Even though they are small in size, bean sprouts contain many nutrients. Consuming bean sprouts may provide these benefits, you know! Bean sprouts or also called bean sprouts are vegetables in the form of sprouts from green beans. This vegetable is widely used in various dishes, such as stir-fries, soup mixtures, pecel accompaniments, or bakwan sayur mixtures.
Apart from its delicious taste, it turns out that bean sprouts also contain many benefits. This is because sprouts contain fiber, antioxidants, vitamin E, vitamin K, folic acid, vitamin B, and other important minerals and vitamins.
The need to consume bean sprouts varies depending on individual needs and lifestyle. In general, around 50-100 grams of fresh bean sprouts per day can be part of a healthy diet.
Following are the benefits of bean sprouts for health if you consume them regularly:
1. Prevents Heart Disease
Heart disease is the most common cause of death. The reason is, this disease attacks the heart, whose function is to pump blood throughout the body.
Inflammation, high blood pressure (hypertension), or high cholesterol levels can be high-risk factors for heart disease. To prevent heart disease, you can consume sprouts.
“Bean sprouts contain flavonoid compounds, such as quercetin, which can help maintain heart health by reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure and coronary heart disease.
5. Reduces the risk of degenerative diseases
Degenerative diseases are conditions that cause tissues or organs to deteriorate over time. These include heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Consuming foods rich in antioxidants, such as nuts and bean sprouts, is positively correlated with a lower risk of degenerative diseases in old age.
2. Healthy Digestive System
“Bean sprouts contain dietary fiber which is important for digestive health. “Fiber helps regulate digestion and maintain health,”.
Fiber can also be food for good bacteria in the intestines. These bacteria help break down toxins from food, train the immune system, and make certain vitamins that the body needs.
Besides that, doctors also explained, “Bean sprouts contain the enzyme amylase, which helps in the breakdown of carbohydrates. This can facilitate the digestion process and absorption of nutrients in the digestive system.”
6. Improves the immune system
“Bean sprouts are a good source of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C which helps increase the body’s immunity,”.
This benefit is known from the ability of vitamin C to improve white blood cell function. This has an impact on the production of antibodies by white blood cells so that the body becomes stronger against infection.
3. Prevents constipation
The fiber content in sprouts also provides benefits in preventing difficult bowel movements. Because constipation often occurs if you don’t consume enough fiber foods.
The fiber from bean sprouts can soften feces so that it can easily pass through the digestive tract and be excreted from the body. You can get the benefits of bean sprouts if you fulfill your fluid intake every day.
7. Suitable for diets
Did you know that bean sprouts have quite a few calories? Per 100 grams of bean sprouts, there are 37 calories. The low calories of bean sprouts make bean sprouts a vegetable that is suitable for diets.
The fiber in bean sprouts can keep your stomach full longer. This effect can prevent you from snacking on unhealthy foods. Plus, sprouts also contain a lot of water so the effect is more optimal.
4. Fights free radicals
Even though they are small in size, sprouts are foods rich in antioxidants. This compound helps the body fight cell damage caused by free radicals.
“Bean sprouts contain phytochemical compounds that have antioxidant properties, such as vitamin C and vitamin E. Eating sprouts can provide benefits in the form of protection for the body from damage caused by free radicals.”
8. Helps control blood sugar
Diabetes causes blood sugar levels to be above normal. This condition causes disturbing symptoms and dangerous complications.
So that the condition does not get worse, diabetics need to keep their blood sugar levels stable. The way to do this is by maintaining a healthy diet.
“Bean sprouts have a low glycemic index and contain fiber, which helps regulate blood sugar levels. “Consuming bean sprouts can help control blood sugar and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes,”.
9. Supports the Health of Pregnant Women and the Fetus
“Consuming bean sprouts can help meet the folic acid requirements needed during pregnancy,”.
The folic acid in bean sprouts provides many benefits for pregnant women and their wombs, such as:
- Forms fetal nerves
- Prevent miscarriage
- Reduces the risk of preeclampsia
- Forms the placenta
11. Strengthens Bones
Bean sprouts contain vitamin K which is important for bone health. This vegetable also contains manganese and zinc, which support healthy bone formation.
The benefits of sprouts are also strengthened by the phytoestrogen content. This compound can help increase bone mineralization by increasing calcium levels.
10. Supports Blood Cell Clotting and Formation
“Vitamin K in bean sprouts is important for blood clotting,”. This is needed when bleeding occurs. If its function does not work properly, the amount of blood can decrease, especially in cases of serious accidents.
Apart from clotting the blood, the iron and folic acid in bean sprouts can also increase the production of red blood cells. The benefits of bean sprouts can prevent you from experiencing anemia.
12. Improves Sperm Quality
The benefits of sprouts for men are quite popular in society. Bean sprout extract is effective for improving sperm quality including number, shape (morphology), motility, and viability, according to research conducted by Endah Mulyani.
Good sperm quality can increase the chances of pregnancy. On the other hand, if the quality and quantity of sperm is low, the chances of a successful pregnancy become smaller. There are many benefits of bean sprouts for body health, right? So, include bean sprouts in your diet, OK?