Gut Health
Mung Beans
A small, fast-cooking legume that's also the most common bean used for sprouting, boosting its vitamin C as it sprouts.
Heart Health
Gut Health
Detox
Serving
1 cup, cooked (202g)
Calories Per Serving
212
Key nutrients
Plant protein, folate, fiber, vitamin C (sprouted)
Nutrient density
Not officially rated
Why it’s worth eating
Mung beans are high in protein, fiber, folate, and antioxidants. They promote heart and digestive health. Use in soups, sprouts, or curries for a nutritious dish.
What you may notice
Digestive comfort
Energy stability
Markers worth tracking
Fasting blood glucose
Fasting iron and ferritin
How to eat it
Sprout for a few days if you want a vitamin C boost and a crunchier texture, or cook dried mung beans directly, they cook faster than most legumes and don't always need soaking.
Pairs well with
Rice or whole grains, completes the amino acid profile
Vitamin C foods, improves absorption of the beans' non-heme iron
Storage
Store dried mung beans in an airtight container indefinitely; refrigerate cooked beans or sprouts and use within several days.
The numbers, per 1 cup, cooked (202g)
5%
Vitamin K
0%
Vitamin A
2%
Vitamin C
4%
Calcium
16%
Iron
23%
Magnesium
11%
Potassium
0%
Vitamin B12
0%
Vitamin D
Fiber
15.4g
Beans, mung, mature seeds, cooked (FDC 174257)
Evidence
A
Highest-quality evidence in the legume group, from pooled RCT meta-analyses rather than bean-specific trials. High heterogeneity (I2=80%) and Pulse Canada co-funding. Pooled pulse evidence; also commonly sprouted.
Study dose vs. serving
Median 130 g/day (about half to three-quarters cup cooked) lowered LDL 0.17 mmol/L (~5%). Glycemic trials averaged 152 g/day. Realistic serving, though the CMAJ authors note most North Americans would need to more than double current intake.
Ha V, Sievenpiper JL, de Souza RJ, et al. CMAJ. 2014;186(8):E252-262. DOI 10.1503/cmaj.131727. 26 RCTs, n=1037. Co-funded by Pulse Canada.
Use caution if
You have IBS or are FODMAP-sensitive, legumes are a common trigger; start with small portions
You eat them as raw sprouts and are pregnant or immunocompromised, raw sprouts carry a higher foodborne illness risk than cooked
Details
Type
Fats
Season
Pantry, year-round
Forms
Dried, sprouted, flour, noodles
Price
Budget
Bioactive
Resistant starch and soluble fibre
Heat stable
Yes
Watch
Raw sprouted forms carry pathogen risk - see lentil-sprouts.
Reliability
3 / 5
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