Legumes · Legume
Mung Beans
Vigna radiata · also called Mungbean, green gram, moong, moong dal (split)
Mung beans are small green seeds eaten cooked whole, split as dal, or sprouted. They give fibre, plant protein and folate. Studies of pulses and legumes in general link them to slightly lower cholesterol and blood pressure risk, but mung beans have not been tested on their own. The main cautions are to cook dried beans fully, to treat raw sprouts as a food-poisoning risk, and to watch for gas and, rarely, allergy.
General information, not medical advice. Last substantive update · Not medically reviewed. A named clinician has not signed off on this page. How this page is made
About Mung Beans
Mung beans are a nutritious legume with fibre, plant protein and folate. Research on pulses as a group suggests small benefits for cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar, but mung beans alone have not been tested. Cook dried beans fully, treat raw sprouts with care, and ask a clinician about kidney disease, diabetes medicine, pregnancy or allergy.
What it is
Mung beans (Vigna radiata) are small green seeds of a plant in the legume family. They are eaten cooked whole, split and husked as dal, or sprouted. This page is mainly about the cooked bean.
USDA data for cooked, boiled mung beans without salt: 105 kcal per 100 g. One cup (202 g) has about 212 kcal, 14.2 g of protein, 15.4 g of fibre, 321 micrograms of folate (80% of the Daily Value), 537 mg of potassium, 2.8 mg of iron and 97 mg of magnesium. Dry beans have much more of everything per 100 g because they hold little water, so cooked and dry figures should not be compared.
What the research shows
The firmest facts are about nutrients: mung beans are a fibre, plant protein and folate food. These are nutrient facts, not trials of mung beans.
Pooled trials of whole pulses (beans, chickpeas, lentils and dried peas) found LDL cholesterol 0.14 mmol/L lower, with similar results by pulse type. Pooled trials also found small improvements in blood sugar markers, though a newer review rated that evidence very low, and a very small weight difference of about 0.34 kg. Cohort studies link more legumes with lower risk of developing high blood pressure.
We found no trial of eating mung beans alone for any of these. The only mung-bean-specific human trial read was in school children, where mung dal with guava raised haemoglobin more than dal alone, but body iron stores did not improve. Resistant starch and gut bacteria findings come from rats, the lab or a review, and are unproven in people.
Food versus extracts and processed forms
The cholesterol, blood sugar and weight results come from trials of whole pulses, not mung bean extracts, protein isolates or starch. Those are different products. We did not read trials of them and make no claim about them.
Whole beans, dal and sprouts
The USDA figures here are for cooked whole beans. Split dal, sprouts and canned beans have different values and were not read. Sprouts also carry the raw-food germ risk described under Safety.
A rat and lab study found more resistant starch in mung beans that were germinated, steamed and cooled for a day. That result is from animals and the lab only.
Amounts
This page gives no amounts to eat. Ask a doctor, pharmacist or dietitian what is right for you, especially if you have kidney disease, take medicine for diabetes, are pregnant or have a food allergy.
At a glance
Traditional uses history, not proof
- Eaten cooked whole, split as dal, or sprouted
- Long use as food is not proof that it treats any condition
Studied for research
- Fibre, plant protein and folate, high certainty for the nutrients, no mung bean trial
- Cholesterol, moderate certainty for pulses as a group (not mung beans alone)
- Blood pressure, low certainty (observational, legumes as a group)
- Blood sugar, low certainty (pulses as a group, mixed)
- Body weight, low certainty (very small effect, pulses as a group)
- Iron and anaemia in children, low certainty (one trial of mung dal with guava)
- Resistant starch and gut bacteria, insufficient (rat, lab and review only)
Main compounds
- Fibre
- Protein
- Folate
- Resistant starch
- Phytohaemagglutinin (lectin, destroyed by cooking)
Common forms
- Cooked whole mung beans as food
- Split mung dal (nutrient values not read)
- Raw sprouts: a different food with a food-poisoning risk
- Extracts, protein isolates and starch are different products and are not covered
Research links: 2026 review: whole pulses and cholesterol · 2026 review: legumes and high blood pressure · 2016 survey: Salmonella in retail bean sprouts · Research Library · Genes & Biomarkers Library
What it is and its history
- Accepted scientific name
- Vigna radiata
- Naming authority
- (L.) R.Wilczek (GBIF accepted)
- Common names
- Mung bean (English); Mungbean (English); Green gram (English); Moong (Hindi (as used in English)); Moong dal (split, husked) (English); Frijol mungo (Spanish)
- Family or group
- Fabaceae (the legume or pea family), as given by GBIF
- Classification
- Plantae > Tracheophyta > Magnoliopsida > Fabales > Fabaceae > Vigna > Vigna radiata
- Native range
- Not verified from a source read.
- Habitat
- Not verified from a source read.
- What it looks like
- Roots: Not verified.; Stems: Not verified.; Leaves: Not verified.; Flowers: Not verified.; Fruit: The small round green seeds are eaten whole, split (dal) or sprouted (existing nutrient summary). Not otherwise verified.
- Cultivation
- Not verified from a source read.
- Harvest and processing
- Sold dried whole, husked and split (dal), canned or as sprouts (existing nutrient summary). Sprouts are a different food with a different safety rule.
- Look-alikes and adulterants
- Name: Adzuki beans (Vigna angularis); Note: Another Vigna bean with its own page. The allergy review lists it as 'red mung bean' in one table.; Name: Black gram or urad (Vigna mungo); Note: A related bean sold as urad dal; the name 'mungo' makes it easy to confuse. Values here are for Vigna radiata only.; Name: Bean sprouts; Note: The sprouted form is a different food with raw-sprout food-safety risks. See the bean sprouts page.; Name: Mung bean protein isolate or starch; Note: Processed ingredients, not whole beans. Not covered.
- Sustainability and conservation
- Not assessed.
Photographs
What is inside, and how it may work
What it contains and how those compounds act in cells and animals. Laboratory and animal mechanisms are not proven effects in people.
Main compounds
| Compound | Family | Where it is concentrated | Activity studied | Level of evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dietary fibre | carbohydrate | Seed USDA: 7.6 g per 100 g cooked | Adds bulk to food. How much is soluble was not read. No mung bean trial of fibre effects was read. 21 | Nutrient data |
| Protein | protein | Seed USDA: 7.02 g per 100 g cooked | A source of plant protein. Amino acid pattern and digestibility were not read. 21 | Nutrient data |
| Folate (natural food folate) PubChem 135398658 | vitamin | Seed USDA: 159 micrograms DFE per 100 g cooked | A B vitamin needed for cell growth (MedlinePlus). The CID given is for folic acid, the man-made form; food folate is related but not the same molecule. 21 15 19 | Human data |
| Resistant starch | carbohydrate | Seed Lab value in germinated-steamed beans stored cold: 27.63 (units not stated in the abstract) | Starch that digests slowly. Rat and lab study only. 3 | Animal research |
| Phytohaemagglutinin (a lectin) | protein | Seed Not found for mung beans | The FDA describes this lectin in raw or undercooked beans (kidney beans as the example); cooking destroys it. Its content in mung beans was not read. 12 14 | Human data |
| Allergen proteins (Vig r 1, Vig r 2, Vig r 4 and others) | protein | Seed Not applicable | Mung bean proteins that IgE antibodies recognise in allergy tests, listed in an allergy review. 18 | Human data |
| Phytosterols | sterol | Seed USDA: 23 mg per 100 g raw (dry) beans; no value for cooked | Plant sterols. No study of mung bean phytosterols was read. 20 | Not studied |
Mechanisms, receptors and pathways
| Target or pathway | Gene or receptor | What was found | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cholesterol (pulses as a group) | Not specified | Whole pulses lowered LDL cholesterol a little in pooled trials. The reason was not given in the abstract read. 1 | Human data |
| Blood sugar and slowly digested starch | Not specified | In lab tests and rats, germinated-steamed mung beans stored cold had more resistant starch and lower glycaemic index, and rats fed it had lower blood glucose measures. No human result is shown. 3 | Animal research |
| Gut bacteria | Not specified | A narrative review says mung bean may favour helpful gut microbes; its abstract does not separate human from animal or lab evidence. 8 | Unclear |
| Lectin illness from raw beans | Not specified | Raw or undercooked beans contain a lectin that can cause vomiting and diarrhea; wet-heat cooking destroys most of it (FDA, Harvard). 12 14 | Human data |
| Iron uptake with vitamin C food | Not specified | Adding guava to mung dal raised haemoglobin in children but not body iron stores; the authors conclude the extra absorbed iron was not enough to raise stores. 6 | Human data |
Absorption, metabolism and elimination
- Absorption
- Not found for mung bean nutrients. In the school trial, vitamin C from guava with the dal meal improved haemoglobin but not body iron stores.
- Distribution
- Not found.
