Mighty Mung Beans
I know I’ve mentioned mung beans before as an aside within other recipes, but these tiny but mighty legumes are worthy of a post in their own right. I only became familiar with mung beans a few years ago, but now they are in regular rotation at our house as they are super easy to cook and require no pre-soaking, they are mild in flavor and can be used in a wide variety of dishes, and they are the most easily digested of all the beans, so they are gentle on the tummy. As you will see, they are also little powerhouses of nutrition.
Macronutrients:
A cup of cooked mung beans has 212 calories, 14.2 grams of protein, 38.7 grams of carbohydrates, .8 grams of fat, and 15.4 grams of fiber.
Protein - Mung beans are an excellent source of plant-based protein. By weight, they are composed of 20.97 to 31.32% protein. Mung beans contain all essential amino acids, and their total amino acid content exceeds the World Health Organization recommendations for protein-containing foods (Yi-Shen et al., 2018). While they have somewhat lower relative concentrations of the amino acids methionine and cysteine, when combined with a whole grain such as quinoa, which is high in these amino acids, their already impressive amino acid profile is further enhanced. As with all amino acids, the amino acids in mung beans are utilized across body systems for protein synthesis, muscle grown, oxygen transport, cellular repair, hormone synthesis, energy production, and many other vital functions.
Carbohydrates - Mung beans are made up of approximately 62.3% carbohydrates (An et al., 2024). These carbohydrates can be utilized for immediate energy use or converted to glycogen for later use. Of interest, mung bean starch is unique in that it has a low glycemic index. Mung beans contain higher levels of amylose than other legumes, and the amylose helps to moderate the post-prandial glucose response, leading to a relatively low glucose spike after consumption. As such, mung beans are considered to be a favorable food for reducing diabetes risk (Hou et al., 2019).
Fats - Mung beans are low in fat, containing only 1.9% fat (An et al., 2024). This is considerably lower than other legumes, such as soybeans, which are 21% fat. Given their protein to fat ratio, they are an excellent food for weight loss.
Fiber - Mung beans are terrific for digestive health. They are packed with resistant starch, a favorite food of our good gut microbes which devour this resistant starch and reward us with beneficial compounds such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFA). These SCFA have numerous health benefits. They keep us lean and encourage healthy metabolism. They reduce our risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. They decrease systemic inflammation, improve digestive health, and support our immune system. They lower our risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer, and they help protect our brains from neurodegeneration and dementia.
Minimum fiber requirements are
25 grams of fiber per day for women
and 38 grams per day for men.
It is estimated that 95% of Americans are deficient
in fiber, eating only 15 grams per day.
Finding delicious foods which are naturally packed
with fiber can help us to reach our fiber goals.
At 15.4 grams per cooked cup,
mung beans are an exception source of fiber
(while still being packed with protein).
Micronutrients:
Mung beans are high in vitamin B1 (important for energy production and nervous system health) and folate (critical for red blood cell formation and healthy cell growth). They are a good source iron (important for hemoglobin production and immune function), zinc (critical for immune and metabolic health), potassium (important for muscle contraction, heart function, and carbohydrate metabolism), magnesium (used for protein synthesis and glucose control), and manganese (vital for regulating nerve function and blood pressure). Mung beans are an excellent source of polyphenols including anthocyanins, flavanols, and phenolic acids (Hou et al., 2019). Polyphenols, such these, are known to reduce systemic inflammation, lower blood pressure, reduce diabetes risk, protect against some forms of cancer, and support optimal brain function (Rana et al., 2022).
Mung beans are little nutrition superstars.
They lower risk of diabetes, hypertension,
kidney disease, obesity, and cancer.
They can improve immune function, they help support fetal development due to their high folate content,
and they provide an excellent source of inexpensive
and highly bioavailable plant-based protein.
In case you haven't tried these little beauties, I encourage you to try this Roasted Carrot and Mung Bean Salad adapted from the amazing Yotam Ottolenghi.
https://thewell-nourishedbrain.com/blog/roasted-carrot-and-mung-bean-salad
I also particularly like mung beans when they are combined with quinoa and farro. I have found that these all have similar cook times, so they can be made together in a rice cooker. I simply add a cup of each and 4 cups of water to my rice cooker and then cook them on the white rice setting. This combination makes a delicious and nutrient-packed base for grain bowls.
When paired with leafy greens and avocado,
it is one of my favorite weekday breakfasts.
Next on my list to try are these delightful mung bean pancakes from the New York Times.
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014483-bindaetteok-mung-bean-pancakes
If you are tired of garbanzos and black beans, I encourage you to give mung beans a try.
They make excellent dal, they are a great addition to salads, and they can even be blended to make gluten-free, high-protein wraps, like these beautiful spiced wraps from Cook Together.
https://cooktogether.com/recipe-items/spiced-mung-bean-wraps/
Optimizing nutrition is easy with power-packed and versatile ingredients
like the tiny but mighty mung bean.
Wishing you excellent health!
🌱💕
References:
An, G., Park, S., & Ha, J. (2024). The enhancement effect of mungbean on the physical, functional, and sensory characteristics of soy yoghurt. Scientific Reports, 14(1), 3684. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-54106-9Links to an external site.
Hou, D., Yousaf, L., Xue, Y., Hu, J., Wu, J., Hu, X., Feng, N., & Shen, Q. (2019). Mung bean (vigna radiata L.): Bioactive polyphenols, polysaccharides, peptides, and health benefits. Nutrients, 11(6), 1238. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11061238Links to an external site.
Li H-T, Zhang W, Zhu H, Chao C, Guo Q. Unlocking the potential of high-amylose starch for gut health: Not all function the aame. Fermentation ,9(2):134. https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation9020134Links to an external site.
Rana, A., Samtiya, M., Dhewa, T., Mishra, V., & Aluko, R. E. (2022). Health benefits of polyphenols: A concise review. Journal of Food Biochemistry, 46(10), e14264. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfbc.14264Links to an external site.
Wang, F., Huang, L., Yuan, X. et al. Nutritional, phytochemical and antioxidant properties of 24 mung bean (Vigna radiate L.) genotypes. Food Prod Process and Nutr 3, 28 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s43014-021-00073-xLinks to an external site.
Yi-Shen, Z., Shuai, S., & FitzGerald, R. (2018). Mung bean proteins and peptides: Nutritional, functional and bioactive properties. Food & Nutrition Research, 62, 10.29219/fnr.v62.1290. https://doi.org/10.29219/fnr.v62.1290Links to an external site.