10 Wonderful Health Benefits of Black Gram
Black Gram is one lentil with a provocative name that could change your life. Its other names are Vigna Mungo, Black Matpe Bean, and Urad Bean but let’s not dwell on those. Black gram is a very popular lentil on the Indian subcontinent where it is an essential ingredient for many dishes. What it could be to you is a life-changing lentil (first time that’s ever been written) with more beneficial health properties than ginseng and yoga combined. If your skin, energy, bones and body are important to you, read on as to why black gram could be your health hero.
In the following paragraphs, you’ll read about the many benefits that black gram lentils provide, so many that you’ll think it’s a panacea. The question then begs, why is it not wildly popular in the United States? In a country with more health trends than hospitals, why has this fountain of nutrition not caught on? The main reason is climate; black gram grows like weeds on the Indian subcontinent and is in a bevy of dishes there as well. Chances are this discrepancy won’t last for long as more and more nutritionists are advocating adding black gram to your diet.
NO MORE ACHES & PAINS
Also on black gram’s list of seemingly endless magical properties is as an anti-inflammatory. In Asia it is the oldest and most common use of black gram, helping those pesky aches and pains of older age and old injuries subside. This is due to the cocktail of vitamins and minerals that are abundant in it. According to the Journal of Food and Drug Analysis, “Black gram (with skin and without skin) supplementation significantly increased activities of the inflammatory mediators and showed a significant decrease in the antioxidant enzymes in both the 21-day and 60-day experiments.” (1) So ditch the addictive prescription pills and add some black gram to your diet.
Source: Journal of Food and Drug Analysis
SAVES YOUR SKIN
Let’s start with skincare since humans are vain creatures. Black gram is credited with moisturizing skin, minimizing acne, reducing skin spots, exfoliation and, even, reducing sunburn! (2) It should be mentioned that you have to do more than eat it to see all of those benefits but, really, what did you expect? Black gram is capable of so much because of its many natural antiseptic and antibacterial properties. Pastes, salves and balms are made from this bastion of epidermal benefits. Even a casual Googling will lead you to a host of improvements that black gram can do for your skin. (3)
Sources: Bold Sky & The Health Site
FOR YOUR DAILY CASE OF THE MONDAYS…
Everyone lacks a bit of umph now and then; for some, it’s a daily battle. Black gram is full of protein and iron, two key nutritional weapons in your battle for vivacity. (4) Without proper amounts of iron in your diet, you’re at risk of chronic fatigue, anemia, muscle weakness, even cognitive impairment. Protein is the fuel your body needs to keep the engine going. Packing a punch of each, black gram naturally gives you the boost you need.
Source: Eat This Much
TAKE THAT WILFORD BRIMLEY! DIABETES.
The United States is the land of many things, not all of them positive. One trend that is bordering on an epidemic is the number of Americans who are diabetic or prediabetic. According to the CDC, more than 100 million U.S adults are suffering from the disease or are on their way. (5) Wilford Brimley, for those who are too young to remember, famously sponsored Quaker oats as an answer to diabetes. Judging by the numbers, oats may not be the answer.
Black gram, on the other hand, is tailor-made for those with diabetes and those hoping to avoid the lifelong battle that comes with it. Black gram is fiber filled, helping to absorb nutrients and equalize glucose and insulin levels. (6) This balance is key is controlling perilous spikes that lead to a host of serious health problems. There is even evidence that proper dieting can reverse the effects of diabetes! (7)
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, & Huffington Post
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH.
Black gram has sexual health benefits for both men and women. It just so happens that for men, it is for pre baby-making and for women, it’s actually during the pregnancy. So if you want to get specific, it’s sexual health for men and reproductive health for women. As they say, ladies first.
For women, the laundry list of nutritional values that come from black lentils are beneficial for both mother and child. Yet, the most valuable aspect for pregnant women is improved blood flow and hemoglobin that it provides. Pregnancies are humans’ most demanding undertaking: blood circulation is vital for the health of mother and child (8) Black gram is also high in folic acid, which decreases the chances of birth defects. Goodbye Gerber’s, hello black gram! (9)
Sources: Walnut Hill OBGYN & Kid’s Health
SEXUAL HEALTH (for men)
As humans live longer and longer, thanks to science, all males face the possibility of sexual dysfunction as they age. As the statistics go, the older you are the more chances you have of bedroom malfunctions. (10) That’s why there are approximately 4,000 Viagra commercials for every golf tournament; they know their audience. Thankfully, black gram has you covered. The little bean is a natural aphrodisiac, helping to put a little lead in your pencil. (11)
Source: Cleveland Clinic & Natural Sex Power
STRONG BONES
For years milk was the answer for strong bones and for calcium specifically; that is still the case. However, if you compare the daily value of milk for other bone-building minerals like magnesium, phosphorus, iron and potassium, black gram outstrips it in every category. As humans age arthritis and osteoporosis break down our bones before their time. Black gram is a fantastic resource to keep your body feeling young!
NERVE DISORDER TREATMENT
Nerve disorders come in many forms: Hysteria, Schizophrenia, Tetanus, Beriberi, Tremors; the list is nearly endless. That’s because your nervous system is involved in just about every human function. It’s like engine trouble for a plane, a lot of bad things can come of it. These lentils help strengthen the nerve system. It may not cure your problems but it will certainly help minimize your symptoms, helping you to live the life you want.
IMPROVES DIGESTION
Digesting the wide-ranging foods we eat can many times be too a tall a task for our digestive systems. Whether you have bloating, constipation, diarrhea or any of the other stomach related maladies, black gram has the solution. That’s because of its high fiber count in both the insoluble and soluble variety. It also helps with absorption. Sometimes, even though we are eating very healthy, our bodies struggle to actually take in all the vitamins and minerals we’re attempted to feed it. Therefore, the benefits for your belly are twofold: you spend less painful moments on the pot and more efficiently fuel your body!
DON’T LET THE BEAT DROP.
Our bodies are filled with vital organs, though, there may be no organ more vital than the heart. It’s the key to the whole shebang and diet and exercise are the two proven methods of keeping your chest thumper loud and proud. Unfortunately, black gram can’t work out for you but it can be a staple of a proper healthy heart diet. As we have mentioned numerously, black gram is filled with fiber, potassium and magnesium, along with about a dozen other really healthy elements.
Fiber helps control high cholesterol, which we all know can be very detrimental to your health. The other two, potassium and magnesium work in combination with iron, another black gram special, to protect your arteries. It also keeps bad lipids under control. Black gram is essentially a heart booster, which is as close to a workout as you’re going to get through eating.
We’ve dropped a lot of knowledge in this article and while it may seem unrealistic that one little bean can do all that, it’s true! That’s due to the litany of vitamins, minerals and fibers contained in this little bean. Doctors are always stressing the importance of a healthy, balanced diet. Think of black gram as the ultimate health booster and the easiest way to get a bulk of what your body needs.
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