Digest This

What is BeanAssist? The Digestive Enzyme Formula for Beans and Vegetables*

July 14, 2022 by Enzymedica Team
What is BeanAssist? The Digestive Enzyme Formula for Beans and Vegetables*

Beans, beans, the magical fruit. The more you eat, the more you… Anyone who’s regretted a second helping of chili or that bean and beef burrito knows how that silly rhyme ends. Beans are a nutrient-rich food that’s also affordable. Legumes (the broader category for beans and their dried counterpart, pulses) are a staple food in many cultures. But beans – along with veggies like cabbage and broccoli – can be tough for your body to digest. This can cause uncomfortable and embarrassing gas and bloating. But thankfully, there’s a digestive enzyme that can expertly help your body break down the complex carbs in beans.

Enzymedica’s digestive enzyme formula BeanAssist™ contains alpha galactosidase, an enzyme for breaking down complex carbs (such as those found in beans) into easier-to-digest sugars.*  These capsules stop gas – no more bloat or discomfort after eating black beans, chickpeas or lentils! (You take BeanAssist™ with meals.)

Read on to learn more about how digestive enzymes work, why beans deserve a seat at the table – and how to pick a quality supplement. (We’ll also spill the beans – ha! – about that “musical” playground saying.)

  • BeanAssist™ is a non-GMO digestive enzyme supplement formulated to break down gas-inducing foods.*
  • Legumes (including beans and pulses) are healthy, affordable foods.
  • Enjoy the foods you love, no bloat or discomfort, with this powerful gas-fighting formula
  • Fast-acting enzymes break down complex carbs in fiber-rich foods like beans, cabbage and broccoli.*
  • Makes meals easier to digest, to stop gas and bloating before they start.*

What is BeanAssist™?

BeanAssist™ is a digestive enzyme supplement formulated to break down gas-inducing foods.* With this powerful gas-fighting formula from Enzymedica, you can enjoy the foods you love!* Taken daily with each meal, BeanAssist™ stops gas, for no bloat or discomfort.*

This non-GMO dietary supplement contains a fast-acting enzyme that breaks down complex carbs in fiber-rich foods like beans, cabbage and broccoli.* BeanAssist™ stops gas and bloating before they start – and makes meals easier to digest.*

As with all digestive enzymes from Enzymedica (the #1 best-selling brand of digestive enzymes in America), BeanAssist™ includes Thera-blend™ enzymes, which are proven effective all the way through your digestive tract.*

Why Would I Take Digestive Enzyme Supplements?

Why take digestive enzyme supplements? Think of it like this. Say it’s a hot day and you want nothing more than to go home, take a shower and enjoy some cool air-conditioning while catching up on your favorite shows. You have all of those things – and you know where they are and what they do – but you forgot your house key. Digestive enzymes are similar. All the nutrients in the food you eat are locked up, but enzymes are the key to unlock them so you can access the good stuff inside.

Another way to think of them is like scissors, to help break down food into smaller, easier-to-digest pieces. Think of the last meal you ate and all the foods that were on your plate. That bean and chicken burrito had a whole-wheat tortilla, corn, tomatoes, onions, peppers, lettuce, cheese, sour cream, avocado and maybe a few other ingredients. Each of those foods offers its own set of nutrients.

But to access the benefits of those nutrients, your body needs to be able to fully and efficiently break them down.

Digestive enzymes are enzymes within your digestive system that help break down food into nutrients. To completely convert food into absorbable nutrients, your body needs sufficient supplies of those digestive enzymes – but sometimes we don’t have enough. That could be due to age, lifestyle or personal habits, an inherited genetic deficiency (like lactose intolerance) or simply overdoing it on occasion. Sometimes, your body needs a little help. That’s where digestive enzyme supplements come in.

Digestive enzymes offer your body an all-natural way to assure you have sufficient amounts of the enzymes you need to break down your meals. They offer general support – as well as more targeted support if you have specific food intolerance(s).*

The Benefits of BeanAssist™

For those who eat beans daily or only on occasion, BeanAssist™ is formulated to break down gas-inducing foods.*

  • Enjoy the foods you love, no bloat or discomfort*
  • Fast-acting enzymes break down complex carbs in fiber-rich foods like beans, cabbage and broccoli.*
  • Makes meals easier to digest.*
  • Powerful gas-fighting formula
  • Stops gas and bloating before they start.*
  • Take daily with each meal to stops gas*

With BeanAssist™, you can enjoy the Indian buffet again. You can eat the refried beans you love! You can enjoy your mom’s homemade chili, your neighbor’s homemade hummus and that three-bean salad your co-worker brings to every potluck!

Where can you buy BeanAssist? You can find BeanAssist™ and other Enzymedica digestive enzyme supplements online or at your stores nationwide. Shop Enzymedica BeanAssist™.

