The mung bean, known as rouvitsa or kalamatiano in Greek, is a very small green bean, similar to a lentil bean. It is a plant species of the legume family and essentially soy bean sprouts. In the past, mung beans were cooked as soups in Messinian cuisine.
Mung beans contain 28% protein, having as much protein as meat and of equal nutritional value. They are also a good source of fiber and have significant amounts of potassium and iron. One of their most important nutrients is isoflavones, that is, plant-derived compounds with estrogenic activity, which are potentially beneficial for the prevention of ovarian cancer.