- Metabolism
- Not found.
- Elimination
- Not found.
- Bioavailability
- The NKF says phosphorus and potassium from plant foods such as beans are absorbed less well than from animal sources or additives. Not mung-specific.
Isolated compounds versus whole extracts
The cholesterol, blood sugar and weight results come from trials of whole pulses, not mung bean extracts, protein isolates or starch. Those are different products and were not read. Cooked beans, split dal and raw sprouts also differ: sprouts carry a raw-food germ risk that cooked beans do not.
Nutritional composition
Nutrition from USDA FoodData Central (Mung beans, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt, FDC 174257, SR Legacy, April 2018 release; values read 2026-10-26 from a saved copy of the data feed). Per 100 g cooked: 105 kcal, 7.02 g protein, 0.38 g fat, 19.15 g carbohydrate, 7.6 g fibre, 2.0 g total sugars, about 73 g water, 159 micrograms folate (DFE, 40% of the Daily Value), 266 mg potassium, 27 mg calcium, 1.4 mg iron, 48 mg magnesium, 99 mg phosphorus, 0.84 mg zinc, 0.298 mg manganese, 0.156 mg copper, 0.164 mg thiamin (vitamin B1) and 2.7 micrograms vitamin K. One cup cooked (202 g): about 212 kcal, 14.2 g protein, 15.4 g fibre, 321 micrograms folate (80% of the Daily Value), 537 mg potassium, 2.8 mg iron, 97 mg magnesium, 200 mg phosphorus, 0.60 mg manganese and 0.32 mg copper. The cup values are the 100 g values multiplied by 2.02. Dry mung beans (FDC 174256) list 347 kcal, 23.86 g protein, 16.3 g fibre and 625 micrograms folate per 100 g, but dry weight cannot be compared with cooked weight. Figures vary with variety, growing place and cooking time. Split dal, sprouts, canned and flour values were not read.
2 high certainty1 moderate certainty4 low certainty2 not enough evidence
What was looked at
The 9 benefits and uses checked for Mung Beans, each with how strong the evidence is. Tap one to open it.
- Fibre and plant proteinHigh certainty
- Cholesterol (whole pulses as a group)Moderate certainty
- Blood pressure (legumes as a group)Low certainty
- Blood sugar (pulses and legumes as a group)Low certainty
- Folate (a B vitamin)High certainty
- Body weight (pulses as a group)Low certainty
- Iron and anaemia in children (mung dal with guava)Low certainty
- Resistant starch and blood sugar (rat and lab study)Not enough evidence
- Gut bacteria (review of mostly non-human work)Not enough evidence
Lab markers tracked in the studies
LDL cholesterolFasting blood glucose and long-term sugar markersRisk of developing high blood pressureBody weightHaemoglobin and anaemia in children
What is Mung Beans good for?
The main studied uses and how strong the human evidence is for each. Most results are for pulses or legumes as a group, not mung beans alone.
Benefits, one by one
Each card is a research question, not a promise. Tap a goal to filter. Open a card to see the studies, doses and limits.
Fibre and plant protein
High certaintyCooked mung beans have 7.6 g of fibre and 7.0 g of protein per 100 g, and about 15.4 g of fibre and 14.2 g of protein in one cup (202 g), by USDA data. This is a nutrient fact, not a trial of mung beans. Beans can also cause gas in some people (see Safety).
2 studiesCooked whole mung beans as food (boiled without salt). Split dal, spr…
Studies, doses and limits
What the trials found
USDA lists 7.6 g of total fibre and 7.02 g of protein per 100 g of cooked, boiled mung beans (no salt). Dry mung beans (item 174256) list 16.3 g of fibre per 100 g, but that is dry weight.
Results
The fibre and protein content is firm USDA data. No trial of mung beans for bowel function or fullness was read, and USDA does not split the fibre into soluble and insoluble.
Effect sizes as reported
USDA, cooked: 7.6 g fibre and 7.02 g protein per 100 g; 15.4 g fibre and 14.2 g protein per cup (202 g).
Why this rating
High for the nutrient content (USDA data). No mung bean trial of bowel function was read.
Form and dose studied
Cooked whole mung beans as food (boiled without salt). Split dal, sprouts and canned products have different values and were not read.
Who was studied
General adult diet.
Limits
A nutrient fact, not a trial. Values vary with variety, growing place and cooking time.
Why researchers looked
Mung beans are a well-known fibre and protein food, so people ask what that means for digestion and fullness.
Traditional use
Mung beans are eaten as a food (whole, split as dal, or sprouted). Long use as food is not proof that it treats any condition.
Proposed mechanism Authoritative guidance
Not tested for mung beans. Fibre adds bulk and some fibre slows digestion; this page does not rely on a mechanism for any claim.
A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.
Fibre-rich beans can cause gas and bloating in some people; see the Safety tab.
Cholesterol (whole pulses as a group)
Moderate certaintyPooled trials of whole pulses (beans, chickpeas, lentils and dried peas) found a small drop in LDL ("bad") cholesterol of 0.14 mmol/L. The authors said results were similar across pulse types. Mung beans were not reported on their own in the abstract, so the result for mung beans alone is not known.
1 studiesWhole dietary pulses as food. No trial of mung bean extracts or suppl…
Studies, doses and limits
What the trials found
A 2026 meta-analysis pooled 38 randomised trials (2,095 adults, median 6 weeks, median 130 g a day of whole pulses). LDL cholesterol fell by 0.14 mmol/L (95% CI -0.19 to -0.08), non-HDL cholesterol by 0.22 mmol/L and apoB by 0.08 g/L. HDL cholesterol also fell very slightly (-0.03 mmol/L).
Results
A small fall in LDL cholesterol, with similar results by pulse type according to the authors. The authors rated certainty moderate-to-high for all outcomes except apoB (very low). LDL is a blood marker; the abstract does not show fewer heart attacks or strokes.
Effect sizes as reported
LDL cholesterol -0.14 mmol/L (95% CI -0.19 to -0.08); non-HDL -0.22 (-0.30 to -0.14); apoB -0.08 g/L (-0.13 to -0.03); HDL -0.03 (-0.05 to -0.01).
Why this rating
Moderate for pulses as a group (the reviewers' GRADE was moderate-to-high for LDL). Lowered to moderate here because the abstract does not show a mung-bean-only result.
Form and dose studied
Whole dietary pulses as food. No trial of mung bean extracts or supplements was read.
Who was studied
Adults in trials of at least 3 weeks.
Limits
Pulses as a group; mung beans alone are not shown in the abstract. A blood marker, not a heart outcome.
Why researchers looked
Pulses are high in fibre and plant protein, so researchers test whether eating them changes blood fats.
Traditional use
Mung beans are eaten as a food (whole, split as dal, or sprouted). Long use as food is not proof that it treats any condition.
Proposed mechanism Authoritative guidance
Not established in the abstract read.
A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.
None specific.
Blood pressure (legumes as a group)
Low certaintyCohort studies link the highest legume intake with a lower risk of developing high blood pressure (relative risk 0.84). This is an association, not proof, and it is about legumes as a group, not mung beans alone.
1 studiesLegumes eaten as food. No trial of mung beans for blood pressure was …
Studies, doses and limits
What the trials found
A 2026 meta-analysis pooled 12 prospective cohort studies. For legumes (10 studies, 309,853 participants) the relative risk of developing hypertension for high versus low intake was 0.84 (95% CI 0.77 to 0.93), and 0.88 per 100 g a day. Differences between studies were moderate to high (I2 = 65%).
Results
People who ate more legumes developed high blood pressure less often. The authors judged causality probable using World Cancer Research Fund criteria, but the studies are observational. A publication-bias signal was noted for legumes.
Effect sizes as reported
RR 0.84 (95% CI 0.77 to 0.93) for high versus low intake; RR 0.88 (0.80 to 0.97) per 100 g/day.
Why this rating
Low: observational cohorts, legumes as a group, and some publication bias flagged.
Form and dose studied
Legumes eaten as food. No trial of mung beans for blood pressure was read.
Who was studied
Adults in cohorts.
Limits
Observational. People who eat legumes may live differently in other ways. Mung beans are not analysed separately in the abstract.
Why researchers looked
Legumes contain potassium, magnesium and fibre, so researchers ask whether people who eat more of them have healthier blood pressure.
Traditional use
Mung beans are eaten as a food (whole, split as dal, or sprouted). Long use as food is not proof that it treats any condition.
Proposed mechanism Observational
Not established in the abstract read.
A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.
None specific.
Blood sugar (pulses and legumes as a group)
Low certaintyPooled trials found that diets with pulses lowered fasting blood sugar and longer-term sugar markers, but trials varied a lot. A second review found effects only in people with type 2 diabetes and rated the evidence very low. Mung beans alone were not tested in these reviews.
