Mung Bean, the Nutrition Power House

Mung bean  is also famously known as green bean. Its husk is green in colour, with yellow flesh when dehusked. It is low in fat, and high in its nutritional value. Whole green bean is solid, when it is raw. It takes hours in boiling to turn soft and fluffy.

Mung bean is claimed to be a perfect slimming food. Some eat it as dieting food or food replacement in their sliming program. Not only it is low in fat, green bean is also a rich source of protein, and fiber which enables one to lower the high cholesterol level in body system. The high fiber in mung bean yields complex carbohydrate which improves digestion. Complex carb helps to stabilize blood sugar in our body by preventing rapid rise after meal. It keeps our energy at an even level. Frequent consumption of mung bean is beneficial to diabetes and one who suffers from high cholesterol level

Mung beans are part of the legume family and are a good source of protein.  If they are combined with other cereals, a complete protein can be made.  When sprouted, mung beans contain vitamin C that is not found in the bean itself.  In Asia, bean sprouts are used in cooking too.  

Health Benefits of Mung Beans

Mung beans are rich in the following nutrients: protein, vitamin C, folic acid or folate, iron, potassium, copper, manganese, phosphorus, thiamine, zinc and magnesium. Mung beans are also high in fibre, low in saturated fat, low in sodium, and contain no cholesterol.  Because of the wide range of nutrients contained in mung beans, they offer a whole host of health benefits for the immune system, the metabolism, the heart and other organs, cell growth, protection against free radicals, and diseases such as cancer and diabetes.

Like all legumes, mung beans are very high in fibre – more so than fruits and vegetables and even better than wholegrains.  The soluble fibre in mung beans captures cholesterol in the intestines, keeps it out of the blood stream, and carries it out of the body.

How to Enjoy Mung Beans

Mung beans can be used in a variety of ways.  They can be sprouted, cooked, or ground to make flour. Mung beans are known for their sweet flavor and mung bean paste is used in some Asian countries to make sweet desserts.

In Indonesia, the mung bean’s sweet flavor is enhanced by adding palm sugar, ginger and coconut milk and enjoyed as snack or breakfast meal known as ‘bubur kacang hijau’ or ‘mung bean sweet soup’  

Seeing so much of its value, I feel like boiling a pot of  mung-bean sweet soup now! A bowl of nice hot sweet mung bean soup may reward my taste bud as well as my stomach.


References:

§    Wikipedia

§    wiseGEEK