Why Do Beans Cause Gas?

BeanAssist™ will make the most “musical” food on your plate into a silent one. And while we’re at it, let’s set the record straight: Beans aren’t fruit; they are actually seeds!  

They contain complex carbs and soluble fiber that can be hard to digest. If they aren’t properly digested, they ferment and cause gas in your gut. However, the enzyme in BeanAssist™ can quickly break down those substances, for no gas or bloating!*

What's inside BeanAssist™?

BeanAssist™ contains the following digestive enzymes:

Alpha-galactosidase quickly breaks down the starches and polysaccharides found in legumes, grains and vegetables.*

Since we hear this question frequently, here’s the difference between BeanAssist™ and VeggieGest™.

  • BeanAssist™ is a digestive enzyme supplement formulated to break down gas-inducing foods.* It contains fast-acting enzymes that break down complex carbs in fiber-rich foods like beans, cabbage and broccoli.* It contains only Alpha Galactosidase, an enzyme for breaking down complex carbs into easier-to-digest sugars.*
  • VeggieGest™ is formulated to break down all vegetables.* The enzymes in VeggieGest™ actively break down complex carbs in vegetables, grains and beans to enhance nutrient absorption.* This formula contains 12 different digestive enzymes, including Alpha Galactosidase.*

What Are Beans and Legumes – and Are They Good for Me?

Beans are a versatile, nutritious and affordable food. Pulses – the name for their dried form – are such a valuable food source that the United Nations General Assembly voted back in 2016 to declare the International Year of Pulses, to raise awareness about them!

According to the USDA, Beans (and peas) are considered to be part of the vegetable food group, but they can also be counted as a protein food. They provide nutrients like plant-based protein, dietary fiber, iron and zinc. They are low in dietary fat and are often excellent sources of nutrients like folate and potassium (meaning they provide 20% or more of the daily value).

Whether you add them to soups and stews, eat them in tacos or burritos or blend them into sauces and dips, beans are delicious! It doesn’t matter how you define your diet or where you live; beans can be a tasty addition to your meals. Plus, once you see how cheap a can of beans or a bag of dried ones are, you’ll love them even more.

Pro tip: Give canned beans a rinse before eating or cooking them. And soak dried ones overnight, then change the water before cooking. This can also help them be easier to digest. But don’t forget your BeanAssist™!

Does Thera-Blend Make a Difference?

Thera-Blend makes all the difference when compared with other digestive enzyme supplements. This technology isn’t found in lower-priced enzyme brands!

BeanAssist™ -- as with all Enzymedica digestive enzyme supplements -- ™ includes Thera-blend™ enzymes that are proven effective all the way through your digestive tract.* Your GI tract is a diverse and active place, and the pH (acidity or alkalinity) isn't the same all the way through.

Our Thera-blend technology makes sure that enzymes thrive in all of the pH levels of the GI tract.* For you, this means the enzymes can help break down food in the stomach, assist with nutrient absorption in the small intestine and support immune and whole-body health in the microbiome.*

How Do I Use BeanAssist™?

Whether you’re cooking rice and beans at home or your office is hosting a chili cookoff, it is easy to take BeanAssist™. Take 1 capsule with each meal that contains problem food. More may be taken as needed.

Consult with a physician prior to use if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medications or have a medical condition.

BeanAssist™ works fast – so take it with each meal that contains beans.*

How Can I Choose a Quality Digestive Enzyme Supplement?

Look for activity, not volume when determining the quality of a digestive enzyme supplement. Start by checking the Supplement Facts panel on the label. How are the enzymes measured? Enzymes are not weighed in metric units like milligrams or grams. They're also not measured like recipes, in dashes, pinches or cups. That is simply not the way that digestive enzymes function! Enzymes should always be measured according to their respective activity levels, using a specific set of purity, quality and identity of food ingredients standards established by the internationally accepted Food Chemical Codex. As the industry leader in digestive enzyme supplements for over 20 years, we know this -- and we always follow the Codex.

Regardless of which of our products you take for your digestive health, there will always be a rating of each enzyme's activity levels. Look at any of them, and you'll see the "Supplement Facts" label. We provide the various types and activity levels of each enzyme or combination, as well as the specific activities included with each one.

Whatever the formula that you choose, it will contain Enzymedica's proprietary Thera-blend™ technology. That means that the enzymes will be guaranteed to work throughout the entire pH spectrum found along your GI tract. When other enzyme formulas may fall short or simply not work, our enzymes will be effective in almost all acidic or alkaline environments.

Trust the #1 Brand of Digestive Enzyme Supplements

For over 20 years and counting, Enzymedica has been committed to offering you natural digestive health and wellness products – always made with the highest quality and efficacy. Every one of our formulas uses the same high standards. We consistently source the best ingredients available on the planet, each one backed up by cutting-edge scientific research.