2 studiesPulses or legumes as food. No trial of mung beans or mung bean extrac…
Studies, doses and limits
What the trials found
Sievenpiper 2009 pooled 41 randomised trials: pulses alone (11 trials) lowered fasting glucose (SMD -0.82) and insulin; pulses in low-GI diets (19 trials) lowered HbA1c or fructosamine (SMD -0.28). Bielefeld 2020 reviewed 18 trials of at least 6 weeks and found significant effects only in the five trials in type 2 diabetes, with very low quality of evidence.
Results
Blood sugar markers improved on average in the older meta-analysis, with large unexplained differences between trials. The newer review found effects only in type 2 diabetes and called the evidence very low.
Effect sizes as reported
SMD fasting glucose -0.82 (95% CI -1.36 to -0.27); insulin -0.49 (-0.93 to -0.04); glycosylated proteins -0.28 (-0.42 to -0.14) in low-GI diets.
Why this rating
Low: the two reviews disagree in strength, heterogeneity was high, one review rated its evidence very low, and neither is about mung beans alone.
Form and dose studied
Pulses or legumes as food. No trial of mung beans or mung bean extracts was read.
Who was studied
People with and without diabetes.
Limits
Pulses as a group. Older meta-analysis (2009). People who take blood-sugar medicines should ask their clinic before big diet changes.
Why researchers looked
Pulses are slowly digested carbohydrate foods, so researchers test whether they change blood sugar.
Traditional use
Mung beans are eaten as a food (whole, split as dal, or sprouted). Long use as food is not proof that it treats any condition.
Proposed mechanism Authoritative guidance
Not established in the abstracts read. A rat study suggests cooked and cooled mung beans have more resistant starch (see the resistant starch entry).
A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.
People taking glucose-lowering medicines should ask their clinic before changing their diet a lot.
Folate (a B vitamin)
High certaintyCooked mung beans are a rich folate food: about 159 micrograms of folate (DFE) per 100 g and about 321 micrograms in one cup (202 g), which USDA lists as 40% and 80% of the Daily Value. Folate is needed for cell growth. MedlinePlus lists dried beans and peas among natural folate sources.
3 studiesCooked whole mung beans as food. Cooking and soaking effects on folat…
Studies, doses and limits
What the trials found
USDA lists 159 micrograms DFE per 100 g of cooked, boiled mung beans (40% of the Daily Value) and 625 micrograms per 100 g of dry beans. MedlinePlus lists dried beans and peas (legumes) among natural folate sources, and says folic acid taken before and during pregnancy helps prevent neural tube defects.
Results
The folate content is firm USDA data. The pregnancy statement from MedlinePlus is about folic acid, the man-made form taken as a supplement or added to foods. It does not say that eating mung beans prevents birth defects.
Effect sizes as reported
USDA, cooked: 159 micrograms DFE per 100 g; about 321 micrograms per cup (202 g).
Why this rating
High for the folate content (USDA) and for the general role of folate (MedlinePlus). No trial of mung beans and folate status was read.
Form and dose studied
Cooked whole mung beans as food. Cooking and soaking effects on folate were not read.
Who was studied
General adult diet; people planning pregnancy are the group MedlinePlus advises about folic acid.
Limits
A nutrient fact, not a trial. Folic acid advice before pregnancy is for the supplement form and is a matter for a clinician.
Why researchers looked
Beans are a classic folate food, and folate matters in the months before and during pregnancy.
Traditional use
Mung beans are eaten as a food (whole, split as dal, or sprouted). Long use as food is not proof that it treats any condition.
Proposed mechanism Authoritative guidance
Folate is a B vitamin used to make and repair cells (general nutrition fact).
A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.
None specific for the food. Folic acid supplements are a separate question; ask a doctor or midwife.
Body weight (pulses as a group)
Low certaintyPooled trials found that diets with pulses led to a very small weight loss of about 0.34 kg over a median of 6 weeks. Mung beans alone were not tested, and long-term weight change was not shown.
1 studiesWhole dietary pulses as food.
Studies, doses and limits
What the trials found
A 2016 meta-analysis of 21 randomised trials (940 people, median 6 weeks, median about 132 g a day of whole pulses) found weight was 0.34 kg lower with pulses (95% CI -0.63 to -0.04), in both weight-loss and weight-maintaining diets. Six trials hinted at less body fat.
Results
A very small, short-term weight difference. The authors say long-term effects need study.
Effect sizes as reported
Body weight -0.34 kg (95% CI -0.63 to -0.04).
Why this rating
Low: a very small effect, short trials, pulses as a group, and no mung-bean-only result.
Form and dose studied
Whole dietary pulses as food.
Who was studied
Adults in trials of at least 3 weeks.
Limits
Pulses as a group. Very small effect. Not a weight-loss treatment.
Why researchers looked
Pulses are filling, fibre-rich foods, so researchers test whether they affect weight.
Traditional use
Mung beans are eaten as a food (whole, split as dal, or sprouted). Long use as food is not proof that it treats any condition.
Proposed mechanism Authoritative guidance
Not established in the abstract read.
A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.
None specific.
Iron and anaemia in children (mung dal with guava)
Low certaintyIn a 7-month trial in 200 Indian school children, a mung bean dal meal with guava (rich in vitamin C) raised haemoglobin more and cut anaemia more than dal alone. But there was no group without mung beans, so the trial shows what the guava added, not what mung beans do.
1 studiesCooked mung bean dal as a school meal, with or without guava.
Studies, doses and limits
What the trials found
Randomised trial (NCT01191463) in 200 children aged 6 to 10 in rural Haryana, India (46% anaemic, 71% iron deficient). Both groups ate mung bean dal each school day for 7 months (about 3 mg iron); one group also got fresh guava. Body iron stores (the main outcome) did not improve overall. Haemoglobin was 3.7 g/L higher and anaemia 51% lower with guava.
Results
The main outcome, body iron stores, did not change significantly. Secondary outcomes (haemoglobin, anaemia) improved with guava. The trial cannot show whether mung beans themselves help anaemia.
Effect sizes as reported
Iron stores +0.65 mg/kg (95% CI -0.34 to 1.63, not significant); haemoglobin +3.7 g/L (1.6 to 5.6); anaemia prevalence -51% (-74 to -10).
Why this rating
Low: one trial, a school-feeding setting, no comparison with and without mung beans, and the primary outcome was not met.
Form and dose studied
Cooked mung bean dal as a school meal, with or without guava.
Who was studied
Children aged 6 to 10 in rural India.
Limits
Tests guava added to dal, not mung beans. Single study in one region.
Why researchers looked
Beans contain iron but plant iron is absorbed less well, so researchers test whether vitamin C foods help.
Traditional use
Mung beans are eaten as a food (whole, split as dal, or sprouted). Long use as food is not proof that it treats any condition.
Proposed mechanism Authoritative guidance
Vitamin C can help the body absorb plant iron (the trial authors' reasoning, not tested here).
A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.
None found. Iron deficiency in children needs a clinician's advice, not diet changes alone.
Resistant starch and blood sugar (rat and lab study)
Not enough evidenceA laboratory and rat study found that mung beans that were germinated, steamed and kept at 4 C for a day had the most resistant starch (starch that digests slowly) and a lower lab glycaemic index. Rats fed the resistant starch had much lower blood glucose measures. No human result is shown in the abstract.
1 studiesCooked mung beans and extracted resistant starch, in rats.
Studies, doses and limits
What the trials found
Frontiers in Nutrition 2024: lab measurements of cooked mung beans stored under different conditions, then 28 days of resistant starch given by mouth to 36 rats. The abstract reports a 96% decline in blood glucose measures in rats given resistant starch from germinated-steamed beans. A corrigendum to the paper is listed in PubMed; its content was not read.
Results
Animal and laboratory evidence only. The abstract's aims mention humans and rats but its results are about rats.
Effect sizes as reported
Resistant starch 27.63 (units not stated in the abstract), glycaemic index 26.28 in the best lab condition; blood glucose measures down 96% in rats (as stated in the abstract).
Why this rating
Insufficient: rat and laboratory data only, small, with a correction on file.
Form and dose studied
Cooked mung beans and extracted resistant starch, in rats.
Who was studied
Rats and lab samples; no human result shown.
Limits
Not shown in people. A rat dose cannot be turned into advice.
Why researchers looked
Cooked and cooled starchy foods form resistant starch, so researchers measure it in beans.
Traditional use
Mung beans are eaten as a food (whole, split as dal, or sprouted). Long use as food is not proof that it treats any condition.
Proposed mechanism Animal research
Resistant starch is digested slowly and acts like fibre (the paper's reasoning; tested in rats).
A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.
None found.
Gut bacteria (review of mostly non-human work)
Not enough evidenceA 2024 review says mung bean may help useful gut bacteria and may help prediabetes and ageing through the gut. The abstract does not list human trials, so this is an idea, not an established benefit.
