What is the difference between mung beans and green beans

Green beans and green adzuki beans are two different types of legumes, mainly distinguished by their variety, appearance, and purpose. Mung beans are common seeds of leguminous plants, with a green skin and a round shape; Green beans are a variant of mung beans, with smaller particles and slightly lighter color. There are also differences in nutritional composition and consumption methods between the two.

1. Variety Differences

Mung beans belong to the legume family and the genus Vignaradiata, which is a traditional crop. Green beans are a specific cultivated variety of mung beans, with smaller particles and shorter growth cycles, suitable for planting under specific climatic conditions. Both belong to different subtypes of the same species in botanical classification.

2. Appearance difference

Green bean particles are larger, with a diameter of about 4-5 millimeters, and the skin is dark green with obvious luster. Green beans have a diameter of about 2-3 millimeters, a light green or yellow green color, and a thin skin. After cooking, mung beans maintain their intact form, while green beans are more easily cooked into sand.

3. Nutrients

Green beans are rich in protein, dietary fiber, and B vitamins, with a high potassium content. Green beans have slightly higher starch content and lower protein ratio than mung beans, but contain more antioxidant substances. Both have the effect of clearing heat and relieving summer heat, and green beans are easier to digest and absorb.

4. Way of eating

Mung beans are suitable for making mung bean soup, mung bean Congee and other foods that need to maintain a sense of grain. Green adzuki beans are often used to make bean paste and pastry fillings, and are more suitable for processing food due to their easy to cook property. In some areas, green beans will sprout and be consumed as vegetables.

5. Medicinal Value

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that mung beans have detoxifying and cooling effects, and are commonly used to treat summer heat and thirst. Green beans, due to their small particles, are more likely to release medicinal effects and are commonly used in traditional prescriptions to promote diuresis and reduce swelling. Modern research shows that both contain polyphenolic substances, but green beans have a higher flavonoid content.

Daily consumption can be selected according to needs. Green beans are suitable for summer cooling drinks, while green beans are more suitable for processed foods. Both need to be soaked in advance to shorten cooking time, and those with spleen and stomach deficiency and cold should control their intake. It is recommended to include two types of legumes in daily diet, which can be combined with grains to improve protein utilization. However, individuals with renal insufficiency should limit their intake of legumes.