Bean sprouts, whether stir-fried, boiled in soups, juiced, or served cold in salads, are indispensable, especially as a bed for a pot of fragrant and spicy boiled fish. In the minds of many, bean sprouts might be the "weakling" of the vegetables, so much so that a slender person is described as "looking like a bean sprout." However, don't be fooled by their slender and delicate appearance; they are a treasured delicacy cherished across generations. To begin with their history, bean sprouts, along with tofu, soybean paste, and gluten, are known as the "Four Great Inventions of Chinese Food." Because of their crystal-clear, white, and slender form, they were praised by people of the Ming Dynasty as having "flesh like ice and jade, like the whiskers of a white dragon." Furthermore, as they resemble a *ruyi* scepter, they are also called the *ruyi* vegetable.
Not only are bean sprouts exceptionally beautiful, but they are also a nutritional powerhouse. Li Shizhen, in his *Compendium of Materia Medica*, recorded: "This bean sprout is uniquely white and beautiful. After eating, it clears the mind and nourishes the body, possessing the effects of 'detoxifying from alcohol and heat, and benefiting the triple burner'." In traditional Chinese medical texts, soybean sprouts are listed as the number one longevity food, while mung bean sprouts rank sixth.
Professor Cheng Yiyong, Vice Chairman of the Chinese Nutrition Society, points out that compared to the beans before germination, bean sprouts not only change in appearance but also undergo a series of biochemical reactions, significantly increasing their nutritional value and bioavailability. The most typical example is that dried beans contain almost no vitamin C, but after germination, the vitamin C content in bean sprouts increases dramatically, which helps maintain skin elasticity and prevent aging and wrinkling. Additionally, they contain vitamin E, which can prevent skin pigmentation and eliminate skin spots, making them a truly effective beauty elixir.
Speaking of the types of bean sprouts, Cheng Yiyong explains: Common types include soybean sprouts and mung bean sprouts, as well as black bean sprouts, broad bean sprouts, and pea sprouts. Among them, soybean sprouts do indeed have the highest nutritional value. During the germination of soybeans, the action of enzymes releases more calcium, iron, phosphorus, and zinc. In particular, aspartic acid increases substantially, which can reduce lactic acid buildup in the body and alleviate fatigue.
However, these beautiful and wise bean sprouts are also delicate "young ladies." Professor Cheng Yiyong strongly disagrees with the common practice of blanching them before serving them cold in salads: High temperature is the enemy of vitamins. Blanching them in boiling water is absolutely to be avoided. It is best to blanch them briefly and then remove them from the heat. Even if they are to be stir-fried, they must be cooked over high heat quickly to minimize the loss of vitamins.