Mung Bean Sprouts

Mung beans (Vigna radiata) are small, green beans that belong to the legume family. These beans have a slightly sweet taste and are sold fresh, as sprouts or as dried beans.

One cup (7 ounces or 202 grams) of boiled mung beans contains.

• Calories: 212
• Fat: 0.8 grams
• Protein: 14.2 grams
• Carbs: 38.7 grams
• Fiber: 15.4 grams
• Folate (B9): 80% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI)
• Manganese: 30% of the RDI
• Magnesium: 24% of the RDI
• Vitamin B1: 22% of the RDI
• Phosphorus: 20% of the RDI
• Iron: 16% of the RDI
• Copper: 16% of the RDI
• Potassium: 15% of the RDI
• Zinc: 11% of the RDI
• Vitamins B2, B3, B5, B6 and selenium

Folate (also known as vitamin B9) is an important vitamin for DNA synthesis, cell and tissue growth, hormonal balance, cognitive function, and even reproduction. In fact, consuming enough folate is especially important during pregnancy because it’s essential for preventing early births, neural tube defects and even termination.

Mung beans also helps people reach their magnesium needs. Many adults are actually deficient in magnesium, which is an important minerals to control stress levels and manage pain. Magnesium is important for digestive health, proper heartbeat functioning, neurotransmitter release and repairing muscle tissue in people who are very active.

Mung beans are one of the best plant-based sources of protein, with about 20 percent to 24 percent of their chemical structure made up of amino acids (protein), according to the Department of Chemistry at the Harbin Institute of Technology China. Globulin and albumin are the main storage proteins found in mung bean seeds and make up over 85 percent of the total amino acids found in the beans. They’re rich in essential amino acids, such as phenylalanine, leucine, isoleucine, valine, lysine, arginine and more. Essential amino acids are those that your body is unable to produce on its own and combined with other plant sources (like whole grains or some vegetables), they make a “complete protein.”

Since mung beans are often also consumed sprouted, it’s important to note that sprouting changes their nutritional composition. Sprouted beans contain fewer calories and more free amino acids and antioxidants than unsprouted ones. (The sprouts are germinated seeds.) Sprouts are known for their high proteolytic enzyme content. Proteolytic enzymes are responsible for breaking down proteins from animal sources which ensures better nutrient absorption and extraction.

In a 1990 article by Dr. Geoffrey Savage, he noted that mung bean sprouts had significant increases in folic acid and ascorbic levels and better bioavailability of iron. Folic acid is a B vitamin essential for cellular development and vitamin metabolism, while ascorbic acid is responsible for optimizing immune system function.

Sprouting reduces levels of phytic acid, which is an antinutrient. Antinutrients can reduce the absorption of minerals like zinc, magnesium and calcium.

According to a 2017 study published by Biomed Research International, “Legume consumption is suggested to have protective effects against cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality in the general population.” One 2011 study published in the Journal of Human and Experimental Toxicology found that mung beans are highly effective at inhibiting LDL cholesterol oxidation. It found that mung beans have the ability to regulate cholesterol levels because their antioxidants act like potent free-radical scavengers, reversing damage done to blood vessels and lowering inflammation.

Oxidized LDL cholesterol is one of the biggest risks of deadly cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks or stroke. LDL cholesterol can accumulate within the inner lining of blood vessels, called the endothelium, and block blood flow, triggering cardiac arrest. Mung beans are a great addition to any anti-inflammatory diet thanks to their ability to keep arteries clear and to improve circulation.

In a 2014 study published in the Chemistry Central Journal, rats that were given mung bean sprout extracts for one month experienced significant reductions in systolic blood pressure levels. The researchers believed that mung beans’ anti-hypertensive effects might be due to their high concentration of protein fragments known as peptides. These help decrease constricting of blood vessels that raises blood pressure.

A 2018 study published in Clinical Nutrition suggest that legume consumption reduced the risk of all-cause, cardiovascular and cancer-related deaths. High levels of the amino acids oligosaccharides and polyphenols in mung beans are thought to be the main contributors to their antioxidant power that can fight cancer development. In clinical studies, mung beans show anti-tumor activity and are able to protect DNA damage and dangerous cell mutation.

A 2012 study done by the College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering at the China Agricultural University showed that mung beans’ antioxidant capacities are mainly derived from vitexin and isovitexin, two types of protective flavonoids that have high free-radical scavenging abilities. These flavonoids lower oxidative stress that can contribute to cancer formation.

A 2008 study done by the Institute of Crop Sciences at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences found that when rats were given mung bean supplements, they experienced lowered blood glucose, plasma C-peptide, glucagon, total cholesterol and triglyceride levels. At the same time, the rats significantly improved glucose tolerance and increased insulin responsiveness. Therefore, mong beans are especially good for diabetics.

