Protein Quality of Mung Beans for Healthy Adults

Overseen By Alyssa White

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Male

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: The Hospital for Sick Children

Must not be taking: Steroids

Disqualifiers: Weight loss, Diet allergy, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 11

Duration: 11 weeks to 6 months

6 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

The research study is being done so we can determine the quality of the protein present in Mung beans. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and protein quality is determined by the amount of amino acids present and by their bioavailability (their absorption and use by the body). Some amino acids are essential which means they must be obtained from the diet. If any one of the essential amino acids is missing in the diet, the body cannot make proteins that are used to repair tissue build bone, teeth, etc... Mung beans as a food source contain low amounts of the essential amino acid methionine which makes its protein incomplete. The amino acids in Mung beans are also affected by cooking. Our objective is to determine the amount of methionine in Mung beans that the body can use. We will test Mung beans by studying them after cooking them in a stew, on their own and by combining the Mung bean stew with rice or wheat in a mixed meal to make a more complete protein. This research is being done in order to bridge the gap between knowledge of protein requirement and the amount of food needed to meet that requirement. Results from this study will be important for recommendations guiding food choices of Mung bean as a major protein source in the diet. Previously the quality of dietary protein for human consumption was studied in animals. This study is being done in humans because studies in animals are not directly applicable to humans. Plant protein sources like Mung beans are important alternatives to animal protein in the diet. Plant protein consumption relative to animal protein can contribute to "enhance ecosystem resilience, and improved human health.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications, but you cannot participate if you are on medications that affect protein or amino acid metabolism, like steroids.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment involving mung bean intake for healthy adults?

Mung beans are rich in protein and essential amino acids, including branched chain amino acids (BCAAs), which are important for building and repairing muscles. They also contain bioactive compounds that can help manage blood sugar levels, cholesterol, and blood pressure, and may offer protective benefits against certain diseases. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is mung bean protein safe for human consumption?

Mung bean protein is generally considered safe for human consumption, but it may cause allergic reactions in people allergic to soybeans, peanuts, lupin, or birch pollen. Studies have shown that it is non-toxic and has good protein quality, making it a safe option for most people. ^{1 6 7 8 9}

How does mung bean intake as a treatment differ from other protein sources?

Mung bean intake is unique because it offers a sustainable and economic source of plant protein with high protein quality and reduced anti-nutritional factors, making it suitable for meat-based food applications and as a dietary supplement. It also contains essential amino acids and branched chain amino acids, which are beneficial for developing functional foods like oral nutrition supplements. ^{1 7 9 10 11}

Research Team

Glenda Courtney-Martin, PhD

Principal Investigator

The Hospital for Sick Children

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for healthy men aged 18-49 with stable body weight, not on medications affecting protein metabolism like steroids. They must have no conditions such as diabetes that affect protein or amino acid metabolism and no recent significant weight changes.

Inclusion Criteria

Stable Body Weight (no more than 5 lb weight loss or gain in the past 3 months)

I am not taking medications that affect protein or amino acid metabolism.

I am a man aged between 18 and 49.

Exclusion Criteria

Recent history of weight loss within the last 3 months or on a weight reducing diet

Inability to tolerate study diets (e.g., allergy to ingredients)

I am not willing or able to follow the study's diet plan.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Pre-study Assessment

Participants will be seen initially for pre-study assessment

3 hours

1 visit (in-person)

Treatment

Participants receive different amounts of Mung beans and reference diets to assess methionine bioavailability

11 weeks to 6 months

Up to 10 study periods, each consisting of a 3-day experiment

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

4 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Dietary Intakes

Trial Overview The study aims to determine the quality of protein from Mung beans by assessing the bioavailability of an essential amino acid called methionine. It will test cooked Mung beans alone, in stew, and combined with rice or wheat in meals.

