Bean Sprout Glycemic Index
Low GI · The honest verdict
Gentle on blood sugar
Glycemic index
25
per source
Glycemic load
1
Low GL
This food's glycemic index is 25, which is Low GI.
Bean sprouts are among the most blood-sugar-neutral foods available. Their carbohydrate content is minimal and largely offset by fiber, so a typical serving has almost no effect on blood glucose. This is general nutrition information, not medical advice; people with diabetes should confirm with their care team.
GI numbers vary by source, ripeness, and how a food is prepared. This is general nutrition information — not medical advice. If you manage diabetes, confirm specifics with your care team.
Key facts
One cup of raw mung bean sprouts contains just 31 calories and about 4 g of net carbs — one of the lightest carb loads of any vegetable.
A glycemic load of 10 or below is classified as low. Bean sprouts score approximately 1 per cup — near the floor of the scale.
Sprouting increases the bioavailability of folate and reduces phytic acid, improving mineral absorption compared to unsprouted beans.
What's actually inside
Per 100 g, with your typical serving noted as 1 cup (104 g), raw mung bean sprouts. The carb family is what moves blood sugar — fiber is the number that softens the spike.
- Total carbs
- 6g
- Net carbs
- 4g
- total carbs minus fiber
- Fiber
- 2g
- slows the glucose rise
- Sugars
- 4g
- Protein
- 3g
- Calories
- 31kcal
Notable nutrients
- Vitamin C14 mg
- Folate63 mcg
- Vitamin K34 mcg
- Iron0.9 mg
Is it a smart choice for blood sugar?
GI is only half the story — portion (glycemic load) and what you eat it with decide the real-world effect. Here's the honest read.
The verdict
Very diabetes-friendly — essentially negligible blood sugar impact
Bean sprouts are among the most blood-sugar-neutral foods available. Their carbohydrate content is minimal and largely offset by fiber, so a typical serving has almost no effect on blood glucose. This is general nutrition information, not medical advice; people with diabetes should confirm with their care team.
Portion guidance
You would need to eat an extraordinary amount of bean sprouts to produce a meaningful blood sugar rise. Even a large 2-cup serving delivers fewer than 8 g of net carbs with a glycemic load well under 2. No special portion restriction is needed for this food in most eating patterns.
This is general nutrition information, not personal medical advice. Blood sugar responses are individual — if you have diabetes or prediabetes, your care team can tell you how this fits your plan.
How to keep the spike small
The same food can land differently depending on how it's cooked and what it's eaten with. Use these levers to your advantage.
Eating raw (in salads or wraps)
Lowers the spikeRaw sprouts retain full fiber structure and intact cell walls, keeping their already-minimal carbs even slower to digest.
Brief stir-frying
Little effectLight cooking softens the texture but the carb content is so low that any GI shift is nutritionally insignificant.
Adding sugary sauces (sweet and sour, teriyaki)
Raises GIAny blood sugar impact from a bean-sprout dish comes almost entirely from added sauces, not from the sprouts themselves.
Pairing tip
Bean sprouts pair well with anything — toss them raw into salads or noodle bowls, or stir-fry briefly with tofu, chicken, or shrimp and a low-sugar sauce. Their neutral flavor and near-zero carb count make them an easy bulk-up vegetable for blood-sugar-conscious meals.
Why GI numbers vary
The GI of approximately 25 cited for mung bean sprouts comes from studies on sprouted mung beans specifically. Soybean sprouts have a similarly very low GI. Sprouting partially breaks down the starch in the parent legume and increases water content, which both contribute to the very low GI value. The number is consistent across the few published sources that have tested sprouted legumes.
Not medical advice. This page is general nutrition information about Bean Sprout. It isn't a diagnosis or a treatment plan. If you have diabetes, prediabetes, or another condition affecting blood sugar, confirm any dietary decisions with your doctor or care team.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes — bean sprouts are one of the most blood-sugar-friendly vegetables. A full cup of raw mung bean sprouts has only about 4 g of net carbs and a glycemic load of roughly 1. They are filling, low-calorie, and have almost no effect on blood glucose in any typical serving size. People with diabetes can generally eat them freely, though individual responses can vary — check with your care team if you are monitoring closely.
Published values for mung bean sprouts typically land around 25, which is firmly in the low-GI category (55 or below). This figure is consistent across sources because the food is predominantly water and fiber with very little digestible starch.
Barely. A full cup of raw bean sprouts has a glycemic load of approximately 1 — one of the lowest of any food. The tiny amount of carbohydrate present is partly offset by fiber, so the glucose response is negligible in normal portions.
Yes. With about 4 g of net carbs per cup, bean sprouts are compatible with low-carb and ketogenic diets. They are one of the higher-volume, lower-carb vegetables available, making them useful for adding bulk to meals without significantly affecting daily carb limits.
Both are very low GI, but their nutrition profiles differ slightly. Mung bean sprouts are lower in fat and calories; soybean sprouts are higher in protein and fat. For blood sugar purposes, both are negligible — the choice comes down to flavor and culinary use rather than glycemic impact.
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Reviewed by
Curex Editorial TeamReviewed for accuracy
Last reviewed July 2026