Black gram nutrition: glycemic index, calories and diets
Introduction
Black gram is a type of bean cultivated by different cultures for millennia. It has many names: Vigna mungo, the scientific name, urd bean, urad bean, black matte bean, mungo bean, minapa pappu, and mash bean. Black gram is also often referred to as black lentil, but it is not to be confused with the actual black lentil, scientifically named Lens culinaris. This legume originated in South Asia and has been used in Indian culture since ancient times.
Table of contents
- Appearance
- Comparison to Green Gram
- Serving Size
- Nutrition
- Glycemic Index
- Acidity
- Health Impact
- Black Gram in Diets
- Cooking and Use
- Black Gram Flour
- Storing, Keeping, and Conservation
- Varieties
- Cultivation
- Consumption and Production
- References
Appearance
The flowers of the black gram plants are small and yellow, while the fruits are cylindrical. The pods are hairy and contain one to four seeds in each pod. The seed is black and has an ellipsoid form, rounded and slightly elongated.
A black lentil is a whole grain, whereas the exact grain with the outer black skin removed is called a white lentil. The white lentil is also called urad dal or split black gram.
The black gram is one of India’s most widely produced and consumed lentils. It is often used as the dish “dhal” or ground into flour to make poppadoms.
Comparison to Green Gram
Black gram belongs to the Fabaceae family and the Vigna genus. It resembles and is closely related to the green gram, mung bean, or Vigna radiata. These two types of beans used to belong to the Phaseolus genus but were later transferred to the Vigna genus.
The black and green gram plants have two main differences: the flower petals of the Vigna radiata are bright yellow, while the Vigna mungo flower petals have a paler yellow color. The black gram plants are erect, while the green gram plants hang loose (1).
Nutritionally, cooked black and green gram beans provide the same number of calories. However, black gram beans are slightly higher in fats and proteins, whereas green gram beans are higher in overall carbohydrates and dietary fiber.
When looking at the micronutrient contents, black gram beans are richer in calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, and vitamins B3 and A.
On the other hand, green gram beans provide a higher level of potassium, copper, vitamin B1, vitamin B6, and folate, or vitamin B9. Green gram is also lower in sodium.
To summarize, black gram beans are more prosperous in proteins, fats, and minerals, while green gram beans have more favorable carbohydrate and vitamin profiles.
Green grams have a light property and are much easier to digest than black gram beans (2).
Serving Size
The average serving size for black gram beans is 130g for beans in sauce or canned in liquid and refried beans prepared, 90g for others prepared, and 35g for dry black gram beans (6).
Nutrition
Black grams are incredibly rich in nutrients and minerals overall.
Naturally, the cooking method can alter the nutritional content of the beans. The nutritional values below are presented for raw and mature mungo bean boiled without added salt.
Macronutrients and Calories
Black gram is a high-calorie food. A 100g of raw black gram beans contains 341 calories. However, a 100g serving of cooked black gram beans is naturally lower in calories, containing only 105.
The average serving size of dry black gram beans is 35g. One average serving size of cooked black gram provides 119 calories.
Raw black gram beans are incredibly nutrient-dense, containing only 11% water. At the same time, cooked black gram beans consist of 73% water and 27% nutrients.
Macronutrients chart
Carbohydrates in Black Gram
The predominant macronutrients in black gram beans are carbohydrates, 59g per every 100g serving of raw black gram beans. About 26% of those carbohydrates are composed of dietary fiber. Vigna mungo has little added sugars, only one gram per 100 grams.
A 100g of boiled black gram beans contains 18.3g of carbohydrates and 6.4g of dietary fiber.
Raw mungo beans also contain a significant level of starch (3); however, boiling black gram beans in water lowers the starch content.
Protein in Black Gram
The following primary macronutrient is protein. Raw black gram contains 25g of protein in a 100g serving. It is abundant in all essential amino acids, especially histidine, tryptophan, and isoleucine.
The same serving size of cooked black gram beans contains 7.54g protein.
As urad beans contain some amount of all essential amino acids, the protein found in these beans is considered high quality. The only essential amino acid black gram beans have a relative lack of is methionine.