Mung bean nutrition contains a range of phytonutrients that are considered antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory. In fact, compounds isolated from mung beans are even used to preserve certain foods and reduce spoilage. Their antibacterial properties can help increase immunity and fight harmful bacteria, viruses, colds, rashes, irritations and more. Mung beans promote a healthy balance of bacteria within the digestive tract, which helps with nutrient absorption and immune defense.

In many Asian countries, mung bean soup is commonly consumed on hot days because mung beans are believed to have anti-inflammatory properties that help protect against heat stroke, high body temperatures, thirst and more. Animal studies have shown that the antioxidants in mung bean soup may actually help defend cells against injury from free radicals that form during heat stroke.

Because mung beans nutrition contains high levels of fiber and protein, they are one of the most filling foods there is. In a study published in the Journal of Nutrition, researchers observed that a single meal with high-fiber beans produced a twofold greater increase in the satiety hormone called cholecystokinin when compared to meals that didn’t contain beans.

Mung bean nutrition provides B vitamins, including vitamin B6 and folate, which are both important for controlling hormone fluctuations that can lead to severe PMS symptoms. B vitamins, folate and magnesium are useful for lowering the severity and pain associated with PMS symptoms, including cramps, headaches, mood swings, fatigue and muscle aches.

While some people experience gas or bloating from eating beans, mung beans are considered one of the easiest beans to digest and can actually help with detoxification in some cases.

Add mung beans into your diet without experiencing unwanted digestive effects by first soaking and sprouting dried beans overnight and then cooking them with traditional Ayurvedic spices that can help increase digestibility. In India, they are commonly cooked with such spices as ginger, cumin, coriander and turmeric in order to help make them taste great while also helping to avoid any stomach pains. Soaking and sprouting mung beans can also help reduce “antinutrients” that are naturally present within all legumes and beans, making them easier to digest and also releasing more of their nutrients. Types of carbohydrates called oligosaccharides, raffinose, stachyose and verbascose are present in raw (unsprouted) or poorly processed legumes, which can cause uncomfortable flatulence.

Historians also tell us that mung bean soup has been traditionally taken as a kind of health food in China for many centuries. The beans are valued for their ability to reduce coldness and dampness, support the spleen and stomach, provide protein, and prevent nutrient deficiencies. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, it’s recommended that mung beans be cooked to improve digestion and prevent diarrhea.

How to Buy

Buy mung beans in your local health food stores or ethnic markets that sell ingredients for Indian and Asian cooking. When buying mung beans, check for discolored or damaged beans and discard them before cooking them or making mung bean sprouts, since these can contain harmful bacteria.

If you are buying pre-sprouted beans, check that they are firm. Mushy sprouts are probably moldy and you shouldn’t eat them.

How to Store

Store beans in an air-tight container in a dry, dark place. Store sprouts in the fridge. Clean them as you use them. They will last longer if they are dry.

How to Cook

If you plan on growing your own sprouts, it’s important to know that seeds available in the market are loaded with pesticides and other harmful chemicals. In fact, a 2015 study from Ecotoxicology found that excessive pesticides may inhibit seed germination. To make sure that you’re using fresh seeds, it would be best to get your supply from health food stores. If you’re going to be using grocery store-bought seeds, make sure you only get those labeled solely for sprouting purposes.

If you’re unsure of the seeds you bought, you can try soaking them overnight to get rid of the chemicals. Soak them with about a third full of clean water in a clean Mason-type jar covered with a mesh sprouting screen. The soak time depends on the seed size: five hours for small seeds and 12 hours for large seeds and grains.

In the morning, drain and rinse them, then turn the jar on its side and repeat three times daily until they sprout — on average about three days. Rinsing and draining them three times a day gives them just the right amount of moisture.

• Your container should be a quarter to a third full of seeds (they swell to around eight times their original size) and kept at room temperature with good air circulation.
• Once green tips begin appearing on the sprouts, they can be used immediately or refrigerated for several days

In India, split and peeled mung beans are traditionally used in the dish called dahl, which is a thick stew that is high in fiber and protein, yet low in calories. It’s a filling meal and considered a staple in Indian cooking that is eaten multiple times per week for most families.

In Chinese cuisine, mung beans are also used to make pancakes or dumplings, combined with rice in stir-fries as a staple dish, and even used in desserts. Whole mung beans are used to make tángshuǐ, a type of Chinese dessert that literally translates to “sugar water” because the beans are cooked with sugar, coconut milk and a little bit of ginger. They are also ground into a paste to form a popular type of ice cream and sorbet in Hong Kong.

Mung bean sprouts are made into a processed version of starch noodles that are most common in Asian cuisine. Mung beans have a much greater carbohydrate content (about 50 percent to 60 percent) than soybeans do, so they work well as flour and noodle products. The starch is the predominant carbohydrate in the legume and is why these beans are typically used for the production of starchy noodles, such as the kind called muk in Korea.