Mung Bean
Mung bean
Mung bean sprouts, high in nutrients
and low in calories, are a versatile vegetable You can eat them cooked or raw,
although pregnant women should not eat any raw sprouts because of the potential
for food-borne illness. Mung bean sprouts make a good addition to a balanced
diet, atop salads and soups or in sandwiches and wraps.
Weight Control Mung bean
Mung bean sprouts may help you
control your weight because they have a low calorie density, with a small
amount of calories in each serving. A cup of raw mung bean sprouts has 31
calories. Foods with a low calorie density, such as mung bean sprouts, can fill
you up faster than high-fat or sugary foods.
Support Heart Health
A cup of raw mung beans provides
about 2 g dietary fiber. The fiber in plant foods helps lower your bad LDL
cholesterol levels. Sprouts also supply vitamin C, which may lower your risk
for coronary heart disease. A diet high in sodium and low in potassium may
increase your risk for high blood pressure, which may lead to heart disease.
Mung beans are nearly sodium-free, and they have 155 mg potassium.
Maintain Healthy Vision
A benefit of mung bean sprouts is
that they may support healthy vision. A diet with plenty of fruits and
vegetables may reduce your risk for cataracts and macular degeneration. These
benefits come partly from the antioxidant activity of vitamin C. A cup of mung
bean sprouts provides about 14 mg vitamin C, or nearly a quarter of the daily
value for someone on a 2,000-calorie diet.
Improved Diet
Mung bean sprouts help you increase
your vegetable consumption so your diet is healthier. A diet high in fruit and
vegetables may reduce your risk for chronic diseases such as osteoporosis and
cardiovascular disease. It is easy to add mung bean sprouts to your diet, because
you can eat them raw, in salads or sandwiches, or cooked, in stir-fries.