When it comes to overall wellness of your body, mind and spirit, digestion is key. At Enzymedica, the leading brand digestive enzyme supplements in America, we offer top-notch solutions for natural digestive health and wellness. Every one of our products is uniquely formulated to be as effective as possible.

If you have a specific food intolerance, we encourage you to check out our entire product line. Want to learn how to recognize the differences between food allergies and food intolerances? Check out this blog on our website.

Other Enzymedica Formulas You Might Like

Here are a few of the various digestive enzyme formulas that we have available for you to try.

Digest Gold™ breaks down your biggest meals. Take daily with each meal to enjoy the foods you love and beat the bloat – with no gas or discomfort!* With bloat-busting, high-potency enzymes, Digest Gold™ is the gold standard for digestive enzymes, as proven by its ongoing status as the number one best-selling enzyme formula in the US for over 10 years and counting. With Thera-blend™ enzymes, it quickly breaks down carbs, fats, fiber and protein. Plus, it prevents that too-full feeling and converts food into fuel with ATPro™ for greater energy!*

Digest delivers full-range, everyday enzymes. This formula helps you enjoy the foods you love when taken daily with each meal. It eliminates bloat (for no gas or discomfort)! Digest effectively breaks down carbs, fats, fiber and protein. It speeds digestion and helps absorb nutrients. And it converts daily meals into all-day energy.

Digest Basic™ breaks down the simplest meals – so you can enjoy the foods you love.* Take it daily with each meal to ease bloat (for no gas or discomfort). These essential, easy-on-you enzymes gently and effectively break down fats, fiber, protein, carbs and hard-to-digest foods. Digest Basic prevents indigestion and converts food into vital energy.

Digest Spectrum™ breaks down all your problem foods.* It’s for all food intolerances!* Take daily with each meal for no gas or discomfort to enjoy the foods you love.* With enzymes for multiple food intolerances, this specialized, high-potency formula breaks down gluten, phenols, lactose and casein.* A repeat award winner, this formula relieves digestive discomfort from all major food intolerances.* Not sure which foods are causing your intolerance? Reach for Digest Spectrum.*

Now here's a look at our specialized formulas:  

GlutenEase™ breaks down breads, pastas and grains.* Enjoy the foods you love with no bloat or discomfort. Take daily with each meal for gluten intolerance. This blend of powerful gluten-intolerance enzymes efficiently breaks down both gluten and casein. It also protects against hidden gluten in meals.*

GlutenEase™ Extra Strength offers double the digestive power for maximum potency to quickly break down foods with both gluten and casein.* It guards against hidden gluten in meals – with our most advanced gluten intolerance enzymes.

DairyAssist™ breaks down dairy sugar and protein.* Take DairyAssist™ daily with each meal to enjoy ice cream and cheese – no bloat or discomfort.* It contains dual-action, dairy intolerance enzymes that quickly break down both lactose (dairy sugar) and casein (dairy protein) for twice the digestive relief.* DairyAssist™ makes every part of dairy more easily digested.*

Lacto™ breaks down your dairy-heavy meals, so you can enjoy the foods you love.* Formulated for lactose intolerance, take daily with each meal for no bloating, gas or discomfort!* With maximum-strength dairy intolerance enzymes, Lacto is packed with powerful enzymes for meals that contain lots of dairy.* It breaks down lactose (dairy sugar), casein (dairy protein) and dairy fats for complete meal digestion.* Grab this one before you dig into that cheese board!

Lypo Gold™ breaks down fatty foods! Enjoy the foods you love and take it daily with each meal to relieve discomfort, for no gas or bloating.* These fat-digestion enzymes are keto-friendly.* They quickly break down all fatty foods, from healthy to greasy ones, along with protein and carbs. Whether you have a gallbladder and not, Lypo Gold has your back!

VeggieGest™ breaks down all vegetables – so you can enjoy the veggies you love! Take daily with each meal to prevent bloat for no gas or discomfort. This whole-food meal enzyme blend actively breaks down the complex carbs in vegetables, grains and legumes to enhance nutrient absorption. It’s great for vegetarian and vegan diets as well as any diet that’s rich in whole foods that are unprocessed.

Note: Digestive enzyme supplements are not suited for individuals with allergies or celiac disease. Food allergies are immune reactions. A food intolerance is an enzyme deficiency. A dietary supplement such as Digest Spectrum™ works best for individuals with known food intolerance reactions or those looking to provide support for cross contamination when eating away from home.

 

 

References

https://pulses.org/about-us/international-year-of-pulses

https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/How-do-I-count-beans-and-peas-in-the-United-States-Department-of-Agriculture-food-patterns-Where-do

https://www.livescience.com/5014-surprising-truths-fruits-vegetables.html