast, lunch, and supper, and 1/4 between breakfast and lunch, 1/4 cup between lunch and supper, and 1/4 cup before bedtime. Make sure to drink at least 12 cups of water, the soluble fiber in beans help our GI tract, but one must drink plenty of water each day to help it get through our system. Avoid soybeans, eating canned or soaked beans overnight and then cooked on the stove as per the package is fine.

Toxicity of uncooked beans -- how serious?

Tasaio

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