Participant Groups

Group I: Arms Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Methionine bioavailability in Mung beans Participants will be seen initially for pre-study assessment (3 hour). They will then be studied for up to 10 times. levels of phenylalanine intake (7 Study periods). You could be expected to participate in up to 10 different sets of experiments which will take 11 weeks to 6 months. Each set of experiment consists of a 3 day period. During the first 2 days (Adaptation Days) you will be expected to consume 4 meals per day consisting of a protein liquid drink and protein freecookies and/or a Mung bean stew with or without rice or wheat, which will be provided by the investigators

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

The Hospital for Sick Children

Lead Sponsor

Trials

724

Recruited

6,969,000+

Findings from Research

Mung bean tempeh powder, produced with a yield of 37.50%, contains high levels of protein (39.19%) and branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) (54.14 mg/g), making it a nutritious ingredient for oral nutrition supplements (ONS).

The developed ONS formulas (F1 and F4) not only received positive sensory evaluations from taste testers but also demonstrated significant antioxidant activity, suggesting they could effectively support health and nutrition, especially for malnourished patients.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Branched Chain Amino Acid Content and Antioxidant Activity of Mung Bean Tempeh Powder for Developing Oral Nutrition Supplements. Yanti, ., Violina, V., Putri, CE., et al.[2023]

Mung beans are a highly nutritious food source rich in protein, fiber, vitamins, and bioactive compounds, which contribute to various health benefits such as lowering blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure, as well as having cancer-preventive properties.

The health benefits of mung beans are largely attributed to their major polyphenols, vitexin and isovitexin, and bioactive peptides, suggesting that these compounds play a crucial role in promoting overall health and could be further utilized in food products for improved nutrition.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mung Bean (Vigna radiata L.): Bioactive Polyphenols, Polysaccharides, Peptides, and Health Benefits. Hou, D., Yousaf, L., Xue, Y., et al.[2023]

In a study of 11,680 older adults, it was found that nearly 46% of those aged 71 and older did not meet the recommended protein intake of 0.8 g/kg/d, which was associated with poorer diet quality and more functional limitations.

Lower protein intake was linked to decreased physical functioning, including significantly lower grip strength in individuals over 70, highlighting the importance of adequate protein consumption for maintaining health in older adults.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Low Dietary Protein Intakes and Associated Dietary Patterns and Functional Limitations in an Aging Population: A NHANES analysis. Krok-Schoen, JL., Archdeacon Price, A., Luo, M., et al.[2020]

Animal protein is the primary source of protein in the American diet, accounting for 69% of total protein intake, with meat, fish, and poultry being the largest contributors (42%).

There are notable differences in protein sources among different demographic groups, such as gender and race-ethnicity, which should be considered in nutrition education; for example, women consume more poultry and dairy, while Black participants report higher poultry and pork intake compared to Whites and Mexican-Americans.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Estimates of animal and plant protein intake in US adults: results from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988-1991. Smit, E., Nieto, FJ., Crespo, CJ., et al.[2022]

Older adults who consumed protein-enriched bread and drinking yoghurt had a significantly higher total protein intake (115.3 g/d) compared to those on a regular diet (72.5 g/d), indicating that these enriched products can effectively boost protein consumption.

The intervention not only increased overall protein intake but also improved the distribution of protein across meals, with the enriched group exceeding the recommended intake of 25-30 g per meal, while the control group fell short during breakfast and lunch.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of the daily consumption of protein enriched bread and protein enriched drinking yoghurt on the total protein intake in older adults in a rehabilitation centre: a single blind randomised controlled trial. van Til, AJ., Naumann, E., Cox-Claessens, IJ., et al.[2018]

Mung bean proteins are a good source of nutrition, although they lack sufficient amounts of the sulfur-containing amino acids methionine and cysteine, which can be enhanced through protein engineering.

Mung bean proteins and hydrolyzed peptides exhibit various bioactivities, such as inhibiting angiotensin-converting enzyme and antifungal properties, making them useful as food additives to improve storage stability.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mung bean proteins and peptides: nutritional, functional and bioactive properties. Yi-Shen, Z., Shuai, S., FitzGerald, R.[2020]

Cooking common beans significantly reduces antinutritional factors like trypsin inhibitors and tannins, which can improve protein digestibility, although colored beans still contain higher levels of these factors compared to white beans.

