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Its no secret that legumeslike soybeans and chickpeasget a lot of attention, and with good reason.
If youre looking to step up your (legume) game, we can help with that.
Meet mung beans, your soon-to-be pantry bestie.
founder and director of Real Nutrition
So, why are they worthy of the coveted BFF title, you may ask?
Here are three reasons to kick us off: 1.
Theyre one of the easiest legumes to digest (bye, gassiness).
Some say they taste like creamy baked potatoes (enough said!
); and, of course, 3.
They offer a boatload of gut-healthy fiber.
And were just getting started on the impressive health benefits of mung beans (more to come ahead).
What are mung beans?
In terms of appearance, theyre small, round, and resemble the shape of pearl couscous.
founder and director of Real Nutrition
Theyre typically a forest green color, but can also come in other shades like yellow and brown.
Theyre a legume, so theyre in the same family as beans and lentils.
10 health benefits of mung beans
1.
Theyre packed with tons of essential vitamins and minerals
Mung beans health benefits are pretty impressive.
In fact, theyre loaded with many essential nutrients that can help add extra nutrition to your daily routine.
Theyre packed with potassium, magnesium, folate, fiber, and vitamin B6, Slayton says.
Mung bean nutrition at a glance:
A100-gram serving of cooked mung beanscontains:
2.
Theyre beneficial for womens health
Slayton notes that mung beans can also be particularly beneficial for supporting womens health.
Folate (and folic acid) is aB vitamin that helps prevent birth defects.
Meanwhile, studies show thatvitamin B6 can help ease PMS symptoms.
Mung beans are antioxidant-rich, which may help protect the body from inflammation, Shapiro says.
A friendly reminder: Dietitians recommend aiming to get aboutsix grams of fiber per meal.
The most blunt appeal is that theyre a gas-free bean, unlike a black bean, she says.
Theyre often used in Ayurvedic practices
Mung beans are also prevelant in Ayurveda.
Theyre incredibly versatile to cook with
There are tons of ways to cook with mung beans.
She also recommends making mung bean balls, or fritters.
you might find Reubens delicious mung bean herb fritters recipe ahead.
Or, you’re able to try incorporating them in one of these tastybean breakfast recipes.
Are mung beans healthier than chickpeas?
For starters, she notes that they both offer numerous health benefits.
For example, theyre both good sources ofplant-based protein.
However, chickpeas take the lead per 100-gram serving (nine grams of protein in chickpeasvs.
seven grams ofprotein in mung beans).
She also finds that mung beans may be easier to digest than chickpeas.
The bottom line: You cant go wrong with either.
How do mung beans compare to lentils?
Much like the case with chickpeas, mung beans and lentils share a few similarities and differences.
Both are good sources of plant-based protein with similar protein content per serving, Shapiro says.
Finally, mung beans have a shorter cooking time compared to lentils, Shapiro says.
How to cook mung beans
Why do you soak mung beans before cooking?
Pro tip: Andreeva recommends soaking and cooking mung beans with other spices for added benefits.
Shapiro says you’re able to easily turn them into bean sprouts at home.
Soak the beans overnight or for six hours.
Preheat the oven to 350oF.
Blend all the ingredients together, except for the cilantro and beans.
Meanwhile, strain and rinse the beans.
Pulse half of the beans into a paste, then mix back with the un-blended beans.
Finally, mix the beans and the blended herbs.
Shape small balls in the palm of your hand (about one inch-by-one inch).
Smooth a little coconut oil over parchment paper and line balls so that there is equal space between them.
(you might taste one to help gauge how much time is needed.)
When lightly toasted all over, remove, and enjoy.
Keep the leftovers in an airtight container out of the fridge.
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