Urad Dal: Benefits and Nutrition Facts



Someone rightly said, Dal Chawal with a dollop of desi cow ghee is not just a meal, it’s an emotion. It indeed reminds us of our mother’s love and is undoubtedly a magical meal. We all enjoy eating this desi homemade dal chawal, especially on busy days, when there’s limited time to cook, or when we’re too tired to cook after long working hours. But our favorite time to relish this dish is when we get back from a vacation abroad. One bite of this steaming food and we experience instant bliss.

Dal Chawal not only has a fantastic taste and great variation in flavors (depending on the spices used and the method of preparation) but is also extremely healthy. No wonder it finds an important place in mostly all the Indian thalis making them wholesome while satiating all kinds of palates. We all regularly consume dal in one form or another but it is important to understand the benefits of a dal for a mindful eating experience. Let’s take a look at some!

Benefits of Eating Urad Dal

Improves your looks:

Little did we know that eating dal can benefit our beauty. Am I right? Urad dal is a rich source of many vitamins and minerals essential for the health of skin and hair. It has antiseptic properties that may help kill acne-causing bacteria. It also acts as a good exfoliator for the skin. Urad dal can be applied directly to the skin as a face mask. For this, you need to soak it overnight and blend it into a paste with rose water. Applying it to your skin will help you get rid of excess oil and clean the pores. Not just that, it also contains essential fatty acids that can help prevent the hair from becoming dry and brittle.

Cares for the Heart:

Urad dal is a rich source of minerals like magnesium and potassium that are vital for keeping our heart healthy. These minerals are known to protect the heart. Magnesium is effective in maintaining our heartbeat. Magnesium and calcium together help regulate the contraction and relaxation of the heart muscles. It also keeps the blood pressure at bay. Potassium helps to improve blood circulation and prevent the arterial wall from any damage.

Looks after your Gut:

Waking up in the morning all constipated or bloated can get very irritable for anybody; not the perfect way to start your day. Urad dal contains abundant fibers: both soluble and insoluble that may help in improving the digestive system. It may also help stimulate peristaltic motion. Eating dal regularly may help prevent digestive issues like diarrhea, constipation, and bloating.

Superfood for Diabetics:

Urad dal has a low glycemic index which makes it a great choice for everyone, especially the ones suffering from diabetes. Your body needs magnesium to effectively move sugar from the blood into the cells. The deficiency of magnesium can reduce this efficacy, leaving blood sugar levels high. Since urad dal is a rich source of magnesium it can help cater to this problem. Urad dal also contains fiber that can help regulate the nutrients absorbed by the digestive system and indirectly helps in maintaining the sugar levels in the body.

Strengthens the Bones:

We always associate bone health with milk and other dairy products but pulses like urad dal contain ample calcium that can help enhance bone health. It also contains minerals like magnesium, iron, potassium, and phosphorus that are essential in improving bone density. Regular consumption of urad dal can therefore help in maintaining strong bones.

Urad dal is a storehouse of essential vitamins and minerals that your body needs to stay energetic and lively all day. Incorporating dal in your diet daily will definitely help you live a healthy life. Some people believe that urad dal might be a little difficult to digest and should not be consumed at night. This does not hold good for the white urad dal since it does not contain the outer black cover which is slightly hard to digest. We at Himalayan Natives offer you premium quality white urad dal in two variations: split and whole urad. We also offer you some other 100% natural dals that undergo minimal processing to maintain their nutrition. Now that you know these wonderful benefits of dal, you would surely want to try some interesting dal recipes. 

We’ve got that covered too, head to our blog to learn about 4 Different Ways To Make Delicious Dal For Your Family.