Mung Beans! PROTEIN FOR ME!

I know a lot about nutrition, a WHOLE lot! The one area I am still learning about is the lifestyle of a Vegan, and how to incorporate more nutritious foods in my diet. I am confident I have made the right choice for me as far as becoming a vegan, however, sometimes I question whether or not I am getting enough quality protein. I learn a little more each day and in the past year (coming up in October), I have introduced my palate to a world of new foods, spices and fabulous Vegan recipes.

I recently got advice from a WELL respected super knowledgeable nutritionist who helped me with a question I had which was:

How come I feel so tired when I eat amazing nutrients, workout, get 8 hours of sleep, drink tons of water, take my supplements, etc.....
He asked for an outline of what I eat in a day and he came up with a GREAT answer, which I knew but really didn't know what to do about it. he told me I was lacking protein, and since I am a vegan, I need to pay close attention to making sure I get enough in each day.

More about Protein and what is does in the body:

We all know we need to eat protein, but what exactly is it? Well many foods contain protein even veggies like broccoli, but the best sources are beef, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, nuts, seeds, and legumes like Mung beans and lentils. Protein builds up, maintains, and replaces the tissues in your body. Since our muscles organs and immune system are mostly made up of protein, it's essential to get a good amount each day.


Our bodies use the protein we eat to make lots of specialized protein molecules that have specific jobs. Your body uses protein to make hemoglobin, the part of red blood cells that carries oxygen to every part of your body. Other proteins are used to build cardiac muscle (your heart). If your running, or just sitting, it's protein that is working hard on doing things like moving your legs, moving your lungs, and protecting you from disease.


Amino Acids


Amino acids are simple compounds containing carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and occasionally sulphur. Amino acids link together to form chains called peptides. A typical protein may contain 500 or more amino acids. Each protein has its own unique number and sequence of amino acids which determines its particular structure and function. When you eat foods that contain protein, the digestive juices in your stomach and intestine go to work. They break down the protein in food into basic units, called amino acids. The amino acids then can be reused to make the proteins your body needs to maintain muscles, bones, blood, and body organs.


There are 22 super important amino acids in protein. Of those 22 amino acids, your body can make 13 of them without you ever thinking about it. Your body can't make the other nine amino acids, but you can get them by eating protein-rich foods. They are called essential amino acids because it's essential that you get them from the foods you eat.

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So back to my question and answer with this amazing nutritionist- He told me that since I plan on staying Vegan, I need to eat foods like Mung beans with rice. Hmmmm, ok. When he told me how amazing they were for me, I wrote it down on my food list and thought wow! I found yet another great source of protein for myself! Hopefully, this will help give me some more energy.

I must say, I have really lean muscles, my hair is super healthy, I have glowing skin, and I am super strong in the gym, so I must not be THAT deficient with my protein intake.. I have abs too...So I KNOW I am not SKINNY, lol! PHEW!

I ended up buying Mung Beans from Whole Foods. They are these little green round pellets. I automatically took almost 2 cups of them dry, added them to my rice cooker with 4 cups of water and within 20 minutes, I have about 5 cooked cups of Mung beans....

Here is some nutrition on Mung Beans

Mung beans are native to hot and humid atmospheres in India, Pakistan and Southeast Asia. Today, they are harvested pretty much everywhere.


Mung beans are LOADED with nutrients,Especially for Vegans, These little beans pack a powerful PROTEIN PUNCH! Mung beans are versatile and can be eaten many ways. You can either eat them with the skin on or off. They are similar to other types of beans in their nutritional breakdown. They are lighter in protein than some other types of beans, however. Generally, mung beans are considered to be a healthy food because they contain no fat, they are very low in sodium, and they’re quite low in cholesterol. They have an average level of calories as compared with other beans.

Also a great source of many necessary vitamins, minerals and other nutrients., I am now wondering where these magical little beans have been my whole life! They provide an excellent source of dietary fiber. Dietary fiber is necessary for the proper functioning of your intestinal and digestive tracts. Mung Beans are rich in protein; a single serving of mung beans contains about 6 grams of protein. They are a great source of vitamin C, thiamin, vitamin A and many other nutrients as well.

While I was making my family HOMEMADE meatballs and sauce, I decided to give my mung beans a try. I took one cup cooked quinoa, 1/2 cup mung beans and 1 tbsp olive oil, mixed it up and ate it. Quite filling, I must say. I would next time make a meal out of it, by adding some onions, garlic and some mixed veggies. That was good though and it hit the spot! I officically like Mung beans. I actually like them better than black beans which make me bloated and gassy...

There you have it, another food to try!! Ya never know! you may actually like it and your body will thank you!