1 studiesDietary mung bean and mung bean peptides, as described by the reviewe…
Studies, doses and limits
What the trials found
A narrative review (Food Science and Biotechnology 2024) of dietary mung bean and gut microbes. The abstract makes positive claims but does not separate animal, laboratory and human evidence.
Results
No human trial result was read. The claims are treated as unproven in people.
Effect sizes as reported
Not a pooled result.
Why this rating
Insufficient: a narrative review whose abstract names no human trials.
Form and dose studied
Dietary mung bean and mung bean peptides, as described by the reviewers.
Limits
Narrative review, not systematic. Mixed animal, lab and any human evidence cannot be told apart from the abstract.
Why researchers looked
Mung bean contains fibre and peptides that gut bacteria can use, so researchers study the gut.
Traditional use
Mung beans are eaten as a food (whole, split as dal, or sprouted). Long use as food is not proof that it treats any condition.
Proposed mechanism Laboratory
Gut bacteria ferment fibre and starch and make short-chain fatty acids (general review reasoning; not tested in people here).
A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.
None found.
Connections to the rest of health
How Mung Beans connects to the rest of our health knowledge graph. Every link says what kind of connection it is. A safety link (for example to the liver) is a warning, not a benefit. A study that merely mentions a topic never creates a benefit link.
Explore every connection: goals, body systems, organs, symptoms, genes
A. Wellness goals
| Connected to | Kind of connection | Evidence status | Context | Studies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digestive Support | Demonstrated clinical effect | High certainty | Fibre and plant protein: Cooked mung beans have 7.6 g of fibre and 7.0 g of protein per 100 g, and about 15.4 g of fibre and 14.2 g of protein in one cup (202 g), by USDA data. This is a nutrient fact, not a trial of mung beans. Beans can also cause gas in some people (see Safety). | 21 20 |
| Cholesterol Balance | Moderate certainty | Cholesterol (whole pulses as a group): Pooled trials of whole pulses (beans, chickpeas, lentils and dried peas) found a small drop in LDL ("bad") cholesterol of 0.14 mmol/L. The authors said results were similar across pulse types. Mung beans were not reported on their own in the abstract, so the result for mung beans alone is not known. | 1 | |
| Heart Health | Moderate certainty | Cholesterol (whole pulses as a group): Pooled trials of whole pulses (beans, chickpeas, lentils and dried peas) found a small drop in LDL ("bad") cholesterol of 0.14 mmol/L. The authors said results were similar across pulse types. Mung beans were not reported on their own in the abstract, so the result for mung beans alone is not known. | 1 | |
| Blood Pressure Support | Low certainty | Blood pressure (legumes as a group): Cohort studies link the highest legume intake with a lower risk of developing high blood pressure (relative risk 0.84). This is an association, not proof, and it is about legumes as a group, not mung beans alone. | 5 | |
| Blood Sugar Balance | Low certainty | Blood sugar (pulses and legumes as a group): Pooled trials found that diets with pulses lowered fasting blood sugar and longer-term sugar markers, but trials varied a lot. A second review found effects only in people with type 2 diabetes and rated the evidence very low. Mung beans alone were not tested in these reviews. | 9 2 | |
| Weight Management | Low certainty | Body weight (pulses as a group): Pooled trials found that diets with pulses led to a very small weight loss of about 0.34 kg over a median of 6 weeks. Mung beans alone were not tested, and long-term weight change was not shown. | 4 | |
| Blood Sugar Balance | Not enough evidence | Resistant starch and blood sugar (rat and lab study): A laboratory and rat study found that mung beans that were germinated, steamed and kept at 4 C for a day had the most resistant starch (starch that digests slowly) and a lower lab glycaemic index. Rats fed the resistant starch had much lower blood glucose measures. No human result is shown in the abstract. | 3 | |
| Digestive Support | Not enough evidence | Gut bacteria (review of mostly non-human work): A 2024 review says mung bean may help useful gut bacteria and may help prediabetes and ageing through the gut. The abstract does not list human trials, so this is an idea, not an established benefit. | 8 |
B. Body systems
| Connected to | Kind of connection | Evidence status | Context | Studies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digestive System | Biological association | High certainty | Studied for: Fibre and plant protein Studied for: Gut bacteria (review of mostly non-human work) | 21 20 8 |
| Cardiovascular System | Biological association | Moderate certainty | Studied for: Cholesterol (whole pulses as a group) Studied for: Blood pressure (legumes as a group) | 1 5 |
| Endocrine System | Biological association | Low certainty | Studied for: Blood sugar (pulses and legumes as a group) Studied for: Resistant starch and blood sugar (rat and lab study) | 9 2 3 |
| Metabolism Weight | Biological association | Low certainty | Studied for: Blood sugar (pulses and legumes as a group) Studied for: Body weight (pulses as a group) | 9 2 4 |
| Blood And Immune | Biological association | High certainty | Studied for: Folate (a B vitamin) Studied for: Iron and anaemia in children (mung dal with guava) | 21 20 15 6 |
| Reproductive System | Biological association | High certainty | Studied for: Folate (a B vitamin) | 21 20 15 |
E. Health conditions
| Connected to | Kind of connection | Evidence status | Context | Studies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food poisoning | Adverse effect or risk | Documented risk | The FDA describes lectin sickness from raw or undercooked beans; sprouts can carry Salmonella. Raw or undercooked beans (lectin) and raw sprouts (germs) can make people ill. Preparation or compound: Raw or undercooked beans (lectin) and raw sprouts (germs) |
12 7 10 |
| Flatulence (gas) | Adverse effect or risk | Documented risk | NIDDK lists legumes among foods that may cause excess gas. Legumes can cause excess gas. Preparation or compound: Cooked mung beans as a legume |
16 14 |
| Food allergy | Adverse effect or risk | Documented risk | Mung bean allergens are listed in an allergy review; how common allergy is was not found. Preparation or compound: Mung bean proteins (Vig r allergens) |
18 |
| Chronic kidney disease | Documented guidance | NKF: most people with CKD not on dialysis need not limit beans unless labs are high; dialysis and oxalate stones need a dietitian plan. Preparation or compound: Beans as a food (potassium, phosphorus, oxalate) |
17 21 |
I. Biomarkers
| Connected to | Kind of connection | Evidence status | Context | Studies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LDL cholesterol | Biological association | Moderate certainty | Measured in trials: lowered. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit. | 1 |
| Fasting blood glucose and long-term sugar markers | Biological association | Low certainty | Measured in trials: lowered. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit. | 9 2 |
| Risk of developing high blood pressure | Biological association | Low certainty | Measured in trials: lower-risk-association. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit. | 5 |
| Body weight | Biological association | Low certainty | Measured in trials: slightly-lowered. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit. | 4 |
| Haemoglobin and anaemia in children | Biological association | Low certainty | Measured in trials: raised-with-guava. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit. | 6 |
K. Biological pathways
| Connected to | Kind of connection | Evidence status | Context | Studies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Folate | Preliminary mechanism | Human | Mung beans are a rich folate food; folate is needed for cell growth. | 21 15 |
| Fibre | Preliminary mechanism | Nutrient data | Mung beans are a fibre food; no mung bean fibre trial was read. | 21 |
| Resistant starch | Preliminary mechanism | Animal | Rat and lab study of resistant starch in cooked mung beans. | 3 |
| LDL cholesterol | Preliminary mechanism | Human | Small fall with whole pulses as a group in pooled trials. | 1 |
L. Active compounds
| Connected to | Kind of connection | Evidence status | Context | Studies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dietary fibre | Biological association | Nutrient data | Adds bulk to food. How much is soluble was not read. No mung bean trial of fibre effects was read. Preparation or compound: Seed |
21 |
| Protein | Biological association | Nutrient data | A source of plant protein. Amino acid pattern and digestibility were not read. Preparation or compound: Seed |
21 |
| Folate (natural food folate) | Biological association | Human | A B vitamin needed for cell growth (MedlinePlus). The CID given is for folic acid, the man-made form; food folate is related but not the same molecule. Preparation or compound: Seed |
21 15 19 |
| Resistant starch | Biological association | Animal | Starch that digests slowly. Rat and lab study only. Preparation or compound: Seed |
3 |
| Phytohaemagglutinin (a lectin) | Biological association | Human | The FDA describes this lectin in raw or undercooked beans (kidney beans as the example); cooking destroys it. Its content in mung beans was not read. Preparation or compound: Seed |
12 14 |
| Allergen proteins (Vig r 1, Vig r 2, Vig r 4 and others) | Biological association | Human | Mung bean proteins that IgE antibodies recognise in allergy tests, listed in an allergy review. Preparation or compound: Seed |
18 |
| Phytosterols | Biological association | Not studied | Plant sterols. No study of mung bean phytosterols was read. Preparation or compound: Seed |
20 |
Each connection is stored with the ingredient, the connected record, the kind of connection, the evidence status, the supporting studies, the preparation or compound involved, and a review date (last reviewed October 26, 2026).
