Are Bean Sprouts Keto-Friendly? A Closer Look at This Low-Carb Vegetable

This simple bean sprout salad is a light and refreshing salad with a delicious spicy peanut dressing. It’s a great quick and colourful low carb vegetarian lunch.

The red pepper and cucumber give colour and flavour that goes so well with the peanut butter dressing. You could eat this bean sprout salad with a spoon! I added chopped spring onions and peanuts to make it look nicer and give it more crunch.

Bean sprouts are a popular ingredient in many Asian dishes. But can these crunchy sprouts fit into a keto diet? With only 4 grams of net carbs per serving, bean sprouts can absolutely be part of a keto lifestyle.

Keep reading to learn more about the nutritional benefits of bean sprouts, how they fit into keto diets, creative ways to enjoy them, and reasons you may want to add these sprouts to your low-carb meal plan.

What are Bean Sprouts?

Bean sprouts refer to the sprouted seeds of certain legumes and beans. Mung bean sprouts made from sprouted mung beans, are the most common. But other seeds like lentils, peas chickpeas, and soybeans can also be sprouted.

To make bean sprouts, the legume seeds are soaked in water until they germinate, or begin to sprout. They are then drained and rinsed frequently as the sprout continues to grow. After 3-5 days, a small white sprout emerges from one end of the seed. This is the bean sprout, which is harvested and eaten raw or cooked.

Bean sprouts are crunchy and delicious, with an earthy, nutty flavor They add great texture to dishes. Popular in Asian cooking, they shine in recipes like pad thai, spring rolls, soups, and stir fries

Nutrition Facts of Bean Sprouts

So what are the nutrition stats on these sprouts? Let’s start with a look at mung bean sprouts, the most common variety.

A 1 cup serving (about 104 grams) of raw mung bean sprouts contains:

Calories: 30
Fat: 0.5 g
Carbs: 6 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 3 g

With 6 grams of total carbs but 2 grams of fiber the net carbs in mung bean sprouts comes out to 4 grams. This carb count makes them a great low-carb addition to the keto diet.

Bean sprouts offer no fat or protein, but provide an array of vitamins and minerals:

Vitamin K: 15% DV
Vitamin C: 10% DV
Folate: 7% DV
Manganese: 7% DV
Vitamin B6: 6% DV

They also contain antioxidants like flavonoids to help reduce inflammation. Their high fiber content aids digestion as well. Overall, bean sprouts pack lots of nutritional benefits with very few carbs.

Are Bean Sprouts Keto?

Given their stellar nutrition profile and low net carb content, mung bean sprouts can certainly fit into a keto diet.

With only 4 grams of net carbs per one cup serving, you can easily incorporate bean sprouts into your daily meal plan and stay within the standard keto limits of 20-50 grams of carbs per day.

For most people following a keto diet, bean sprouts should be limited to about 1-2 servings per day to keep net carbs low. But this amount still allows you to enjoy their crunch and nutrients regularly.

Since they are very low in fat and protein, bean sprouts do not fully align with typical keto macros, which call for 70% fat, 25% protein, and just 5% carbs. But eaten in moderation along with other keto foods, mung bean sprouts make an excellent addition to the diet.

Other varieties like soybean sprouts and lentil sprouts contain slightly more carbs, so they may need more limiting at 1 serving per day on keto. But mung bean sprouts can be enjoyed more freely.

Tips for Enjoying Bean Sprouts on Keto

Here are some ideas for incorporating these crunchy, low-carb sprouts into your keto eating plan:

Toss raw sprouts into salads for added crunch. They pair well with fatty dressings and ingredients like avocado.
Add to stir fry dishes with cauliflower rice and plenty of fat from meat and oil. Try beef and broccoli with bean sprouts.
Mix into noodle-free pad thai along with shirataki noodles, chicken, and peanut sauce.
Include in Vietnamese pho made keto by using shirataki noodles and fatty beef in the broth.
Top keto-friendly egg rolls with bean sprouts for texture and moisture.
Garnish soups and ramen with fresh bean sprouts.

The key is balancing bean sprouts with plenty of fat and protein to meet keto macros. Prepare them with fattier meats, oils, nuts, avocado, and dressings.

Health Benefits of Eating Bean Sprouts

Beyond being keto-friendly, incorporating bean sprouts into your diet provides a number of excellent health benefits:

Bean sprouts contain antioxidants that reduce inflammation and protect cells from damage caused by free radicals.
They are high in vitamin K, which plays a key role in blood clotting and bone health. Just one cup meets over 100% of the daily recommended intake.
The fiber content aids digestion and promotes regularity. Fiber also helps stabilize blood sugar.
Bean sprouts provide folate, an essential B vitamin that helps make DNA and produce new blood cells.
Their vitamin C content boosts immune function and skin health.
Manganese found in sprouts assists nutrient absorption while stimulating metabolism.

