Mung Beans
Mung beans are small, oval and green in color. These are cylindrical beans with a bright green skin. Cooked mung beans can be delicious with spices and seasonings added to them. They are sweet, and soft, and they are easily digested. They can be used in soups and casseroles. Mung beans have been a part of Chinese cuisine for thousands of years and are called nga choi or nga choy. Egg rolls, stir-fries and many other Chinese dishes use the sprouted form of mung beans. It's important not to overcook these beans as they take less than a minute to cook when stir frying. Nutrients are lost when overcooking occurs.
In cooking, they are used whole or, more commonly, split and hulled. Split and hulled mung beans are small and yellow and called mung dhal in India. These beans don't need pre-soaking and are a snap to cook to butter-soft consistency if you have a pressure cooker. They can also be cooked in a slow cooker or on the stovetop. Sort beans and wash thoroughly before you cook them.
Mung Beans are low in saturated fat, Sodium, and cholesterol. It is high in dietary fibers, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Riboflavin, Folate, Copper, Manganese, Protein, Thiamin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Pantothenic Acid, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Potassium. The nutritional value of mung beans makes them ideal for weight loss and maintaining optimum health.
Mung beans can be eaten whole, with or without their skins, or sprouted and thrown into salads for a nutritional boost. Its husk is green in colour, with yellow flesh when dehusked. It is low in fat, and high in its nutritional value. Whole green bean is solid, when it is raw. It takes hours in boiling to turn soft and fluffy. It claims to be a perfect slimming food. Some eat it as dieting food or food replacement in their sliming program. Not only it is low in fat, green bean is also a rich source of protein, and fiber which enables one to lower the high cholesterol level in body system. The high fiber in green bean yields complex carbohydrate which improves digestion. Complex carb helps to stabilize blood sugar in our body by preventing rapid rise after meal. It keeps our energy at an even level. Frequent consumption of mung bean is beneficial to diabetes and one who suffers from high cholesterol level. |