Mung beans are the most common source of edible bean sprouts, according to the University of Florida. Nutritionally, mung beans are similar to vegetables; they count toward your daily recommendations for vegetable servings. Mung beans are healthy for most people and you might want to consider adding them to your diet.
Versatility
Sometimes it can be difficult to increase the amount of vegetables in your diet; a benefit of mung beans is that they are versatile. Cooked mung beans work well in soups and stir-fries and you can add raw mung bean sprouts to sandwiches or salads. Wash them well before you eat them. MayoClinic.com warns that you should not eat mung beans or any kind of sprouts raw when you are pregnant because they may have harmful bacteria.
High in Vitamin C
Mung beans provide about 14 mg of vitamin C per cup, according to the USDA. This is nearly 25 percent of the daily value for vitamin C. Vitamin C is essential vitamin for your immune system as well as the cartilage in your joints and blood vessels. A deficiency can lead to poor wound healing and bleeding gums. Vitamin C is an antioxidant and it may reduce your risk for cataracts or coronary heart disease. Many factors contribute to these diseases and as such, you cannot depend on mung beans to prevent them.
Weight Control
Mung beans are a low-calorie food with only 30 calories in a 1-cup serving. They also provide nearly 2 g of dietary fiber in each cup. Dietary fiber comes from the parts of plant foods that your body cannot digest; a high-fiber diet can help you control your weight because foods with fiber tend to be more satisfying so you eat less.
Low-Sodium
A benefit of mung beans is that they are nearly sodium-free, with only 6 mg per cup of raw sprouts. A high-sodium diet can increase your risk for high blood pressure; the 2010 Dietary Guidelines recommend staying under 2,300 mg per day, based on a 2,000-calorie diet. One cup of mung beans also contains 155 mg of potassium. Potassium from fruit, dairy products, beans, whole grains can aid in blood pressure control.
References
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010; January 2010
- Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center; Vitamin C; Jane Higdon; January 2006
- University of Florida Extension; Bean, Mung -- Phaseolus aureus Roxb.; James M. Stephens; 2009
- MayoClinic.com; Pregnancy Nutrition: Foods to Avoid During Pregnancy; May 2009
- MayoClinic.com; Percent Daily Value: What Does it Mean?; Katherine Zeratsky; May 2010
- U.S.Department of Agriculture; Vegetables and Vegetable Products; September, 2010
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