So by enjoying bean sprouts as part of a keto diet, you gain nutritional and health advantages in addition to their great taste and crunch.

Try Growing Your Own Sprouts

If you want the freshest bean sprouts while keeping costs low, consider sprouting them at home. Growing your own sprouts is simple and rewarding.

Here’s a quick guide:

Purchase dried mung beans or other sprouting seeds from a health food store or online retailer.
Place 2-3 tablespoons of seeds in a glass jar and cover with 2-3 inches of cool water. Allow to soak overnight.
Drain the water and rinse the beans thoroughly 2-3 times per day.
Within 3-5 days, small sprouts will begin emerging from the beans. Once sprouts reach 1-1 1/2 inches in length, they are ready to harvest.
Rinse sprouts one final time, drain well and refrigerate. Use within 5 days.

Sprouting at home provides the freshest sprouts at a fraction of the cost of buying them. Kids will also love watching the sprouting process each day.

Are Bean Sprouts Right for You?

If you follow a keto or low-carb diet, bean sprouts can be a nutritious, crunchy addition when eaten in moderation. With only 4 g net carbs per serving, mung bean sprouts fit well into keto meal plans.

Try incorporating sprouts into Asian dishes, salads, soups, and more. Their vitamin and antioxidant content provides health benefits as well. And growing sprouts at home is fun and economical.

So if you are looking for new keto vegetables to work into your recipes, give bean sprouts a try. Their versatility, fresh taste and stellar nutrition make these sprouts a great option.

are bean sprouts keto
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WHAT ARE BEAN SPROUTS?

Most bean sprouts come from mung or soy beans. They are simply sprouts that come from beans with the beans being soaked in water then sprouted. Sprouting mung beans can change the nutritional makeup to reduce calories but increase the antioxidant and amino acids. Bean sprouts are full if fibre, low in carbs and are rich in vitamins and minerals.

ARE BEAN SPROUTS KETO?

Not only are bean sprouts versatile they are low in carbs and have just 0. 1g net carbs per cup. You can enjoy them raw in a salad or in a delicious stir-fry. Don’t let the word “bean” scare you; you can’t eat them on a Paleo, keto, or low-carb diet. Beans are a legume but once they are sprouted they are considered to be a vegetable.

are bean sprouts keto

Nutritional Benefits of Sprouts Explained By Dr. Berg

FAQ

Do bean sprouts have a lot of carbs?

Bean sprouts are good for most people. They are low in fat, calories and carbs and high in protein and nutrients.

Can sprouts be eaten in keto diet?

Sprouts are a reasobably low carb veg, so you can eat them as long as you don’t put them on toast. Yes, mung bean sprouts can be included in a ketogenic diet as they are low in carbs and high in nutrients. They provide fiber, vitamins, and minerals while aligning with the low-carb principles of keto.

What beans to avoid on keto?

Most types of beans, such as red kidney beans, black beans, and pinto beans, should be avoided on a standard ketogenic diet due to their high carbohydrate content.

Are sprouts low in carbs?

First, compared to unsprouted seeds and grains, sprouts have lower levels of carbohydrates, which may help control insulin levels.

Can you eat bean sprouts on a keto diet?

The only negative side to bean sprouts for a keto diet is that they are low in fat. Normally we would advocate eating low-carb, high-fat foods. However, if you are using these to add flavor and crunch to your favorite Asian cuisine or salad, go ahead.

Are carrots suitable for a keto diet?

Carrots can be eaten on a keto diet, but in smaller quantities because they are higher in sugar than other vegetables, such as leafy greens. On a standard keto diet, you are allowed to consume from 20 to 50 grams of carbs, to sustain the ketosis. 100 grams of carrot contain 9. 58 grams of carbs. Best vegetables for keto diet are: asparagus, celery, tomatoes, spinach, lettuce, mushrooms, cucumber, zucchini, as they are low-carb.

Are sprouted kidney beans keto friendly?

While the two types of sprouts are most common, there are more than 10 different sprouts available, such as lentil sprouts or chickpea sprouts. Out of the additional varieties, the only kind of beans suitable for keto dieters are kidney bean sprouts. Have you never heard of sprouted kidney beans? This is because they are not very common.

Are bean sprouts low carb?

Bean sprouts might be the answer. Bean sprouts contain only 5.9g of total carbs per 100g and can add volume and a satisfying crunch to your stir-fries. How much bean sprouts can you eat on keto? Are they more healthy than regular mung beans? And are there any other keto low carb sprouts?