There are many health conditions that catch the attention of the world and receive the focus of dietary trends and attempted remedies. But some, though prevalent, just lurk in the background without being noticed by the majority; anemia is one such ailment. A study based in Seattle, Washington that spanned 30 years discovered that one-fourth of the international population is suffering from anemic-related health problems, the majority of those impacted are women and children.
How can black gram help with anemia, and does it have what it takes to remedy this global problem? Let’s take a detailed look at exactly what anemia is, what the most common causes of anemia are, and then we’ll see if black gram contains adequate nutrients to combat them.
What Is Anemia?
In a healthy body, oxygen-rich blood pulses through the circulatory system delivering oxygen to every area of the body. The red blood cells contain a protein called hemoglobin, which picks up oxygen in the lungs and transports it wherever the body needs it the most.
But some people develop a condition in which they do not have enough red blood cells to do that important delivery service efficiently, or the red blood cells they have do not function effectively. This condition is called anemia. While there are several types of anemia, the most prevalent is iron-deficiency anemia, so that’s what we’re going to focus on.
What Are the Symptoms of Anemia?
It’s very important to observe our health, to know what’s normal for us, and to recognize when something becomes abnormal in our bodies. A change in how we feel or in how our body is functioning deserves some attention. Mild cases of anemia may not give you noticable symptoms, but common indications that your body is becoming more and more anemic include:
- Paleness
- Fatigue
- Chills
- Headache
- Light-headedness and Fainting
- Bleeding
- Jaundice
Any of these symptoms may appear suddenly as a result of anemia, or they may come on gradually over a longer stretch of time. If and when they appear, they should be taken seriously and addressed as soon as possible. If left untreated, anemia can increase the risk of heart problems, infections, and pregnancy complications.
What Are the Causes of Anemia?
There are many causes of anemia, the most common being iron deficiency from poor dietary choices or a lack of available iron in one’s dietary choices. Other scenarios that increase your risk of low iron are sometimes unavoidable, but most can be countered through strategic nutrition.
Let’s look at some of the risk factors that make it more likely that someone will suffer from anemia:
- Blood Loss – The body can suffer blood loss through external injury, internal bleeding, and even through the noble act of donating blood a little too often. Any situation that causes large amounts of blood to be removed from circulation can result in anemia.
- Menstruation – Yes, this monthly cycle also causes significant blood loss (more for some than others), demanding the production of new red blood cells. If iron is not consumed in sufficient amounts, it can become depleted in the body, resulting in anemia.
- Pregnancy – During pregnancy, a mother’s body understandably demands an increase of blood. By the end of the third trimester, her blood volume has increased by nearly 50%! While the majority of the increase is made up of plasma, red blood cells multiply as well, especially if extra iron is provided. The demand for a higher volume of blood during pregnancy raises the risk of iron deficiency anemia without sufficient dietary or supplemented iron, and iron deficiency anemia in turn raises the risk of postpartum hemorrhage which can lead to maternal mortality.
- Age – While children are growing and developing, their bodies need plenty of iron. If their diets are not highly nutritious, they are at a greater risk of anemia than a full grown adult may be. The elderly are also at an elevated risk, possibly due to the likelyhood of there being other health problems (such as inflammation or cancer) involved.
- Genetics – Comparing various people around the world, some may be more susceptible to anemia than others regardless of their lifestyles. This is because the risk of anemia can be higher for some due to family genetics. Ironically (pun intended), consuming the proper amount of iron can help re-write epigenetic markers. These markers can either activate or silence genetic tendencies, thereby tipping the scales of hereditary risk (that’s a whole other study in itself!).
- Underlying Health Conditions – We already discussed the fact that general malnutrition can lead to anemia, but other health problems can contribute to the risk as well. Any disease that causes chronic inflammation in the body may put a person at risk of anemia. This might include, but is not limited to, infections, autoimmune diseases, cancer, or kidney disease. Inflammation can prevent the ability for the blood to use iron that is stored in the body.
How Can Black Gram Help Us Fight Anemia?
It’s obvious that many different situations can contribute to the cause and risk of anemia, but what about prevention and healing? After all, that’s the goal of good nutrition.