To maintain nitrogen balance, adult males require a higher intake of bean protein than previously thought, with recommendations suggesting 0.9-1.0 g/kg/day, and 1.2-1.3 g/kg/day for the general population.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Chemical composition and evaluation of the protein quality of beans in adult humans by the short-term nitrogen balance method]. Blanco, A., Navarrete, DA., Bressani, R., et al.[2018]

Mung bean protein, derived from the seeds of Vigna radiata, is considered safe for consumption as a novel food ingredient, with a maximum estimated intake of 758 mg/kg body weight per day for children and 260 mg/kg for adults.

The protein is highly digestible and contains most essential amino acids, although it has limited sulfur-containing amino acids; however, it may cause allergic reactions in individuals with sensitivities to related legumes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Safety of mung bean protein as a novel food pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2015/2283. Turck, D., Bohn, T., Castenmiller, J., et al.[2023]

Texturized mung bean protein (TMBP) shows excellent protein quality with a digestibility of 99.26%, comparable to casein, making it a promising alternative protein source for meat-based applications.

The production process of TMBP significantly reduces anti-nutritional factors like trypsin inhibitors and phytic acid, while also demonstrating non-toxicity and safety, as confirmed by healthy organ function in an in vivo study with rats.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Texturized mung bean protein as a sustainable food source: techno-functionality, anti-nutrient properties, in vivo protein quality and toxicity. Brishti, FH., Chay, SY., Muhammad, K., et al.[2021]

The protein digestibility of common beans is significantly lower than that of meat but comparable to textured vegetable protein, indicating that while beans are a good protein source, they may not be as easily absorbed by the body.

Combining beans with maize improves protein digestibility and reduces the amount of nitrogen needed to reach nitrogen equilibrium, suggesting that eating these foods together can enhance their nutritional value.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Protein digestibility and protein quality of common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) fed alone and with maize, in adult humans using a short-term nitrogen balance assay. Navarrete, DA., Bressani, R.[2018]

In a study using rats, cooked mung bean protein was found to be of lower quality than rice protein, but combining them improved the overall protein quality as more rice was added to the diet.

Germinated mung bean/rice mixtures showed better protein quality than ungerminated ones, although when 75% of the mung bean protein was replaced with rice, both mixtures performed similarly.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The complementation effects on dietary protein of ungerminated and germinated mung bean (Phaseolus aureus) with rice. Noor, MI., Brenes, RG., Bressani, R., et al.[2016]

References

1. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Branched Chain Amino Acid Content and Antioxidant Activity of Mung Bean Tempeh Powder for Developing Oral Nutrition Supplements. [2023]

2. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mung Bean (Vigna radiata L.): Bioactive Polyphenols, Polysaccharides, Peptides, and Health Benefits. [2023]

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Low Dietary Protein Intakes and Associated Dietary Patterns and Functional Limitations in an Aging Population: A NHANES analysis. [2020]

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Estimates of animal and plant protein intake in US adults: results from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988-1991. [2022]

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Effects of the daily consumption of protein enriched bread and protein enriched drinking yoghurt on the total protein intake in older adults in a rehabilitation centre: a single blind randomised controlled trial. [2018]

6. Sweden pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mung bean proteins and peptides: nutritional, functional and bioactive properties. [2020]

7. Venezuela pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Chemical composition and evaluation of the protein quality of beans in adult humans by the short-term nitrogen balance method]. [2018]

8. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Safety of mung bean protein as a novel food pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2015/2283. [2023]

9. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Texturized mung bean protein as a sustainable food source: techno-functionality, anti-nutrient properties, in vivo protein quality and toxicity. [2021]

10. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Protein digestibility and protein quality of common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) fed alone and with maize, in adult humans using a short-term nitrogen balance assay. [2018]

11. Venezuela pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The complementation effects on dietary protein of ungerminated and germinated mung bean (Phaseolus aureus) with rice. [2016]