Of the non-essential amino acids, black gram beans are rich in glutamic and aspartic acids.
Protein quality breakdown
Fats in Black Gram
The urad bean contains only 2g of fats per 100g serving.
Cooking black gram beans lowers the fat content by nearly four times. A hundred-gram serving of boiled black grams contains only 0.55g of fats.
The predominant fat type found in mungo beans is polyunsaturated fatty acids, making up 84% of the fat content. Black gram also contains low levels of monounsaturated and saturated fatty acids.
As a plant product, black gram naturally contains no cholesterol.
Vitamins
Black gram beans are rich in B group vitamins, particularly in vitamin B9 or folate, vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, and B6. Mungo beans also contain some amounts of vitamin A, vitamin K, and vitamin E.
Black gram beans are in the top 18% of foods as a source of vitamin B9, in the top 29% as a source of vitamin B1, and in the top 33% as a source of vitamin B2.
However, black grams lack entirely vitamin D and B12 and contain deficient levels of vitamin C.
Vitamin coverage chart
Minerals
Black gram is abundant in minerals. These beans are in the top 7% of foods in potassium content and the top 8% for iron content. Black gram is also ample in magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, copper, zinc, and manganese. It has moderate amounts of selenium.
Black gram contains 7mg of sodium per 100g serving, meaning it is low in sodium.
Mungo beans also provide moderate levels of choline.
Mineral coverage chart
Oxalates
Oxalates are organic acids in fruits and vegetables that can combine with calcium ions in the organism and cause kidney stones. Black gram oxalate content equals 72mg per 100g (30). It is considered a medium-oxalate food.
Phytochemicals
The phytochemical analysis of black gram has revealed that the bean contains some amounts of flavonoids, saponins, tannins, alkaloids, vitamin C, and steroids, giving black gram its beneficial properties (7).
Glycemic Index
The glycemic index of black gram, which has been soaked for 12 hours, stored moist for 24 hours, and then steamed for another hour, is 43±10 (4).
Foods with glycemic index values lower than 55 fall in the low category. Despite the high starch content, the black gram bean is in the low-glycemic index foods category.
The dietary fiber of black gram beans has been researched to have a significant hypoglycemic effect in experimental animals, lowering blood glucose levels by increasing levels of enzymes that utilize glucose in the body (5).
Acidity
Lentils, in general, are alkaline-forming foods. Beans can be an excellent alternative source of protein for people avoiding acidic foods, such as meat and dairy.
The potential renal acid load of foods demonstrates how much acid or base the food produces inside the organism. The PRAL value for black gram beans has been calculated to be -3. This shows that black gram is an alkaline-producing food.
Health Impact
Health Benefits
Cardiovascular Health
Antioxidant Effects
Antioxidants are compounds that arrest oxidation. Oxidation is a process that is at the foundation of many cardiovascular diseases. The aqueous methanol extract of black gram seeds has expressed antioxidant activities due to phenolic acid, flavonoid, and condensed tannin contents (8).
The ethanol extract of Vigna mungo leaves has also been shown to possess antioxidant qualities (7).
Antiatherosclerotic Effects
Atherosclerosis leads to obstruction of blood vessels, which in turn can lead to heart attack, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease. High levels of lipids in the blood serum have been proven to correlate with the development of atherosclerotic plaques positively.
Black gram brought down the cholesterol and triglycerides in the serum, liver, and aorta of rats fed a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet to normal levels. Some human studies also confirm black gram’s hypocholesterolemic and hypotriglyceridemic effects (9).
The protein fraction of black gram has also demonstrated regression of experimentally induced atherosclerosis (9).
There’s also a correlation between fiber intake and coronary heart disease. The dietary fiber in black gram protects against atherosclerosis and may reduce hypercholesterolemia (9).
Diabetes
Consumption of legumes, in general, has been associated with positive effects on diabetic profiles. Urad beans specifically express anti-diabetic properties by inhibiting certain enzymes that play a part in the disease process (8).
Saponins are phytochemicals found in black gram pulses that are also said to have antidiabetic effects (10).
