Dals are an essential element of each Indian meal, and people all throughout the country have their own unique recipes and ways of consuming various types of lentils, pulses, and legumes. Other than cooking, one method is to soak the beans or grains in water and allow them to sprout. When it comes to sprouted legumes, sprouted moong dal is a popular choice. Moong dal has a lot of protein. Vitamins E, C, and K are also present. Mung beans have a crisp feel when sprouted and are green in appearance.
Nutrients In A Serving
Mung bean sprouts provide roughly 31 calories per cup. It contains the following nutrients:
- 6 grams of carbs
- 3 grams of protein
- 0 grams of fat
- 2 grams of fibre
In a 2014 study published in NCBI, the protein content of sprouted cowpea (lobia in North India) increased by 9-12% after sprouting at 25 °C for 24 hours. Along with protein, vitamin C increased 4-38 times, and in-vitro protein digestibility increased 8-20%.
Another study published in IJRMS in 2017 discovered that sprouted pulses have the highest protein content. When compared to the other pulses investigated (green gram, cowpea, moth bean, and black gram), chickpea provided the most nutritional benefit due to its high protein content.
Other Advantages Of Sprouting
A 2014 review published in the International Journal of Recent Biotechnology discovered alterations in the nutritional quality of mung beans following sprouting. They discovered that sprouting boosts the antioxidant activity of the phenols, or phytonutrients, contained in beans. This allows these compounds to scavenge for free radicals. Free radicals are chemicals that have the potential to harm your healthy cells.
Look Out For Digestive Issues
While sprouts are high in nutrients, the body may have a "difficult time" breaking them down, resulting in "bloating, acidity, constipation, and haemorrhoids (piles) in the long run." Sprouts are believed to enhance vata in Ayurveda because they are halfway between being a seed and a newborn plant, and consuming something halfway through transformation is difficult to digest, just like half-formed curd. It causes bloating and the creation of ama (toxins), which causes inflammation or the formation of pro-inflammatory molecules, which is why most of us feel bloated, gassy, acidic, and constipated.
Avoid eating sprouts raw if you develop bloated or stomach pain after eating them. Consider soaking them for longer periods of time and then boiling them before eating. Cooking them in a pressure cooker allows you to utilise them in a variety of recipes, including khichdi. You can also puree them and add them to dosa batter or chilla. If moong dal sprouts do not like you, you can substitute chickpeas, cowpeas, or kidney beans.