One of the most important things we can do to counter anemia is provide our bodies with a sufficient amount of iron (through diet and even quality supplements), and doing our best to maintain general health. Black gram can help us with both!
Iron
First and foremost, let’s look at the basic fact that black gram is a great source of dietary iron. By great, we mean that it contains more iron per serving than pinto beans, spinach, beef, clams, and the list goes on and on (one apparent rival in iron content is the soybean, however studies show that soy protein actually blocks the body’s ability to absorb plant-based iron by over 50%, …yikes!).
Black gram contains a whopping 7.57 mg of iron for every 100 g serving, and that is the equivalent of 95% of the recommended daily intake!
During pregnancy, the body generates a greater volume of blood, so it makes sense that pregnant women need to consume more iron than the average person. Medical professionals recommend that daily iron intake should be doubled during pregnancy, and legumes like black gram are the perfect choice!
As we mentioned with soybeans, other factors can either help or inhibit the process of absorbing iron. Research has shown that eating foods high in vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid) along with your iron-rich meal can help with the absorption of plant-based iron (also known as nonheme iron).
Promotion of General Health
In the list of risk factors, we discussed the issue of underlying health conditions and their potential causation of anemia; chronic inflammation, kidney disease, infections, cancer, etc. can raise the likelihood of developing anemia. Fortunately, the regular consumption of black gram can help support your body’s natural abilities to stave off many of these conditions!
- Antioxidants – Black gram contains a significant amount of antioxidants in its seed coat, making it a natural anti-inflammatory. While free radicals are a natural process in the body, if they get out of hand, they can cause serious illnesses like cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and more. Antioxidants keep free radicals in check, preventing damage at the cellular level.
- Lymphatic Health – The lymphatic network filters waste from body fluids, detects toxins, cancer, and infections, makes white blood cells, and works as a defense system in the body. Black gram supports the lymph organs by supplying them with quality low-fat protein (a diet high in fat can leadto decreased lymphatic function), vitamin B6, and zinc. Studies have shown that deficiencies in vitamin B6 and zinc can significantly decrease the percentages of valuable lymphocytes, and limit the efficiency of lymph function.
- Gut Health – Due to the fact that over 70% of the immune system is positioned in the digestive system, keeping the gut working properly is of the utmost importance! Black gram has a key ingredient of excellent gut health, and it’s called fiber. Dietary fiber keeps things moving through the intestines, regulates blood sugar levels, and promotes microbial colonies in the gut (and they do wonders for overall health!). A healthy digestive system is linked to a reduction of inflammation in the gut, and consequently, the intestines are able to absorb iron more easily. One serving of black gram provides you with 18.3 g (48% RDV) of fiber.
- Kidney Support – Black gram promotes a healthy gut (as we just discussed), and this has a direct positive effect on the kidneys. Did you know that our kidneys give the command to generate red blood cells? That’s right! The the kidneys produce a hormone called erythropoietin (EPO) that tells the body when more red blood cells are needed. When the kidneys are under stress, they can’t send out as many EPO’s, and the red blood cell population is not maintained (and, consequently, less hemoglobin is created); this results in anemia. The impressive promotion of gut health found in black gram can relieve the kidneys from excessive toxins, and prevent chronic disease.
Ready to Experience the Benefits of Black Gram?
It looks like black gram can provide great supportive benefits to anyone who wants to prevent or ameliorate iron-deficiency anemia! And of course, we’re not a bit surprised; black gram always steps up to the plate when there’s a need for superb nutrition.
After centuries of providing medicinal benefits to the people of India, this legume is finally catching the attention of other cultures around the world for its amazing nutritional qualities, and now you know too!
There’s no better time to start bringing black gram into your diet on a regular basis! Check out some of our recipes, or try some black gram tossed into a leafy salad. And don’t forget that you can always contact us for more information. If you have any questions or comments about this ancient super-food, we’d love to hear from you!
Blackgram.com does not offer personal health or medical advice. Neither black gram nor any of the statements herein have been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The information provided on Blackgram.com is general in nature and informational only. Nothing on this site is intended as advice and should not be considered a substitute in any way for professional medical advice to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. You should always consult your healthcare provider before starting any nutrition, diet, exercise, fitness, medical, or wellness program.