Black Gram (Urad Dal) During Pregnancy – Benefits And Precautions

Is Urad Dal Safe During Pregnancy?

Urad Dal pregnancy is completely safe and even beneficial for pregnancy, as it is one of the pulses often included in the Indian diet for pregnancy (2). But of course, you will have to take it in moderation and observe if it suits your body or not. Black gram strengthens your bones, reduces the occurrence of constipation and diarrhea, and provides you with an instant source of energy. It can regulate the glucose level of your blood and keep you and your baby away from diabetes. So, adding black urad to your pregnancy diet will give you and your child good health.

Nutritional Value of Black Gram

Urad dal is an excellent source of calcium, iron, carbs, lipids, and protein. The high protein and fiber content of black gram makes it a good food option during pregnancy Also, it offers important minerals.

Listed below are the nutritional values of black gram (3)

Nutrients	Amount	DV
Calcium	200.00 mg	15 %
Iron	7.20 mg	40 %
Sodium	40.00 mg	2 %
Protein	24.00 g	48 %
Carbohydrate	60.00 g	22 %
Fiber	29.00 g	104 %
Fat	1.500 g	2 %

[Read: Benefits of Eating Lentils During Pregnancy]

10 Benefits of Black Gram During Pregnancy

Urad dal is an excellent food choice for pregnant women due to its high nutrient content. It’s full of nutrients necessary for a developing baby, such as protein, iron, and folic acid. Now that you have an idea of the nutritional value of urad dal, let’s discuss the benefits of urad dal during pregnancy.

1. Improves Digestion and Cure Constipation

Poor digestion and constipation are common problems during pregnancy. The fiber of black urad dal will ease the bowel movement of your intestine (4), and the magnesium present in urad dal will further ease your constipation (5).

2. Effective in Fetal Brain Development

The omega-3 fatty acid in black gram dal is essential for the brain development of the fetus (6). Protein is necessary for the production of new cells to structure your baby. The nutrients present in it make it healthy for the mother and the growing fetus as well.

[Read : Protein During Pregnancy]

3. Facilitates Normal Pregnancy and Fetal Growth

Urad dal is rich in folic acid, which is essential for avoiding neural tube and other birth defects. Folic acid also contributes to the development of red blood cells in the fetus and promotes appropriate newborn growth (7). In addition, urad dal is rich in magnesium, which aids in the development of good bones and teeth in newborns (8).

4. Keeps Your Cholesterol in Control

In addition to protein and fiber, black gram is rich in polysaccharides (9). Pregnant women are often at risk of high cholesterol levels, but the fatty acids present in the urad dal can reduce them.

5. It Prevents Anemia and Fatigue

Anemia in pregnant women is also a very common problem. The vitamin C and iron-rich urad dal can work to help prevent anemia and keep you strong (10). During the first trimester, women often feel a lack of energy or fatigue. The nutrient-rich urad dal will provide instant energy.

6. Boost immunity

Urad dal has the right amount of vitamin C to boost immunity. As we know, pregnant women are susceptible to infections and diseases; including urad dal in the pregnancy diet can therefore help increase their immunity and lower the risk of infection (11).

7. Makes Your Hair and Skin Glow

Due to the hormonal changes during pregnancy, often hair fall, acne, and other skin problems occur in women. Several ayurvedic skin-related remedies contain black gram. It works wonders to soothe skin irritation because of its incredibly high vitamin and mineral content. The antioxidants present in the urad dal will secure your hair and skin cells from damage and decay (12).

In addition, it may help exfoliate and cure your skin while also assisting in the removal of spots and blemishes and increasing the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your skin, giving it a beautiful, glowing appearance. Black gram can also help you reduce acne, repair sunburns, and get rid of tans. Overall, this legume is really beneficial to your skin.

8. Manages diabetes

Gestational diabetes is a common pregnancy issue. Black gram has good fiber content.  The fiber content slows digestion and, hence, inhibits the absorption of glucose and other nutrients that are used for energy production (13). Pregnant women with gestational diabetes are found to benefit from fiber intake (14). 

9. Helps in Flushing Out of Toxins

The black gram has excellent diuretic properties (15). Diuretics help flush out the body’s toxins and excess fat. They also improve kidney function. Thus, regular intake of black grams may reduce the risk of kidney stones as well.

10. Combats Pregnancy Acne

With its powerful antibacterial properties, black gram helps the skin regenerate. A lot of pregnant women experience acne breakouts. When applied regularly to acne, urad dal paste removes scarring and keeps the skin clear. Even coating small burns with idli/dosa batter instantly soothes them.

[Read : Benefits Of Kidney Beans During Pregnancy]

Side Effects of Eating Urad Dal During Pregnancy

There are no black gram side effects for pregnancy if you wash the dal and cook it well before having it. However, there are some risks or side effects to be aware of:

1. Risk of Harmful Bacteria

Taking urad dal unwashed or roughly cooked can be harmful as it can contain bacteria like Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli. These bacteria are harmful to you, especially during pregnancy, thus causing miscarriage, stillbirth, pre-term labor, and many other health issues for the newborn (16). But if you cook it to its boiling point, then the bacteria will be destroyed, and you can easily digest it too.