Glucose response
Dietary fiber of black gram has been isolated as a neutral detergent fiber and has been shown to have the ability to lower glucose levels in the blood (9).
Methanolic extracts of Vigna mungo, both boiled and non-boiled, can be used to lower blood glucose. It can also serve as a potential therapeutic drug in the future. The possible mechanism for this effect is the seed’s ability to slow down the absorption of carbohydrates and inhibit digestion due to fiber and uronic acid contents (11).
Antiatherogenic Effect
Black gram bean consumption has been studied to lower blood glucose, total serum, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels in diabetic experimental animals. This indicates an additional antiatherogenic nature that can help prevent complications in diabetic patients (12).
Cancer
Dietary factors of the black gram can modify the metabolic activities of intestinal microflora, which plays a role in converting bile acids and neutral sterols to reactive metabolites. These metabolites may be co-carcinogens or carcinogens. The microflora activity has been positively correlated with the incidence of colon cancer.
Black gram has been studied to potentially have abilities to prevent the formation of colon cancer, not only by modifying the microflora but also by binding the carcinogens that form from bile acids and preventing them from coming into contact with the intestinal mucosa (9).
Tannins and saponins are phytochemicals found in black gram that are also reported to have possible anticarcinogenic effects (10).
Antimicrobial Effects
Mung bean seeds have demonstrated antifungal activity due to the presence of hydrolytic enzymes. The antifungal action is exerted toward Fusarium solani, Fusarium oxysporum, Mycosphaerella arachidicola, Pythium aphanidermatum, and Sclerotium rolfsii (13).
Black gram may also possess antiviral effects on HIV by inhibiting the activity of the HIV-1 reverse transcriptase enzyme (14).
Methanol extract of the Vigna mungo pulses has shown effective antimicrobial activity against Klebsiella pneumonia, Bacillus subtilis, Enterococcus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. It also expressed antifungal properties against Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans (15).
Anti Inflammatory Effects
Extracting black gram leaves has significantly inhibited paw edema formation in rats in experiments. The suggested mechanism for this anti-inflammatory effect is the black gram’s ability to inhibit the synthesis of lipid compounds that control inflammation, such as prostaglandins (16).
Downsides and Risks
Allergy
There have been recorded cases of allergy to the black gram in several parts of the world. Black gram induces Th2 cell-mediated reactions (17); however, as with most food allergies, it is also mediated by Immunoglobulin E reactions (18).
Black gram can have cross-reactions with lentils, lima beans, and peas (19).
A specific protein allergen in black gram has been isolated and characterized.
Black gram allergy manifests its symptoms as most food allergies, ranging from mild to severe and even life-threatening. These include oral allergy syndrome (itching, swelling, redness, or tingling of the mouth area), asthma, rhinitis, rashes, swelling of the face, diarrhea, nausea, and, in rare cases, anaphylaxis.
Inflammatory Effects
Contrary to the prior statement about the anti-inflammatory qualities of black gram, other research has found that black gram has a proinflammatory effect and should be avoided on anti-inflammatory diets, such as a diet during rheumatoid arthritis. Instead, this research states that horse gram should be used as an anti-inflammatory agent (20).
Black Gram in Diets
Black gram is medium in calories, containing 119 calories per average serving. However, this should not immediately exclude black gram beans from weight-loss diets, as these beans are dense in nutrients, high in protein, dietary fiber, minerals, and vitamins, and low in unhealthy fats.
While Ayurveda quotes that consumption of black gram beans increases body weight, adding black gram beans to a rice meal under the right conditions can help reduce body weight (21).
