Nutrients in Mung Beans

The mung bean is a small, yellow-fleshed bean with green, yellow or black skin. Mung beans are common in both Indian and Chinese cuisine and are also used to produce mung bean sprouts. Mung beans are soft and tender with a slightly sweet flavor and provide a many essential nutrients. A 1/2 cup cooked serving of mung beans has 106 calories.

Protein

Mung beans are a good source of protein, a nutrient essential for the maintenance, growth and repair of all cells, tissues and organs. A 1/2 cup serving of cooked mung beans provides 7.1 g of protein. Men need 56 g of protein daily, while women need 46 g, as recommended by the National Academies' Institute of Medicine.

Folate

Mung beans are rich in the B vitamin folate, which is essential for red blood cell production and DNA synthesis. A 1/2 cup serving of cooked mung beans provides 161 mcg of folate. Adults should consume 400 mcg of folate daily, as recommended by the National Academies' Institute of Medicine. It is especially important that women of childbearing age consume adequate folate to reduce the risk of birth defects.

Phosphorus

Mung beans are a good source of the mineral phosphorus. Phosphorus is necessary for bone and teeth formation, kidney function, muscle contraction and nerve transmission. A 1/2 cup serving of cooked mung beans provides 100 mg of phosphorus. Adults need 700 mcg of phosphorus daily, as recommended by the National Academies' Institute of Medicine.

Vitamin B5

Mung beans are a source vitamin B5, or pantothenic acid. Vitamin B5 is a part of the B complex vitamins and is necessary for carbohydrate and fat metabolism. A 1/2 cup serving of cooked mung beans provides 0.414 mg of vitamin B5, which is 8 percent of the daily amount recommended by the National Academies' Institute of Medicine. Vitamin B5 is also necessary for the production of stress and sex-related hormones produced in the adrenal gland.

Dietary Fiber

Mung beans are an excellent source of dietary fiber. A diet high in fiber reduces the risk of developing heart disease and diabetes. A 1/2 cup serving of cooked mung beans provides 7.7 g of dietary fiber. The National Academies' Institute of Medicine recommends men consume 38 g of fiber daily and women 25 g. Dietary fiber also helps maintain digestive tract health and reduces the risk of diverticular disease.