The evidence
The research centre for Mung Beans. Every record here was checked against PubMed or the publisher's page; we never list a study we have not verified.
Evidence by outcome
Bars show how many studies we found for each outcome, not how well it works. People are added up across trials only (reviews are not added, to avoid double counting).
How we rate evidence
High certainty
Several well-run trials or reviews agree; further research is unlikely to change the picture much.
Moderate certainty
Good trials point the same way, but some doubt remains.
Low certainty
Small, short or inconsistent trials. The finding could change with better research.
Very low certainty
Very little or very weak human data. Treat as a possibility only.
Mixed findings
Trials or reviews disagree with each other.
Not enough evidence
Not enough human research to say either way.
Evidence against
Good research found no benefit, or found harm.
We take the reviewers' own risk-of-bias and GRADE statements where they exist, and otherwise judge from study size, design, consistency, directness and whether a product matches what is sold. Many publications do not make evidence high. Method note: We started from our existing mung beans summary, re-checked nutrition against USDA FoodData Central values, read the health agency pages (FDA, NKF, NIDDK, MedlinePlus, Harvard) and searched PubMed for reviews, trials and sprout safety. Only abstracts were read for studies. Items we could not verify are flagged in the research gaps.
Study library: every study we checked 21
| Study | Design | People | Product, dose, length | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Back 2026 Effect of Different Types of Whole Dietary Pulses on Established Therapeutic Lipid Targets for Cardiovascular Risk Reduction: An Updated Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials J Am Heart Assoc · PMID 42132198 · DOI |
Systematic review meta analysis |
2095 2,095 adults in 38 randomised trials (52 comparisons) |
Whole dietary pulses (beans, chickpeas, lentils and dried peas), analysed overall and by pulse type Pulses (edible seeds), as food; the abstract does not say whether mung beans were analysed on their own Median 130 g/day (trial detail, not advice) Median 6 weeks; trials of at least 3 weeks · vs Diets without pulses |
Whole pulses lowered LDL cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol and apoB, and lowered HDL cholesterol very slightly. Results by pulse type were similar. For beans, LDL fell further with more beans up to 1 cup a day. The authors rated certainty moderate-to-high for all outcomes except apoB (very low). LDL cholesterol mean difference -0.14 mmol/L; non-HDL -0.22 mmol/L; apoB -0.08 g/L; HDL -0.03 mmol/L (LDL -0.14 mmol/L (95% CI -0.19 to -0.08); non-HDL -0.22 (-0.30 to -0.14); apoB -0.08 g/L (-0.13 to -0.03); HDL -0.03 (-0.05 to -0.01)) Methods, limits and fundingOutcomes: LDL cholesterol (primary), non-HDL cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, HDL cholesterol Limitations: Pulses as a group. The abstract does not show a mung-bean-only result. LDL is a blood marker, not heart attacks or strokes. Funding and conflicts: Registered at PROSPERO CRD42023432826. The PubMed record lists research support from a non-US government source; other funding is not stated in the abstract. Registration: PROSPERO CRD42023432826 Read: abstract |
| Bielefeld 2020 The Effects of Legume Consumption on Markers of Glycaemic Control in Individuals with and without Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Literature Review of Randomised Controlled Trials Nutrients · PMID 32708949 · DOI |
Systematic review |
18 randomised trials of at least 6 weeks (5 in type 2 diabetes, 12 without diabetes, 1 in prediabetes) | Legumes eaten as food Legumes (pulses) as food Trial detail not given in the abstract At least 6 weeks · vs Control diets |
Only the five trials in people with type 2 diabetes reported significant effects (for example lower fasting glucose in three of them and lower HbA1c in two). The authors rated the overall quality of evidence very low and called for better trials. Significant effects only in type 2 diabetes trials (p<0.05); no pooled number in the abstract (Not given in the abstract) Methods, limits and fundingOutcomes: Fasting glucose, fasting insulin, HbA1c, HOMA-IR, 2-hour post-meal glucose Limitations: Legumes as a group, not mung beans alone. Very low certainty by the authors' GRADE rating. No pooled analysis. Funding and conflicts: Funding is not stated in the abstract. Read: abstract |
| Chauhan 2024 Exploring the impact of cooking techniques and storage conditions on resistant starch levels in mung beans and its effect upon blood glucose level and lipid profile in vivo Front Nutr · PMID 39385790 · DOI |
Animal study rat |
36 36 Wistar albino rats (2 to 3 months old) plus laboratory food testing |
Cooked mung beans (boiled, steamed after germination, roasted, pressure cooked) stored under different conditions; resistant starch given by mouth to rats Mung bean seeds, cooked 100 mg/kg resistant starch to rats (animal detail, not advice) 28 days in rats · vs Control rats |
Beans that were germinated, steamed and stored at 4 C for 24 hours had the most resistant starch and the lowest laboratory glycaemic index. Rats given the resistant starch from germinated-steamed beans had a large fall in blood glucose measures. The aims mention humans and rats, but the results in the abstract are about rats. Resistant starch 27.63 (units not given in the abstract); glycaemic index 26.28; the abstract reports a 96% decline in blood glucose measures in rats (Not given in the abstract) Methods, limits and fundingOutcomes: Resistant starch, glycaemic index in the lab; blood glucose and lipids in rats Limitations: Animal and laboratory study only. Rat dose and result cannot be turned into advice for people. A corrigendum to this paper is listed in PubMed (PMID 40575392); its content was not read. Funding and conflicts: Funding is not stated in the abstract. Read: abstract |
| Kim 2016 Effects of dietary pulse consumption on body weight: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials Am J Clin Nutr · PMID 27030531 · DOI |
Systematic review meta analysis |
940 940 participants in 21 randomised trials |
Diets containing whole dietary pulses (beans, lentils, chickpeas and dry peas) Pulses as food Median about 132 g/day (trial detail, not advice) Median 6 weeks; trials of at least 3 weeks · vs Diets without pulses |
Diets with pulses gave a very small weight loss, in both weight-loss diets and weight-maintaining diets. Six trials hinted at less body fat. Body weight -0.34 kg (-0.34 kg (95% CI -0.63 to -0.04)) Methods, limits and fundingOutcomes: Body weight, waist circumference, body fat Limitations: Pulses as a group, not mung beans alone. Very small, short-term effect. Long-term weight change was not shown. Funding and conflicts: Registered at ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01594567. Funding is not stated in the abstract. Registration: NCT01594567 Read: abstract |
| Metoudi 2026 Legume and soy consumption and the risk of hypertension: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies BMJ Nutr Prev Health · PMID 42539997 · DOI |
Systematic review meta analysis |
309853 12 prospective cohort studies; 309,853 participants in the legume analysis (10 studies) |
Legume intake, high versus low (legumes as a group; soy analysed separately) Legumes as food Summary figure per 100 g/day; not advice Prospective cohorts (follow-up not given in the abstract) · vs Lowest intake group |
People who ate the most legumes had a lower risk of developing high blood pressure than people who ate the least. Differences between studies were moderate to high. The authors judged causality probable using WCRF criteria, but these are observational studies. Relative risk, high versus low legume intake 0.84; per 100 g/day 0.88 (RR 0.84 (95% CI 0.77 to 0.93); per 100 g/day 0.88 (0.80 to 0.97)) Methods, limits and fundingOutcomes: New high blood pressure (hypertension) Limitations: Observational: people who eat legumes may differ in other ways. Legumes as a group, not mung beans alone. Some publication bias was flagged by the authors for legumes. Funding and conflicts: Funding is not stated in the abstract. Read: abstract |
| Rani 2024 Vitamin C-Rich Guava Consumed with Mungbean Dal Reduces Anemia and Increases Hemoglobin but not Iron Stores: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Food-to-Food Fortification in Indian Children J Nutr · PMID 39481541 · DOI |
Controlled trial |
200 200 school children aged 6 to 10 years in rural Haryana, India (46% anaemic, 71% iron deficient) |
A school meal of mung bean dal with fresh guava (about 170 mg vitamin C) versus mung bean dal alone Mung bean dal (cooked split mung beans) served as a school meal; the tested change was adding guava Meals served every school day (trial detail, not advice); meals gave about 3.0 to 3.2 mg iron 7 months · vs Mung bean dal without guava |