| Keto | A keto diet recommends eating less than 20g of carbohydrates a day. One whole serving of black gram contains about 21g of carbohydrates. Therefore, black gram is not a good option for a keto diet. |
| DASH | Black gram is rich in fiber, potassium, calcium, and magnesium while relatively low in sodium. Black gram fits the DASH diet. Green gram can also be a good choice for the DASH diet as it is lower in sodium than the black gram. |
| Atkins | Due to its high carbohydrate content, Black gram should be avoided during the first two phases of the Atkins diet. In phase 3, lentils, such as black gram, can be slowly reintroduced and used throughout the fourth phase, however, in moderation, while keeping the net carbohydrate intake in mind. |
| Mediterranean | Lentils are famous in Mediterranean cuisine, so black gram fits this diet. |
| Paleo | Beans and legumes are often considered to not be paleo due to certain chemicals they contain, such as lectins and phytic acid, among other things (22). Therefore, black gram beans should be avoided on a paleo diet. |
| Vegan/ Vegetarian/ Pescetarian | Black gram is a plant-based product and fits into vegan, vegetarian, and pescetarian diets. Black gram is a good source of protein in these diets. |
| Gluten-free | Black gram beans and black gram products do not contain gluten and, therefore, fit into gluten-free diets. Black gram flour can also be an option for gluten-free flour. |
| Dukan | Using lentils as a source of protein is allowed in the Dukan diet. In the Attack Phase and on Pure Protein days in the Cruise Phase, you can have two tablespoons of lentils of any kind each day, and on Protein and Vegetable days in Cruise or Consolidation, you can eat unlimited amounts of lentils (23). |
| Intermittent Fasting | As with most foods, you are not allowed to eat black gram beans during fasting, but it is acceptable during the eating periods. |
| Low Fat & Low Calorie | Black gram is a relatively low-fat food containing less than a gram of primarily healthy fats in a serving. However, black gram is a high-calorie food with around 119 calories per average whole serving and should not be used during a low-calorie diet. |
| Low Carb | Mungo beans contain high dietary fiber and other carbohydrates, such as starch. Therefore, black gram beans are not advised on a low-carb diet. |
| Anti Inflammatory | Black gram has been studied to suppress inflammatory processes and inhibit swelling in experimental animals (16). However, studies are inconclusive about the anti-inflammatory qualities of the black gram, and some research advises avoiding these beans on an anti-inflammatory diet (20). |
| BRAT | As lentils are high in fiber, and black gram is hard to digest. Avoid these foods during diarrhea and on the BRAT diet (24). |
Cooking and Use
There are many ways to cook urad beans. Most commonly, these beans are soaked, rinsed, boiled for 30 to 45 minutes, and consumed whole.
Black gram can be dehusked and used to make dhal, a traditional dish with many recipes.
Urad beans can be turned into a paste and used in the dosa dish.
Black gram is also commonly used in Indian cuisine to prepare other dishes, such as idli, savory rice cake, vada, and urad dal pachadi.
Black Gram Flour
Black gram flour or powder is commonly used in South Indian cuisine for various dishes. Black gram or urad dal flour is produced by roasting the hulled and whole black gram beans and later grinding these beans into a fine powder.
The most popular food made using black gram flour is the papad, also known as papar, papadam, or poppadom. Poppadoms are made by mixing black gram flour, salt, and spice powders. This dough is later rolled into a circular shape, roasted, and consumed as a snack or meal.
Storing, Keeping, and Conservation
Storage conditions, such as moisture and temperature, affect the quality of the grains. Black gram seeds should be stored in sealed containers in a dark, dry, and cool place.
The safe storage guidelines chart and safe storage time model show that the allowable safe storage of black gram is between moisture content and storage temperature ranges of 9 to 18% w.b. (wet basis) and 68 to 104°F (20 to 40°C), respectively.
The 15 and 18% black grams stored at 30°C were safe for up to 10 weeks of storage period. The higher moisture contents, 15 and 18% at a high temperature of 40°C, were safe for up to 2 to 4 weeks, respectively (25).
Varieties
In the history of the agriculture of black gram, multiple dozens of black gram varieties have been cultivated with varying nutritional, agricultural, and biological characteristics.
The cultivated varieties of the black gram are used in agriculture to decide the most suitable and favorable variety to grow in specific conditions. Varieties that can grow in all seasons include LBG-20 or Teja, T-9, LBG-623, WBG-26 or Usha, PBG-1, LBG-752, MBG-207, and PU 31 (26).
Some varieties may be chosen based on their biological abilities to resist diseases. Black gram varieties resistant to wilt include LBG-402, LBG-648, LBG-611, LBG-22, LBG-645, and LBG-685 (26).
