Have you tasted mung beans before? They are known by many names, including green grams, moong beans and golden gram. Mung beans are widely used for a variety of purposes across the United States, Europe and Asia. If you want to learn more about their amazing health benefits, give this article a read! You’re guaranteed to learn a lot. So sit back, relax and enjoy!
What Are Mung Beans?
Mung beans are a kind of small, green legume that come the very same plant family as lentils and peas. Mung beans are a high source of protein, antioxidants, fiber and phytonutrients. Although legumes are not that popular in most parts of the world, mung beans have many health benefits to offer.
Mung beans are fairly new to most people in the United States, but they have been a huge part of traditional Ayurvedic diets in India for thousands and thousands of years. Furthermore, mung beans are considered “one of the most cherished foods”, especially in ancient Indian medical practice. Nowadays, they are starting to pop up in various protein powders, canned soups and restaurant meals.
As you will come to learn, mung beans are one of the healthiest plant protein sources in this world, especially if you consider the number of other nutrients they have in addition to amino acids. There are some organizations that say mung beans have various biological effects, including the following:
- Antitumor effects
- Antihypertensive effects
- Lipid metabolism accommodation effects
- Anti-diabetic effects
- Anti-inflammatory effects
- Antimicrobial effects
- Antioxidant effects
Nutritional Value of Mung Beans
100 grams of raw, matured mung beans may contain the following essential vitamins, minerals and other nutrients:
| Principle | Amount | % Daily Value |
| Energy | 347 Kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 62.62 grams | 48% |
| Protein | 23.86 grams | 43% |
| Total Fat | 1.15 grams | 6% |
| Cholesterol | 0 milligrams | 0% |
| Dietary Fiber | 16.3 grams | 43% |
| Vitamins | ||
| Folates | 625 micrograms | 156% |
| Niacin | 2.251 milligrams | 16% |
| Pyridoxine | 0.382 milligrams | 29% |
| Riboflavin | 0.233 milligrams | 18% |
| Thiamin | 0.621 milligrams | 52% |
| Vitamin-A | 114 IU | 4% |
| Vitamin-C | 4.8 milligrams | 8% |
| Electrolytes | ||
| Sodium | 15 milligrams | 1% |
| Potassium | 1246 milligrams | 26.5% |
| Minerals | ||
| Calcium | 132 milligrams | 13% |
| Copper | 0.941 micrograms | 104.5% |
| Iron | 6.74 milligrams | 84% |
| Magnesium | 189 milligrams | 47% |
| Manganese | 1.035 milligrams | 45% |
| Phosphorus | 367 milligrams | 52% |
| Selenium | 8.2 micrograms | 15% |
| Zinc | 2.68 milligrams | 24% |
| Phyto-nutrients | ||
| Carotene-β | 68 micrograms | |
How to Use Mung Beans
Germination, or sprouting, is often thought to have the capacity to improve the medicinal and nutritional qualities of mung beans. Furthermore, it makes them much easier to tolerate and digest. Always try to consume sprouted mung beans if you can.
Recent studies suggest that sprouted mung beans have more apparent biological activities and more abundant valuable metabolites than the un-sprouted beans. Remember, sprouting is essential for the biosynthetic enzymes, as they become activated during the germination stage. This just means that the nutrition of the mung beans is more easily absorbed into the body.
Whether you use unsprouted or sprouted mung beans, you will still get the nutrients they contain (although bear in mind that the sprouted beans will give you a higher dosage). These nutrients are essential for the body’s development and growth.
Health Benefits of Mung Beans
Here are some of the most astonishing health benefits of mung beans:
- Helps prevent cancer. Mung beans are beneficial in keeping free radicals under control. As we know, free radicals can be an outcome of stress, pollution and many other factors. They cause various illnesses, including cancer. Mung beans are a natural suppressor of these free radicals, which makes them a good option for preventing the onset of cancer.
- Helps increase mental focus and alertness. Those who are suffering from concentration problems must consume mung beans, as they help ensure optimum oxygen supply to the entire body.
- Helps regulate blood pressure. Mung beans are proven to control and regulate fat. Furthermore, the magnesium in them makes them a very strong blood pressure regulator.
- Helps make bones stronger. Mung beans may be beneficial as a natural supplement for bone strenght, capable of both maintaining bone health and keeping you safe from any fractures. This is one of the best health benefits of mung beans.
- Helps control cholesterol. Heart disease is very common nowadays – we know that. To prevent or control this, you may consider eating mung beans, which may help increase the digestive and metabolic rate of the body.
- Provides anti-ageing benefits. Mung beans are a powerful anti-aging agent. The copper in them reduces the presence of wrinkles, age lines and age spots. Regular consumption can make you look 10 years younger than your age.
