New Delhi, Sept. 12 -- You have carefully chosen your beans and soaked them in water to make them softer. After rinsing them to remove any dirt, you think you've done everything correctly. However, there's one critical step that you must not forget. Cooking the beans thoroughly is important to eliminate harmful compounds that can cause illness. While soaking improves the beans' texture and flavour, cooking is necessary for food safety. Don't skip this step.

Why is undercooking beans so dangerous?

Raw and undercooked beans, particularly red kidney beans, contain high levels of a toxic lectin called phytohaemagglutinin. According to information from the World Health Organization, consuming even just four or five raw or improperly cooked k...