Adding guava did not raise body iron stores overall. It did raise haemoglobin and cut anaemia more than dal alone. The trial compared dal with guava against dal alone, so it tests the guava, not the mung beans. Body iron stores +0.65 mg/kg (not significant); haemoglobin +3.7 g/L; anaemia prevalence -51% (Iron stores 0.65 mg/kg (95% CI -0.34 to 1.63, P=0.197); haemoglobin 3.7 g/L (1.6 to 5.6, P=0.001); anaemia -51% (-74 to -10, P=0.022); iron-deficiency anaemia -56% (-83 to 13, P=0.087)) Methods, limits and fundingOutcomes: Body iron stores (primary); haemoglobin and anaemia (secondary) Limitations: No group without mung beans, so it cannot show what the mung beans did. Children in one rural area. Primary outcome (iron stores) was not improved. Funding and conflicts: The PubMed record lists research support from a non-US government source; other funding or conflicts are not stated in the abstract. Registration: NCT01191463 Read: abstract |
| Sadler-Reeves 2016 The occurrence of Salmonella in raw and ready-to-eat bean sprouts and sprouted seeds on retail sale in England and Northern Ireland Lett Appl Microbiol · PMID 26661563 · DOI |
Laboratory survey n/a |
554 554 retail samples of bean sprouts or sprouted seeds in England and Northern Ireland, January to March 2011 |
Retail bean sprouts and sprouted seeds tested for Salmonella Sprouts (bought raw or ready to eat) 100 g samples Single survey |
Salmonella was found in 4 samples (0.7%), all of them mung bean sprouts and all the same type (Salmonella Abaetetuba). Two of the four were sold as ready to eat ('rinse and serve'). 4 of 554 samples (0.7%) positive (Not given) Methods, limits and fundingOutcomes: Presence of Salmonella Limitations: One country, one season, one year (2011). A survey of product, not of illness. Funding and conflicts: Funding is not stated in the abstract. Read: abstract |
| Sehrawat 2024 Dietary mung bean as promising food for human health: gut microbiota modulation and insight into factors, regulation, mechanisms and therapeutics-an update Food Sci Biotechnol · PMID 39130662 · DOI |
Narrative review mixed |
Review (no pooled participants given in the abstract) | Dietary mung bean and its components, as described by the review authors Mung bean seeds and extracts Not given in the abstract |
The review says mung bean has a positive effect on helpful gut microbes and on microbial products, and says mung bean peptides may help in prediabetes and ageing by acting on gut microbes. The abstract does not list human trials. Not a pooled result (Not applicable) Methods, limits and fundingOutcomes: Gut microbes and the substances they make Limitations: Narrative review, not a systematic one. The abstract does not separate animal, laboratory and human evidence, so the claims are treated as unproven in people. Funding and conflicts: Funding is not stated in the abstract. Read: abstract |
| Sievenpiper 2009 Effect of non-oil-seed pulses on glycaemic control: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled experimental trials in people with and without diabetes Diabetologia · PMID 19526214 · DOI |
Systematic review meta analysis |
41 randomised trials in people with and without diabetes | Non-oil-seed pulses (chickpeas, beans, peas, lentils and others), alone or within low-glycaemic-index or high-fibre diets Pulses as food Trial detail not given in the abstract At least 7 days · vs Control diets |
Pulses alone (11 trials) lowered fasting glucose and insulin. Pulses in low-GI diets (19 trials) lowered glycosylated proteins. Pulses in high-fibre diets (11 trials) lowered fasting glucose and glycosylated proteins. Differences between trials were large and mostly unexplained. Standardised mean differences: fasting glucose -0.82 (pulses alone); glycosylated proteins -0.28 (low-GI diets) (Fasting glucose -0.82 (95% CI -1.36 to -0.27); insulin -0.49 (-0.93 to -0.04); glycosylated proteins -0.28 (-0.42 to -0.14) in low-GI diets) Methods, limits and fundingOutcomes: Fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, glycosylated blood proteins (HbA1c or fructosamine) Limitations: Pulses as a group, not mung beans alone. High unexplained heterogeneity. Published in 2009. Funding and conflicts: Funding is not stated in the abstract. Read: abstract |
| Xavier 2025 Understanding food safety on sprouts and microgreens: Contamination routes, outbreaks and challenges Food Res Int · PMID 40467198 · DOI |
Narrative review n/a |
Review of contamination of sprouts and microgreens (no participants) | Sprouts and microgreens (not specific to mung beans) Sprouts |
Sprout growing conditions (high humidity, rich in nutrients) favour germs such as Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes. Treatments can reduce contamination but gaps remain, especially for viruses. Not applicable (Not applicable) Methods, limits and fundingOutcomes: Contamination routes, outbreaks and decontamination Limitations: Review of sprouts in general; the abstract does not name mung bean sprouts. Funding and conflicts: Funding is not stated in the abstract. Read: abstract |
| s-cdc-sprouts CDC: Salmonella outbreak linked to alfalfa sprouts, December 2022 (sprout advice) · Source |
Health agency n/a |
Methods, limits and fundingRead: summary-only | ||
| s-fda-natural-toxins FDA: Natural Toxins in Food · Source |
Health agency n/a |
Methods, limits and fundingRead: full-text | ||
| s-gbif-vigna-radiata GBIF Backbone: Vigna radiata (L.) R.Wilczek (usageKey 2982380) · Source |
Reference database n/a |
Methods, limits and fundingRead: full-text | ||
| s-harvard-lectins Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, The Nutrition Source: Lectins · Source |
Health agency n/a |
Methods, limits and fundingRead: full-text | ||
| s-medlineplus-folate MedlinePlus: Folic acid in the diet · Source |
Health agency n/a |
Methods, limits and fundingRead: full-text | ||
| s-niddk-gas NIDDK: Gas in the Digestive Tract, Eating, Diet, and Nutrition · Source |
Health agency n/a |
Methods, limits and fundingRead: full-text | ||
| s-nkf-beans National Kidney Foundation: Beans · Source |
Health agency n/a |
Methods, limits and fundingRead: full-text | ||
| s-pmc-legume-allergens Abu Risha M et al.: Legume Allergens Pea, Chickpea, Lentil, Lupine and Beyond (Curr Allergy Asthma Rep 2024;24(9):527-548) · Source |
Narrative review n/a |
Methods, limits and fundingRead: full-text | ||
| s-pubchem-folic-acid PubChem: Folic Acid (CID 135398658) · Source |
Reference database n/a |
Methods, limits and fundingRead: full-text | ||
| s-usda-fdc-174256 USDA FoodData Central: Mung beans, mature seeds, raw (FDC 174256) · Source |
Reference database n/a |
Methods, limits and fundingRead: full-text | ||
| s-usda-fdc-174257 USDA FoodData Central: Mung beans, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt (FDC 174257) · Source |
Reference database n/a |
Methods, limits and fundingRead: full-text |
What we do not know yet
- No trial of eating mung beans on their own was found for cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, weight or bowel health.
- The pooled trials and cohorts mix beans, lentils, chickpeas, dried peas and other legumes; a mung-bean-only result was not in the abstracts read.
- How common mung bean allergy is, and its cross-reactions with other legumes, was not found.
- CDC sprout advice could not be re-read and is carried from an earlier reading.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding statements for cooked mung beans, FODMAP rating, oxalate and purine content, choking risk for young children, heavy metals and cooking effects were not researched.
How new research is added
New studies are found by a saved PubMed search and placed in a review queue before the page changes.
Lab markers
What changed in blood or saliva tests during trials. A changed number is not the same as feeling or being healthier, and we give no "normal ranges".
Metabolic 2
LDL cholesterol
Lowered in trials
The 'bad' cholesterol carried in the blood. Higher levels are linked to more heart disease.
Moderate certaintyResults and what it means
Why it was measured
It is the usual blood marker used in diet trials for heart risk.
Statistical vs. clinical meaning
A small fall in a blood marker from pulses as a group. It does not show fewer heart attacks, and mung beans were not reported on their own.
Safety implication
None specific.
| Study | Result | People | Product |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LDL -0.14 mmol/L (95% CI -0.19 to -0.08); non-HDL -0.22 (-0.30 to -0.14); apoB -0.08 g/L (-0.13 to -0.03); HDL -0.03 (-0.05 to -0.01) | 2,095 adults in 38 trials | Whole dietary pulses, median 130 g/day, median 6 weeks |
Body weight
Slightly-lowered in trials
Weight in kilograms.
Low certaintyResults and what it means
Why it was measured
Used in diet trials as a simple measure of weight change.
Statistical vs. clinical meaning
A very small change in short trials, about pulses as a group.
Safety implication
None specific.
| Study | Result | People | Product |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | -0.34 kg (95% CI -0.63 to -0.04); possible lower body fat in 6 trials | 940 participants in 21 trials | Whole dietary pulses, median about 132 g/day, median 6 weeks |
Other 3
Fasting blood glucose and long-term sugar markers
Lowered in trials
Blood sugar after an overnight fast, and HbA1c or fructosamine, which reflect average blood sugar over weeks.
Low certaintyResults and what it means
Why it was measured
These markers show how well the body handles sugar.
Statistical vs. clinical meaning
Markers moved the right way on average in one analysis, but results varied widely and a newer review rated the evidence very low. Not about mung beans alone.
