In India various types of pulses are used as a part of our diet which slowly restricts to only moong, toor and chana. Urad daal which is a rich source of protein, carbohydrate, dietary fiber and minerals like iron, calcium, potassium, phosphorus and magnesium is called MASH in ayurveda as it increases muscle mass of body, it is used as food as well as medicine from ancient times. If you are a vegetarian and worry about protein in diet, then urad should be an essential part of your diet.

 Ayurvedic properties of Urad Dal

  • It is sweet in taste
  • Heavy to digest.
  • Snigdha (unctuous)
  • Hot in potency
  • Best vata dosha pacifier
  • It increases kapha, pitta and rakta dosha in body

Benefits of Urad Dal

  • It gives nourishment to body.
  • It improves body strength.
  • It increases urine and stool excretion thus person suffering from constipation and difficult urination should have it. 
  • It improves muscle strength, good for sportsperson and body builders. 
  • Helpful for those who want to gain weight. 
  • Imbalance of vata dosha cause 80 types of diseases in body including all types of pain,Parkinson, sciatica, facial paralysis, partial paralysis etc as urad is excellent vata dosha pacifier it is used in all those conditions both externally and internally. 
  • Those with extremely dry body should use it. 
  • In old age  vata dosha gets aggravated cause weakness , pain and  improper intestinal movement, black gram is beneficial in this condition.
  • It is used in neurological disorders.
  •  Act on male reproductive system - it is excellent for sexual health of male as it improves sperm quality and quantity, useful in premature ejaculation, erectile dysfunction and act as aphrodisiac. It is recommended to use with ghee for males. 
  • Act on female reproductive system - it is used in treatment of painful menstruation, amenorrhea and PCOS. It improves breast milk production in lactating mothers. It is recommended to use with oil for females.

When to avoid it?

  • It should not be consumed on daily basis.
  • Avoid it in skin disorders like eczema, psoriasis and itching
  • Obese person should not eat it.

How to use it?

Dal can be made in the form of Ladoo or as Khichdi - with rice, green gram, til and ghee.