2. May Aggravate Acidity

If you have acidity issues, then take urad dal in moderation and observe if you can digest it or not. Your body may not often digest so much urad dal protein. Since urad dal takes time to digest, consuming too much of it might make you acidic.

3. May Cause  Bloating

Anything taken in excess during pregnancy could always have an adverse effect. Though the fiber content present in black gram is said to be beneficial for constipation issues, the excess dietary fiber could cause bloating and flatulence.

4.  May Increase Uric Acid Level

Also, too much consumption of urad dal significantly increases the uric acid levels in our bodies. Hence, people who already have kidney stones, gallstones, or gout should consume urad in moderation (17).

Precautions While Consuming Black Gram During Pregnancy

Though consuming urad dal during pregnancy comes with a lot of health benefits, there are always precautions that you must follow

• There are dust and small stones in the black gram. So, you should clean them well before you use them.
• It is best to avoid eating out, especially when you are pregnant and want urad dal vada, because you can’t be sure that the food will be clean.
• When you are pregnant, don’t eat raw urad dal.

How to Add Urad Dal to the Pregnancy Diet?

Black gram uses vary in various dishes in India. Besides its nutritional advantages, urad dal is  easy to prepare. Here are a few ways to incorporate it into the pregnancy diet:

• You can just boil and mash it and have it with rice or raw with some added salt.
• Urad dal is often used to make sprouts, dosa, idli, and vada.
• You can temper dishes like tadka with it.
• Also, you can add vegetables and spices to it and have it like a soup.
• For a healthy and tasty snack, you can also make pancakes or fritters with urad dal.

Urad dal has always been simple to find. They taste good and are good for you, and they are easy to make. You can keep enjoying this delicious food and stay healthy during pregnancy. The black gram’s nutritional value makes it ideal to take during pregnancy. But for precaution, it is better that you consult with your doctor and then include it in your diet.

FAQ’s

1. Can Black Gram Cause Bloating During Pregnancy?

Excessive consumption of black gram may cause bloating during pregnancy.

2. Does Black Gram Cause Gas?

When you consume excess black grams, they may not digest easily. This can result in flatulence.

3. Is Black Gram Healthy For Fetus?

Black gram, if taken in moderation may be beneficial for the developing fetus.  Many nutrients in it can contribute to the bone development of the fetus. Omega-3 in urad dal may aid in the brain development of the baby.

4. How Can Black Dal Help During Pregnancy?

It can help combat gestational diabetes. It is rich in fiber and aids in the better digestion of food. Urad dal can make both your and your baby’s bones stronger.

References

1. Nutritional and Therapeutic Potential of Superseeds and it used in Preparation of Ready to Eat Food –  [https://www.ijsr.net/archive/v8i10/ART20201698.pdf]
2. Traditional foods of Indian origin in pregnancy – [https://medcraveonline.com/MOJFPT/MOJFPT-06-00176.pdf]
3. Urad Dal By DIYA – [https://www.nutritionvalue.org/Urad_dal_by_DIYA_593298_nutritional_value.html]
4. Eating, Diet and Nutrition for Constipation – [https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/constipation/eating-diet-nutrition]
5. Association of dietary magnesium intake with chronic constipation among US adults: Evidence from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8645769/]
6. Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Pregnancy – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3046737/]
7. Folic Acid Supplementation and Pregnancy: More Than Just Neural Tube Defect Prevention – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3218540/]
8. Folate (Folic Acid) – Vitamin B9 – [https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/folic-acid/]
9. Assessment of black gram milling by-product as a potential source of nutrients -[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8357861/]
10. The Efficacy and Safety of Vitamin C for Iron Supplementation in Adult Patients With Iron Deficiency Anemia – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7607440/]
11. How Vitamin C Supports a Healthy Immune System – [https://shorturl.at/adjyN]
12. On the Potential Role of the Antioxidant Couple Vitamin E/Selenium Taken by the Oral Route in Skin and Hair Health – [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36421456/]
13. The Role of Fiber in Energy Balance – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6360548/]
14. Effects of Additional Dietary Fiber Supplements on Pregnant Women with Gestational Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Studies – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9658588/]
15. DEVELOPMENT AND SENSORY EVALUATION OF “URADKASAR (SWEET DESSERT)”: RESEARCH ARTICLE- [https://ijmpronline.com/download/article/593/1675072329.pdf]
16. Listeriosis in Human Pregnancy: a systematic review – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3593057/]
17. Uric acid in plants and microorganisms: Biological applications and genetics – A review- [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5512154/]

Read Also: Chickpeas During Pregnancy – Benefits and Side Effects