Safety implication
People on glucose-lowering medicines should ask their clinic before changing their diet.
| Study | Result | People | Product |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Pulses alone (11 trials): fasting glucose SMD -0.82 (95% CI -1.36 to -0.27), insulin -0.49 (-0.93 to -0.04). Pulses in low-GI diets (19 trials): HbA1c or fructosamine -0.28 (-0.42 to -0.14). High heterogeneity. | People with and without diabetes in 41 trials | Pulses alone, or in low-GI or high-fibre diets, at least 7 days |
| 2 | Significant effects only in the 5 trials in type 2 diabetes (for example lower fasting glucose in 3 trials, lower HbA1c in 2). Authors rated the evidence very low. | 18 trials of at least 6 weeks | Legumes eaten as food |
Risk of developing high blood pressure
Lower-risk-association in trials
How often people who did not have high blood pressure at the start of a study developed it later.
Low certaintyResults and what it means
Why it was measured
It shows whether people who eat more of a food go on to have fewer cases of high blood pressure.
Statistical vs. clinical meaning
An association from cohort studies, not proof, and about legumes as a group.
Safety implication
None specific.
| Study | Result | People | Product |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | RR 0.84 (95% CI 0.77 to 0.93) for high versus low legume intake; RR 0.88 (0.80 to 0.97) per 100 g/day | 309,853 participants in 10 cohorts | Legume intake (legumes as a group), observational |
Haemoglobin and anaemia in children
Raised-with-guava in trials
Haemoglobin is the iron-carrying protein in red blood cells. Low levels mean anaemia.
Low certaintyResults and what it means
Why it was measured
It shows whether a diet change helps children with low iron.
Statistical vs. clinical meaning
The result is about adding guava to a dal meal. The trial had no group without mung beans.
Safety implication
None found.
| Study | Result | People | Product |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Haemoglobin +3.7 g/L (95% CI 1.6 to 5.6) and anaemia -51% (95% CI -74 to -10) with guava added to mung dal; body iron stores unchanged (0.65 mg/kg, 95% CI -0.34 to 1.63) | 200 school children aged 6 to 10 in India | Mung bean dal with guava versus dal alone, 7 months |
Safety
What studies and official sources say about side effects, medicines and who should check first. Each point shows what kind of evidence it comes from.
Main points to know 5
- Cook dried mung beans fully: raw or undercooked beans can make you ill. The FDA says a lectin called phytohaemagglutinin is found in raw or undercooked beans, and that at high levels it can cause nausea, severe vomiting and diarrhea. Its example is kidney beans: soaking for at least 5 hours and then boiling in fresh water for at least 30 minutes removes and destroys the toxin, and canned and properly cooked kidney beans have only low levels. The FDA page names kidney beans, not mung beans, so those exact times are not a mung bean rule. Harvard's Nutrition Source says cooking with wet heat or soaking inactivates most lectins and that canned beans are low in lectins. Use the cooking directions on the pack. Authoritative guidance 12 14
- Raw mung bean sprouts are a food-poisoning risk; cooked beans are a different food. Sprouts are grown warm and wet, which suits germs. A review says sprout growing conditions favour Salmonella, E. coli and Listeria. A survey of 554 retail sprout samples in England and Northern Ireland found Salmonella in 4 samples (0.7%), all of them mung bean sprouts; two of those had been sold as ready to eat. CDC advice, carried here from an earlier reading that could not be re-checked, is that children under 5, adults 65 and older, pregnant women and people with weak immune systems avoid raw sprouts, and that everyone cook sprouts thoroughly. This page is mostly about cooked beans; sprouts have their own page. Authoritative guidance 10 7 11
- Gas and bloating. NIDDK lists legumes (beans, peas and lentils) among foods that may cause excess gas, and Harvard's Nutrition Source lists bloating and gas as milder effects of lectins in beans. Mung beans are not named on either page. Authoritative guidance 16 14
- Allergy to mung beans is possible but rarely studied. A 2024 allergy review lists mung bean (Vigna radiata) allergens found with IgE tests, and says most studies of the legumes it covers are case reports and larger studies are needed. How common mung bean allergy is was not found. People with a known legume allergy should ask an allergist before eating mung beans. Narrative review 18
- Kidney disease and kidney stones. The National Kidney Foundation says most people with chronic kidney disease who are not on dialysis, and most transplant recipients, do not have to limit beans because of potassium or phosphorus (plant potassium and phosphorus are absorbed less well), unless blood tests are high. People on hemodialysis should plan with a kidney dietitian. People with a history of calcium oxalate stones should talk with a doctor or dietitian about oxalates, because many beans are high in them. The NKF text read does not name mung beans. USDA lists 266 mg of potassium and 99 mg of phosphorus per 100 g of cooked mung beans. Authoritative guidance 17 21
Side effects 4
| Effect | How often | Severity and recovery | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nausea, severe vomiting and diarrhea from raw or undercooked beans (lectin) The FDA and Harvard describe this for raw or undercooked beans, with kidney beans as the example. No mung-bean-specific case was read. | No frequency found | can be severe (the FDA names severe vomiting) Not stated | Authoritative guidance 12 14 |
| Food poisoning from raw sprouts (Salmonella and other germs) A product survey, not a count of illnesses. It is about sprouts, not cooked beans. | Salmonella in 4 of 554 retail sprout samples (0.7%), all mung bean sprouts (England and Northern Ireland, 2011) | Not stated in the sources read Not stated | Observational 7 10 |
| Gas, bloating and flatulence Legumes as a group; mung beans are not named. | No frequency found | mild to moderate Not stated | Authoritative guidance 16 14 |
| Allergic reactions to legume proteins The review lists mung bean allergens but does not report how common mung bean allergy is. | No frequency found for mung beans | can be severe (anaphylaxis is described for some legumes) Not stated | Narrative review 18 |
Liver
No liver injury from eating mung beans was found. A liver-safety source (such as LiverTox) was not searched for this food page.
How often. No frequency was found.
Monitoring. No agency monitoring advice was found.
This is a safety connection. It is not evidence that Mung Beans supports liver health.
Medicines and supplements 2
| With | Why it matters | Importance | Evidence | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blood-sugar medicines (insulin and others) prescription | Pooled trials of pulses found lower fasting glucose in some groups (mainly people with type 2 diabetes). A large change in how much bean you eat could, in theory, change how much medicine you need. | No study of mung beans with diabetes medicines was read; this is our reasoning from the trials, not a documented interaction. | Theoretical Very low certainty 9 2 | If you take medicine for diabetes, ask your clinic or pharmacist before making a big change to your diet. Do not change a prescribed medicine on your own. |
| No drug interaction with cooked mung beans was found none-found | No pharmacy or regulator source read names a drug that interacts with mung beans eaten as food. Interaction databases were not searched. | None found Not enough evidence | Tell your pharmacist what you eat regularly if you take several medicines. |
Who should check first 4
| Situation | Advice | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Known or suspected legume allergy (peanut, soy, other beans) or any allergy to mung beans | Ask an allergist before eating mung beans. For trouble breathing or swelling of the face or throat, call emergency services. | Narrative review 18 |
| Eating raw or undercooked dried beans | Do not eat dried beans raw or undercooked. Cook them fully following the pack directions. | Authoritative guidance 12 14 |
| Raw sprouts for people at higher risk of food poisoning (young children, older adults, pregnancy, weak immune system) | The CDC advice carried on this page (not re-checked) is to avoid raw sprouts and cook sprouts thoroughly. | Authoritative guidance 11 |
| Dialysis, or blood tests showing high potassium or phosphorus; history of calcium oxalate kidney stones | Plan beans with a kidney dietitian or doctor. | Authoritative guidance 17 |
Overdose, product quality and regulators
Summary. No toxicity from fully cooked mung beans eaten as ordinary food was found in the sources read. The cautions above come from raw or undercooked beans (lectin) and raw sprouts (germs).
Animal. Not reviewed.
Human doses studied. Children ate a mung bean dal meal every school day for 7 months in one trial; the abstract does not discuss safety.
Overdose response. Not found.
Genotoxicity. Not researched.
Toxic or hazardous parts. Raw dried beans contain lectin (see above). Other plant parts were not researched.
Raw sprouts are the main contamination concern found. Pesticide residues, heavy metals, aflatoxin and storage safety of dried beans were not researched.
