Health Benefits of Bean Sprouts

Written by Deanna Altomara
Medically Reviewed by Poonam Sachdev on November 17, 2024
6 min read

Bean sprouts are the edible, young shoots of sprouted beans. They are a popular ingredient in many Asian dishes, adding a crunchy texture and a slightly nutty flavor.

Although many different varieties of beans can be used to grow bean sprouts, the most commonly eaten ones come from mung beans and soybeans.

You can buy bean sprouts in most grocery stores or grow them yourself. They grow easily from seed, as long as you have a closed container and a safe place to keep them away from light. 

Bean sprouts vs. alfalfa sprouts

Sprouts are the baby stages of plants. Many different plants form sprouts, including beans and some vegetables (like broccoli, mustard green, red clover, and alfalfa). Some nuts, seeds, and grains can also form sprouts. Mung bean and alfalfa are two of the most popular kinds of sprouts. Mung bean sprouts are juicier and great for stir-frying. Alfalfa sprouts have a more grass-like taste and are often used in sandwiches.

Bean sprouts are healthy in a lot of ways, from the high concentrations of vitamins C and K to the proteins and fibers that help give them their distinctive crunch. They also have folate, manganese, phosphorus, and iron. Here are some of the benefits you can get by adding bean sprouts to your diet.

Blood pressure support

Bean sprouts may help prevent and treat high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, thanks to protein building blocks called peptides.  Some peptides may help lower blood pressure because they work similarly to hypertension drugs. However, they’re not a replacement for treatment prescribed by a doctor.

Cancer prevention

The proteins in bean sprouts may also help reduce the risk of cancer. Studies have shown that these nutrients can slow the growth of cancer cells, including those associated with breast cancer, leukemia, and digestive system cancers.

Digestive wellness

Bean sprouts are a source of fiber, which aids digestion. It moves quickly through the digestive system, picking up and carrying waste products along as it goes. Fiber helps to clean out the colon. It works almost like an internal scrub brush. Having enough fiber in your diet is important for preventing constipation.

Heart health

Bean sprouts may help to improve your overall heart health by balancing cholesterol. One small study of people with diabetes showed that sprouts may help reduce unhealthy low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, which causes the buildup of artery-clogging plaque. Bean sprouts may also increase levels of healthy high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, which helps clear fatty deposits from your blood.

This study  also suggested that sprouts can lower another blood fat known as triglycerides. Triglycerides can cause heart disease if they build up in high enough concentrations.

Inflammation

Some studies have shown that bean sprouts can help regulate chemicals involved in immune reactions. This can lower inflammation, helping to prevent autoimmune disorders and some cancers and possibly treat obesity and diabetes.

Diabetes

Bean sprouts have a low glycemic index, which means that they don’t raise your blood sugar. Some studies have suggested mung beans might be able to help regulate insulin and glucose levels.

One cup of mung bean sprouts contains the following nutrients:

Bean sprouts are an excellent source of antioxidants, which protect against cell damage and may reduce the risk for cancer and heart disease. Specific vitamins and minerals in bean sprouts include:

Bean sprouts contain a lot of vitamin C. They also provide you with calcium, which is important for healthy bones and teeth. They also contain a lot of iron, a component of healthy blood.

You can eat bean sprouts raw or cook them. Cooked sprouts go well in stir-fry dishes, or sautéed with noodles and vegetables like zucchini, carrots, and bell peppers. You’re likely to find bean sprouts at your favorite Asian restaurant as an ingredient in spring rolls or meat-and-vegetable dishes.

You can also keep things simple and sprinkle bean sprouts onto your salad at home. Bean sprouts spoil easily, so make sure to store them in the refrigerator for peak freshness.

When buying bean sprouts, look for ones that are white and shiny with yellow tips. Avoid any bean sprouts that smell musty or have a slimy feel to them. When in doubt, you can test the freshness of a bean sprout by snapping it in two. A fresh bean sprout should break with a clean snapping sound. 

 

Growing your own sprouts can be a fun and tasty activity. You need mung bean sprouting seeds to get started. 

To sprout your seeds:

  1. Wash 2 ounces of seed.
  2. Soak seeds in lukewarm water overnight at room temperature.
  3. Put the seeds in a jar. Cover the jaw with cheesecloth.
  4. Sprinkle the seeds with nonchlorinated water (e.g., spring water, distilled water) two or three times a day. Roll the jar each time to move the sprouts around. Store in a dark place at 70-80 F. The sprouts should mature in three to seven days.
  5. When the sprouts are mature, put them in a tub of water. Wash off the seed coats and roots. The sprouts will sink.
  6. Take the sprouts out and place them in a strainer to drain.
  7. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator at 38 to 50 F in sealed plastic or glass jars or in freezer bags. 

 

Although they taste great and are loaded with vitamins, bean sprouts may come with an unwelcome companion: germs. Raw or slightly cooked sprouts have been linked to nearly 40 outbreaks of disease since 1990. Because of this, they’re considered to be one of the top 10 riskiest foods.

But why are these tiny veggies so vulnerable to bacteria? To sprout, plants need warm, humid, nutrient-rich conditions—which also happen to be perfect breeding grounds for germs like salmonella and listeria. If any germs were located on the seed before it sprouted, they can quickly multiply within the growing plant and on its surface. Even if they don’t initially have any germs, the sprouts can come into contact with bacteria from contaminated water, machinery, or unwashed hands.

Since the 1990s, most sprout producers have taken steps to prevent disease from spreading in the growing environments. But not every company takes these steps. Cooking is the safest way to enjoy sprouts as it can kill any unwanted bacteria.

If you’re sprouting your own, you can reduce your risk by buying seeds that are certified as pathogen-free. (Note that this is not the same thing as organic). This step is important because most outbreaks start with contaminated seeds. 

Carefully examine your sprouts for any sign of mold or slime. If you see anything, throw out the whole batch. Wash the container you grew them in with hot water and detergent, then sanitize it.

Raw sprouts are more likely to cause severe sickness in some people than others. 

The following people shouldn’t eat raw sprouts:

  • Children
  • Older adults
  • People with weakened immune systems
  • Pregnant people

When buying bean sprouts, look for crisp veggies with the buds still attached. Make sure that they’re being stored at refrigerator temperature. Don’t pick any sprouts that smell bad or musty, are dark-colored, or are slimy. They shouldn’t have any black or moldy spots.

To help keep your sprouts fresh, store them in your refrigerator. Rinse them well before eating.

Bean sprouts add crunch to salads, stir-fries, sandwiches, and more. Although nutritious, they can sometimes carry disease-causing bacteria. Children, older adults, people with weakened immune systems, and pregnant people should not eat raw sprouts. If you eat sprouts, you can lower your risk of getting sick by cooking them before eating. 

Print
View privacy policy, copyright and trust info
View privacy policy, copyright and trust info