Glad it works and that word is getting around. I never knew about this either, until somebody posted that beans weren’t useable if they’d been stored too long. I knew I’d heard of well-informed sources recommended dried beans for very long term storage, so I did some googling and bumped into the baking soda trick.
With a year of organic chemistry under my belt, I suppose I ought to be able to figure out why this works. Guess I’ll put that project on my to-do list. For now, I’m just going to think of baking soda as “magic bean softener”.
>>>I’m just going to think of baking soda as “magic bean softener”.<<<
LOL not a hard one... Alkali causes deterioration of the skin covering of the beans, allowing the water to penetrate better when cooked. Stronger alkali solutions (lye) are routinely used for peeling potatoes and carrots commercially.
I only see two disadvantages to it - 1. It does tend to lower one or more of the B vitamins and 2. With some beans (like pinto) you will get more loss of integrity of the beans. (But easier to make those refried beans - LOL)
There are definite advantages to kidneys - particularly those with kidney function troubles.
As far as gas, I can only say that the more regularly you eat beans, the less gas you seem to get. The body compensates for it over time, but occasional eating of beans does not give the body time to develop the resistance. Wish I could remember the particular enzyme we produce that controls it, but for the life of me I can’t remember. (will probably wake and remember it about 3 am and then promptly forget it again - LOL)