Salmonella in retail bean sprouts. 4 of 554 retail sprout samples tested positive for Salmonella (0.7%); all four were mung bean sprouts and two were sold as ready to eat ('rinse and serve'). 7
Sprout growing conditions. A 2025 review says the warm, humid, nutrient-rich conditions of sprout growing favour Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes, and that treatments help but gaps remain, especially for viruses. 10
| Body | Action | Date |
|---|---|---|
| FDA (US) (United States) | Natural Toxins in Food: phytohaemagglutinin lectin in raw or undercooked beans can cause nausea, severe vomiting and diarrhea; for kidney beans, soak at least 5 hours and boil in fresh water at least 30 minutes; canned and properly cooked kidney beans are low in the toxin source | 2024-09-26 |
| National Kidney Foundation (US) (United States) | Beans: most people with CKD not on dialysis and transplant recipients do not have to limit beans for potassium or phosphorus unless labs are high; hemodialysis needs a dietitian plan; people with a history of calcium oxalate stones should ask about oxalates source | 2023-01-02 |
| NIDDK (US National Institutes of Health) (United States) | Gas in the digestive tract: legumes (beans, peas, lentils) may cause excess gas source | 2021-06 |
| MedlinePlus (US National Library of Medicine) (United States) | Folic acid in the diet: dried beans and peas are natural folate sources; folic acid before and during pregnancy helps prevent neural tube defects source | 2025-02-03 |
When to get medical help
- Trouble breathing, swelling of the lips, face or throat, widespread hives or repeated vomiting soon after eating beans: call emergency services (possible severe allergy).
- Severe or non-stop vomiting, or diarrhea with signs of dehydration (very dry mouth, little urine, dizziness) after eating beans that may have been undercooked: get medical help.
- Fever, bloody diarrhea or severe stomach cramps after eating raw or lightly cooked sprouts: see a doctor, and say what you ate.
- Children under 5, older adults, pregnant women and people with weak immune systems should get medical advice early after any suspected food poisoning.
Stop using the product and contact a clinician or emergency service. In the US, Poison Control is 1-800-222-1222.
General information only, not medical advice. Ask a clinician or pharmacist before use, especially with medicines, in pregnancy or with a health condition. See the Natural Remedy Safety guide.
Frequently asked questions
What are mung beans good for?
Do mung beans lower cholesterol?
Pooled trials of whole pulses found LDL cholesterol about 0.14 mmol/L lower. Mung beans were not reported on their own in the abstract, so the result for mung beans alone is not known.
Do mung beans help with blood sugar or diabetes?
Do mung beans lower blood pressure?
Not shown. Cohort studies link the highest legume intake with lower risk of developing high blood pressure (RR 0.84), but this is an association and is about legumes as a group.
Do mung beans help with weight loss?
Only very slightly. Pooled trials of pulses found a weight difference of about 0.34 kg over a median of 6 weeks. Mung beans alone were not tested.
Do mung beans help with anaemia?
One trial in 200 Indian school children found that mung dal with guava raised haemoglobin more than dal alone, but body iron stores did not change and there was no group without mung beans. It does not show what mung beans do on their own.
Is it safe to eat raw mung beans?
Are raw mung bean sprouts safe?
Why do mung beans cause gas?
Beans, peas and lentils are listed by NIDDK among foods that may cause excess gas. Mung beans are not named on that page, but they are a legume.
Can you be allergic to mung beans?
Yes, it is possible. An allergy review lists mung bean allergens, but most studies of legume allergy are case reports, and how common mung bean allergy is was not found. If you have a legume allergy, ask an allergist.
Are mung beans OK with kidney disease?
The National Kidney Foundation says most people with kidney disease who are not on dialysis do not have to limit beans for potassium or phosphorus unless blood tests are high. People on dialysis, and people with a history of calcium oxalate stones, should plan with a kidney dietitian or doctor.
Are mung beans safe in pregnancy?
No regulator statement about cooked mung beans was found. Cooked beans are a folate food. MedlinePlus says folic acid before and during pregnancy helps prevent neural tube defects. Raw sprouts are the concern: the CDC advice carried here (not re-checked) is that pregnant women avoid raw sprouts. Ask your midwife or doctor.
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Editorial transparency
- Written by
- AlternativeMed editorial team. Research compiled with AI assistance, then checked against the sources listed.
- Medical review
- None. This page has not been reviewed by a physician or pharmacist.
- First published
- 2026-10-26
- Last substantive update
- 2026-10-26
- How we research
- We started from our existing mung beans summary, re-checked nutrition against USDA FoodData Central values, read the health agency pages (FDA, NKF, NIDDK, MedlinePlus, Harvard) and searched PubMed for reviews, trials and sprout safety. Only abstracts were read for studies. Items we could not verify are flagged in the research gaps.
- How we rate evidence
- See "How we rate evidence" in the Evidence tab.
- Independence
- No product is promoted on this page. No affiliate links are shown.
Sources 21
Each source was opened and checked. Where we read only the abstract, it says so. The small numbers in the text point here.
- Back S, Yang S, Rossi A, et al.. Effect of Different Types of Whole Dietary Pulses on Established Therapeutic Lipid Targets for Cardiovascular Risk Reduction: An Updated Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. J Am Heart Assoc. 2026. PMID 42132198. DOI 10.1161/JAHA.125.046659. (abstract)
- Bielefeld D, Grafenauer S, Rangan A.. The Effects of Legume Consumption on Markers of Glycaemic Control in Individuals with and without Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Literature Review of Randomised Controlled Trials. Nutrients. 2020. PMID 32708949. DOI 10.3390/nu12072123. (abstract)
- Chauhan S, Kaur H, Aggarwal R, et al.. Exploring the impact of cooking techniques and storage conditions on resistant starch levels in mung beans and its effect upon blood glucose level and lipid profile in vivo. Front Nutr. 2024. PMID 39385790. DOI 10.3389/fnut.2024.1424112. (abstract)
- Kim SJ, de Souza RJ, Choo VL, et al.. Effects of dietary pulse consumption on body weight: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Am J Clin Nutr. 2016. PMID 27030531. DOI 10.3945/ajcn.115.124677. (abstract)
- Metoudi M, Sadler I, Kassam S, et al.. Legume and soy consumption and the risk of hypertension: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies. BMJ Nutr Prev Health. 2026. PMID 42539997. DOI 10.1136/bmjnph-2025-001449. (abstract)
- Rani V, Moretti D, Khetarpaul N, et al.. Vitamin C-Rich Guava Consumed with Mungbean Dal Reduces Anemia and Increases Hemoglobin but not Iron Stores: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Food-to-Food Fortification in Indian Children. J Nutr. 2024. PMID 39481541. DOI 10.1016/j.tjnut.2024.10.042. (abstract)
- Sadler-Reeves L, Aird H, de Pinna E, et al.. The occurrence of Salmonella in raw and ready-to-eat bean sprouts and sprouted seeds on retail sale in England and Northern Ireland. Lett Appl Microbiol. 2016. PMID 26661563. DOI 10.1111/lam.12530. (abstract)
- Sehrawat N, Yadav M, Sharma AK, et al.. Dietary mung bean as promising food for human health: gut microbiota modulation and insight into factors, regulation, mechanisms and therapeutics-an update. Food Sci Biotechnol. 2024. PMID 39130662. DOI 10.1007/s10068-023-01495-8. (abstract)
- Sievenpiper JL, Kendall CW, Esfahani A, et al.. Effect of non-oil-seed pulses on glycaemic control: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled experimental trials in people with and without diabetes. Diabetologia. 2009. PMID 19526214. DOI 10.1007/s00125-009-1395-7. (abstract)
- Xavier IB, Tavares JL, Pontes EDS, et al.. Understanding food safety on sprouts and microgreens: Contamination routes, outbreaks and challenges. Food Res Int. 2025. PMID 40467198. DOI 10.1016/j.foodres.2025.116589. (abstract)
- . CDC: Salmonella outbreak linked to alfalfa sprouts, December 2022 (sprout advice). . . (summary-only)
- . FDA: Natural Toxins in Food. . . (full-text)
- . GBIF Backbone: Vigna radiata (L.) R.Wilczek (usageKey 2982380). . . (full-text)
- . Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, The Nutrition Source: Lectins. . . (full-text)
- . MedlinePlus: Folic acid in the diet. . . (full-text)
- . NIDDK: Gas in the Digestive Tract, Eating, Diet, and Nutrition. . . (full-text)
- . National Kidney Foundation: Beans. . . (full-text)
- . Abu Risha M et al.: Legume Allergens Pea, Chickpea, Lentil, Lupine and Beyond (Curr Allergy Asthma Rep 2024;24(9):527-548). . . (full-text)
- . PubChem: Folic Acid (CID 135398658). . . (full-text)
- . USDA FoodData Central: Mung beans, mature seeds, raw (FDC 174256). . . (full-text)
- . USDA FoodData Central: Mung beans, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt (FDC 174257). . . (full-text)
Where to buy
Check the label first. Whatever you buy, look for these:
- A recent packed-on date: very old dried beans cook unevenly
- Organic or not, and the country of origin
- Whether you want dried or canned
- Soak and cook thoroughly; some raw beans are unsafe
Talk to a pharmacist or doctor before you start any supplement, especially if you take medicines. See the Safety tab for interactions.
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