Question about fast soaking beans

OK, now there is a bean bible weighing in. I wonder what Nathan Myhrvold in Modernest Cuisine has to say? Didn't realize how many different points of view just about beans! Love it.

According to the Rancho Gordo Bean Bible, if you are bringing beans to a boil, you have allready started the cooking process, so you might as well just finish cooking them. Rancho Gordo suggest soaking times for most beans is 2 to 6 hours. we just say overnight because of the convienience.

Like susan g says, you can't talk about them in absolutes. Far too many variables.
Some like pressure cooking, others long soak, other quick soak boil/rinse.
I tend to keep dried beans far too long...so they need a 'base'"..a pinch of baking soda to soften them.
Why? Because mostly now I use frozen/fresh beans (such black eyed peas) instead of dried. I think the texture of the frozen beans is superior, more controllable, less fuss and the dried beans are 'fall back PLAN B" options.

Thank you both, greenstuff and susan g. Much appreciated!

No, of course not completely get rid of all the nuisance compounds! Just the ones that leached into the water. And you're right that there are other techniques.

I think that Harold McGee also thinks a bit along your lines, figuring that long, slow cooking is another way of getting rid of some of those compounds without also rinsing away B vitamins and other water soluble nutrients.

Seems like we can never talk about beans in absolutes. "Completely" gets rid of gas producing compounds? Maybe for some people, not all. And there are other gas-reducing tricks, like adding kombu or a variety of seeds. Sally Schneider (A New Way to Cook) says "flatulence has to do with having the intestinal flora to handle them...So cook the beans in their soaking water, which has a lot of bean flavor, or drain them if you wish."
If you do drain them, you will lose some of the water soluble nutrients, especially B vitamins.

Beans are really nutritious, but when we digest them, we stimulate bacteria growth, and that means gas. Soaking, either over a long time at room temperature or with your fast-soak technique, leaches out some of those compounds from the beans and into the water. Rinsing gets rid of those compounds completely.