Importantly, mung beans are composed of about 20%–24% protein. In western cultures, mung bean sprouts are popularly used as a fresh salad vegetable. Mung beans can also be made into products like soups, porridge, confections, curries, and alcoholic beverages. Dried seeds may be eaten whole or split, cooked, fermented, or milled and ground into flour. Mung beans are a pulse or food legume crop used primarily as dried seeds and occasionally as forage or green pods and seeds for vegetables. Nutritional value of mung beans as a common food In the present review, we summarize the nutritional value, chemical constituents, and metabolite changes during the sprouting process, as well as pharmacological activities, and clinical applications of mung beans, which will provide a better understanding of the potential applications of this common food. Highly efficient use of mung beans according to evidence demonstrated from scientific experiments will be beneficial to the application of mung beans as a health food, medicine, and cosmetic. Thus, germination is thought to improve the nutritional and medicinal qualities of mung beans. In recent years, studies have shown that the sprouts of mung beans after germination have more obvious biological activities and more plentiful secondary metabolites since relevant biosynthetic enzymes are activated during the initial stages of germination. High levels of proteins, amino acids, oligosaccharides, and polyphenols in mung beans are thought to be the main contributors to the antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor activities of this food and are involved in the regulation of lipid metabolism. As a food, mung beans contain balanced nutrients, including protein and dietary fiber, and significant amounts of bioactive phytochemicals. The seeds and sprouts of mung beans are also widely used as a fresh salad vegetable or common food in India, Bangladesh, South East Asia, and western countries. In the book Ben Cao Qiu Zhen (本草求真), the mung bean was recorded to be beneficial in the regulation of gastrointestinal upset and to moisturize the skin. It is well known for its detoxification activities and is used to refresh mentality, alleviate heat stroke, and reduce swelling in the summer. The mung bean ( Vigna radiata) has been consumed as a common food in China for more than 2,000 years.

Moreover, many worldwide health organizations have recommended an increase in the intake of plant-derived foods to improve health status and prevent chronic diseases. With increasing clinical evidence suggesting that plant-derived foods have various potential health benefits, their consumption has been growing at a rate of 5%-10% per year.

Bean sprout nutrition