Delicious Mung Bean Sprouts Juice & Smoothie Recipe

By
Robert Hannum
Robert Hannum
Robert Hannum is a food writer and the author of juicing and smoothie cookbooks.
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Updated on 06/24/21
mango juice or smoothie

Nevena Zdravic / getty images

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 5 mins
Serving: 1 to 2 servings
Yield: 20 ounces

Bean sprouts are the short, pale green or white shoots that sprout from a wide variety of beans which interestingly contain a higher content of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other nutrients than the beans from which they sprout!

It is believed that early Chinese seafarers grew sprouts on board in order to avoid disease in much the same way that later European explorers traveled with citrus fruit to avoid scurvy.

Sprouts can be derived from seeds and nuts as well as beans. All sprouts are easy to grow at home. Interestingly, while alfalfa are the most popular sprouts, they are lower in nutritional value than other sprouts!

Bean sprouts are considered a superfood, particularly mung and soy bean! I try to add a small handful to all my juice and smoothie recipes for an added nutritional punch!

In the West, bean sprouts are commonly consumed fresh in salads, sandwiches, and more recently, juices and smoothies. We associate sprouts in particular with Eastern foods where they have been a part of the cuisine and used for medicinal purposes for millennia. But mung bean sprouts, especially, have long been a part of Indian, South American and African diets.

Growing them at home is a particularly important option since one of the main sources of foodborne illness is commercial sprouts.


Ingredients

  • 1 mango​, chunked without the seed or skin

  • 1 cup (or handful) fresh mung bean sprouts

  • 1/2 medium english cucumber, with the skin

  • 1 cup fresh coconut, chunked

  • 1 to 2 cups coconut water or milk (for a smoothie)

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Combine mango, mung bean sprouts, cucumber, and coconut in a blender. Blend on high until smooth and completely combined.

  3. If making a smoothie, add the coconut water or milk, then blend on high until smoothie. Adjust consistency with additional liquid of choice, if desired.

  4. Taste and adjust flavor with additional fruit or sweetener, if desired. Pour into glasses and serve immediately.

Benefits & Research

  • Bean sprouts are extremely low in calories, rich in protein and nearly fat free with no cholesterol or sodium. They are filled with nutritional enzymes, vitamins and minerals such as calcium, and provide an excellent source for energy-boosting carbohydrates.
  • They are also a valuable source of the antioxidant vitamin C, and are high in folate, depending upon which sprouts you eat. Folate is necessary for the production of DNA, red blood cells and amino acids. Thus, folate is essential to the prevention of anemia and birth defects. It’s especially critical to women who are pregnant. One cup of sprouts delivers 16% to 30% of the RDA of folate, depending on what sprouts you eat!
  • It’s important to note that not all sprouts are created equal! Soy and mung bean sprouts are the most nutritious.
  • Studies concluded that sprouts have an anti-inflammatory effect and may reduce the risk of colon cancer. Other research is looking at preliminary results that sprouts decrease blood pressure, fight diabetes, lower the risk of heart disease and prevent allergies.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
363 Calories
13g Fat
64g Carbs
5g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1 to 2
Amount per serving
Calories 363
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g 17%
Saturated Fat 11g 57%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 131mg 6%
Total Carbohydrate 64g 23%
Dietary Fiber 9g 33%
Total Sugars 49g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 106mg 529%
Calcium 52mg 4%
Iron 2mg 10%
Potassium 754mg 16%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)
Article Sources
The Spruce Eats uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

  1. US Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central. Bean sprouts, raw. Updated April 1, 2019.

  2. Rao S, Chinkwo KA, Santhakumar AB, Blanchard CL. Inhibitory Effects of Pulse Bioactive Compounds on Cancer Development Pathways. Diseases. 2018;6(3).  doi:10.3390/diseases6030072