Cooked vs Raw Mung Beans: Nutritional Comparison

Unlike many types of legumes, mung beans can be consumed both raw and cooked, but which option is more beneficial for your health?

Mung Beans are an excellent source of vitamin B1 (Thiamine), vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid), and vitamin B9 (Folate).

They also contain a good amount of vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), vitamin B3 (Niacin), and vitamin B6 (Pyroxidine) and some vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K.

Raw vs Cooked Mung Beans Nutrition

Are cooked mung beans more nutritious? Let’s make an in-depth comparison of raw vs cooked mung beans and see.

This comparison will begin by examining raw and cooked mung beans’ caloric value and macronutrients and then delve deeper by analyzing their vitamin and mineral content.

First, let’s see how 100 grams of raw mung beans compare to 100 grams of cooked mung beans.

The second table compares 100 grams of raw mung beans and the caloric equivalent of cooked mung beans.

After cooking 100 grams of raw mung beans, you will get around 330 grams of cooked mung beans, and that comparison is shown in the second table.

How do macronutrients change after cooking 100 grams of raw mung beans?

So if you cook 100 grams of raw mung beans, you will get around 330 grams of cooked mung beans, and this table shows how macronutrient content changes after cooking.

Raw vs Cooked Mung Beans Calories

Cooking foods doesn’t change their micronutrient quantity and availability. It also changes its weight because water is either evaporated or absorbed. By cooking, mung beans gain weight, so the amount of calories in 100 grams is lower in cooked mung beans.

Calories are probably the most important thing you should consider if you want to lose weight.

That said, here’s how raw and cooked mung beans compare for weight loss: mung beans are slightly lower in calories, with 105 calories per 100 grams, compared to 347 calories per 100 grams of mung beans mung beans.

Protein Content in Raw Mung Beans and Cooked Mung Beans

Raw mung beans are higher in protein and have around 71% more protein than mung beans.

Raw mung beans offer 23.9 grams of protein per 100 grams, while mung beans offer 7 grams.

Carbohydrate Content in Raw Mung Beans and Cooked Mung Beans

In this section, we’ll examine the carbohydrate content in raw and cooked mung beans.

Continue reading to find out how raw and cooked mung beans compare regarding total carbs content, sugars, and dietary fiber.

Total Carbs

The total amount of carbs is around 69% higher in raw mung beans than in cooked mung beans.

They have 62.6 grams per 100 grams, compared to 19.2 grams in cooked mung beans.

Sugars

Speaking of sugars in mung beans, cooked mung beans contain less sugar than raw, 70% precisely.

100 grams of cooked mung beans contain 2 grams of sugar, while the same amount of raw mung beans contains 6.6 grams.

Dietary Fiber

Finally, we will discuss the fiber content in raw and cooked mung beans.

Dietary fiber can help with weight management by making you feel fuller longer and help with digestion by promoting regular bowel movements and reducing constipation and diarrhea.

It can also lower the risk of heart disease by reducing cholesterol levels.

Additionally, it can help regulate blood sugar levels, which is beneficial for individuals with diabetes. Fiber also helps feed the beneficial bacteria in the gut that promote overall health.

If you are looking to increase your fiber intake, raw mung beans are a better option for you.

They have 16.3 grams of fiber per 100 grams, while cooked mung beans provide 7.6 grams of fiber.

Fat Content in Raw Mung Beans and Cooked Mung Beans

Like other plant foods, mung beans are naturally cholesterol free and free of trans fats.

Here’s the total amount of fats in raw and cooked mung beans:

• Raw Mung Beans: 1.2 grams per 100 grams
• Cooked Mung Beans: 0.4 per 100 grams

Saturated Fat

Consuming too much saturated fat has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, as it can raise LDL (bad) cholesterol levels in the blood.

However, not all saturated fats are created equal.

Some types of saturated fats, such as those found in coconut and palm oil, may affect cholesterol levels and heart health differently than others, such as those found in butter and cheese.

The American Heart Association recommends limiting their intake of saturated fats.

Additionally, replacing saturated fats with healthier fats, such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, found in foods such as avocados, nuts, and seeds.

When it comes to saturated fats, cooked mung beans are 67% lower in saturated fats.

Cooked mung beans and raw mung beans contain 0.1 grams and 0.3 grams of saturated fat per 100 grams, respectively.

Raw Mung Beans vs Cooked Mung Beans Vitamins Content

In the following two sections, we will take a closer look at raw vs cooked mung beans’ vitamins and mineral contents.

As we mentioned before, 100 grams of raw mung beans weigh 330 grams after cooking, so our vitamins and minerals comparison will use these weights: 100 grams of raw mung beans or 117 grams of cooked mung beans.

Unfortunately, most vitamins are sensitive to heat and water.

Cooking can decrease the levels of certain vitamins, including both water-soluble vitamins like vitamin C and B vitamins, as well as fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E, and K.

Vitamins soluble in water will leach into the cooking water, while vitamins soluble in fat will leach into cooking oils.

Only two vitamins, K and B-3, or niacin, are stable enough to hold up well during cooking.

Raw mung beans are a better source of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B1 (Thiamine), vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), vitamin B3 (Niacin), vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid), vitamin B6 (Pyroxidine), vitamin B9 (Folate), vitamin E, and vitamin K.

Raw and cooked mung beans contain the same amount of vitamin D, and vitamin B12 (Cobalamin).

In the following table, you can easily compare cooked vs raw mung beans’ vitamins content:

Raw Mung Beans vs Cooked Mung Beans Minerals Content

Most minerals in food, including calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc, iodine, selenium, copper, manganese, chromium, and sodium, are not reduced during cooking.

The exception is potassium, which can be lost in the cooking water.

You will get more calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, and sodium by eating mung beans raw than cooked.

However, if your goal is to increase the intake of selenium, and zinc, you should choose cooked over raw mung beans.

Finally, raw and cooked mung beans contain virtually the same amount of fluoride.

The table below compares mineral contents in raw and cooked mung beans, side by side.

The Bottom Line

The debate between raw or cooked mung beans has nutritional and culinary aspects to consider.

While raw mung beans provide many vitamins and minerals, cooking mung beans can increase the availability of many of these nutrients.

However, cooking mung beans can also result in the loss of some micronutrients, mostly water-soluble vitamins.

Both options can be a nutritious addition to a balanced diet, so it is recommended to incorporate both raw and cooked mung beans into your meals for maximum health benefits.

Ultimately, the decision between raw or cooked mung beans comes down to individual preferences and dietary goals.