What Are Bean Sprouts?

Generally speaking, bean sprouts are stalks that germinate from any kind of bean seed. In the case of the bean sprouts used in diet, they come from sprouted mung beans. Mung beans are legumes with green husks. They are also called mash beans, green beans, green soy, moong or monggo.

The sprouts of mung beans are simply called bean sprouts. These sprouts have white or silvery stalks. When the husk is removed from the heads, the heads are yellowish in hue. Bean sprouts can be eaten raw, but they can also be included in quickly cooked stir-fry dishes. They are crunchy when raw or just slightly cooked, and they have a fresh, light sweet taste.

It is widely said that bean sprouts have been around and have been used in cooking and for medicinal purposes for more than five thousand years. Mung beans originated in the Indian subcontinent, and through trading and conquests, they made their way into China, where they became an important part of Chinese cuisine. Since Chinese cuisine is a major influence in Asian cuisine, both mung beans and bean sprouts found their way into the cuisines of India, East Asia and Southeast Asia, including Vietnam.