Mung beans (https://magictablecloth.com.au/tag/mung-beans-2/) are part of the legume family and are a good source of protein. Like all legumes, mung beans are very high in soluble dietary fibre. Foods rich in soluble dietary fibers are shown to help lower LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) by encouraging production of LDL receptors that are responsible for removing excess LDL cholesterol out of the blood stream. When sprouted, Mung beans contain vitamin C that is not found in the bean itself.
Mung beans are rich in the following nutrients: protein, vitamin C, folic acid or folate, iron, zinc, potassium, magnesium, copper, manganese, phosphorus, thiamine.
Mung beans is a low glycaemic index (GI) food. Low glycaemic foods promote healthy blood sugar levels. Interest in Mung bean as a functional food is high. There are medical studies, which confirm the antioxidant and anti-diabetic properties of various types of Mung beans. American Chemical Society magazine, for example, published an article in 2013, where research concluded, “…these mung bean sources exhibited great potential to be developed into functional foods or nutraceutical ingredients for maintaining glycemic control and alleviating diabetic complications.”
Mung beans contain protease inhibitors, a type of chemical that is used in antiviral drugs to treat HIV. Protease inhibitors block and prevent formation of tumor cells and slow the replication of certain cancers such as breast cancer.
I shared my way of sprouting Mung beans (https://magictablecloth.com.au/2014/04/18/coconut-mung-beans/) and one of my favourite recipes on my web site (https://magictablecloth.com.au/). When making Mung bean sprouts, it is suggested to make twice the amount needed immediately. They can be kept in the refrigerator for a few days, to prepare and try more than one dish. Raw Mung bean sprouts are fresh and crunchy, and have a delicate sweet nutty taste.
Mung beans also contain isoflavone nutrients. Isoflavones help regulate hormonal activity.
Mung and Ricotta Bake Recipe
Ingredients:
500g light ricotta cheese
2 eggs
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 small leek (finely chopped)
100g baby spinach (coarsely chopped)
350g mung bean sprouts
1/3 cup brown rice flour
salt and pepper as desired
optional – cayenne pepper
Prepareation:
1. Preheat the oven to 185c, spray 12-muffin pan with oil and insert muffin cases.
2. Process cheese, eggs, lemon juice and seasoning to achieve smooth and consistent mixture with no ricotta crumbles.
3. Combine with all other ingredients and mix well using a large spoon, consistency is very important.
4. Divide between 12 muffin holes and flatten the top of each bake with wet spoon
5. Bake at 185C for 25-30 minutes.
Enjoy your meal!
See more tasty healthy recipes (https://magictablecloth.com.au/healthyrecipes/), gluten free recipes (https://magictablecloth.com.au/tag/gluten-free/) and vegan recipes (https://magictablecloth.com.au/tag/vegan-recipe/) at magictablecloth.com.au (https://magictablecloth.com.au/).
About the author:
Janna Boulat is a blog writer, IT professional and a mother of three. Being a busy mum, she learnt to cook healthy and quickly. Now, when the children have grown up, Janna’s explores new products and shares her creations with her followers and friends. You can find this, kale pudding and other healthy recipes on her web site https://www.magictablecloth.com.au/.
—