LBG-17 is a powdery mildew-resistant variety of black gram beans. PU-31, LBG-20, T-9, and LBG 752 can resist the yellow mosaic virus. The LBG-648 variety is also Corynospora leaf spot and rust-resistant (26).
Some varieties, such as ADT 1 and ADT 2, are grown for their exceptionally high protein content (27).
Cultivation
The black gram plant is a warm-weather crop and requires a hot and humid climate for best growth, as it is a crop of a tropical region (28). The optimum temperature range for the growth of the black gram falls in the range of 80 to 86°F (27 to 30°C).
The black gram plant or Vigna mungo grows best in soil with a pH of 6.5 to 7.8. Black gram can be grown on sandy or heavy cotton soils; however, it can not be grown in alkaline or saline soils (28).
Consumption and Production
India is the world’s largest producer, as well as consumer, of the black gram. It produces about 1.5 to 1.9 million tons of urad annually from about 3.5 million hectares of area, with average productivity of 500kg per hectare. Black gram output accounts for about 10% of India’s pulse production. Import of black gram is mainly sourced from the neighboring country of Myanmar to meet domestic demand (29).
However, the black gram has spread worldwide and can now be found in many tropical areas of Asia, Africa, Australia, and the USA (1).
References
- https://www.feedipedia.org/node/236
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128012826000073
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/229796814
- https://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/diacare/suppl/2008/09/18/dc08-1239.DC1/TableA1_1.pdf
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/10663281
- https://www.fda.gov/media/102587/download
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339165757
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4101733/
- http://nopr.niscair.res.in/bitstream/123456789/12287/1/NPR%202%285%29%20240-242.pdf
- https://academicjournals.org/journal/AJB/article-full-text-pdf/234BAFC8792
- https://www.japsonline.com/admin/php/uploads/1733_pdf.pdf
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2272678/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15766863/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19275741/
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263436738
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/272761226
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1567576914003300
- Food allergy or food intolerance...?
- https://www.academia.edu/11763527/A_comprehensive_review_of_legume_allergy
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1021949816301442
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/295315420
- https://thepaleodiet.com/beans-and-legumes-are-they-paleo
- https://thedukandietsite.com/1971/dukan-diet-vegan-or-vegetarian-recipe-yellow-lentil-dahl
- Low Fiber Diet for Diarrhea
- https://academicjournals.org/journal/JSPPR/article-full-text-pdf/0251A3E53194
- https://www.rarstpt.org/files/rars/package%20of%20practices/Pulses.pdf
- https://sites.google.com/a/tnau.ac.in/nprc-vamban/varieties/blackgram-varieites
- http://dpd.gov.in/Urdbean.PDF
- http://www.commoditiescontrol.com/eagritrader/commodityknowledge/blackgram/blackgram1.htm
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/223306424_Oxalate_content_of_legumes_nuts_and_grain-based_flours
Important nutritional characteristics for Black gram
|
Glycemic index ⓘ
Source:
Check out our Glycemic index chart page for the full list.
|
43 (low) |
| Glycemic load | 36 (high) |
| Calories ⓘ Calories per 100-gram serving | 341 |
| Net Carbs ⓘ Net Carbs = Total Carbohydrates – Fiber – Sugar Alcohols | 40.69 grams |
| Serving Size ⓘ Serving sizes are taken from FDA's Reference Amounts Customarily Consumed (RACCs) | 1 cup (207 grams) |
| Acidity (Based on PRAL) ⓘ PRAL (Potential renal acid load) is calculated using a formula. On the PRAL scale the higher the positive value, the more is the acidifying effect on the body. The lower the negative value, the higher the alkalinity of the food. 0 is neutral. | -3 (alkaline) |
Black gram calories (kcal)
| Serving Size | Calories | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Calories in 100 grams | 341 | |
| Calories in 1 cup | 706 | 207 g |
Black gram Glycemic index (GI)
Black gram Glycemic load (GL)
Mineral chart - relative view
Vitamin chart - relative view
Fat type information
Fiber content ratio for Black gram
All nutrients for Black gram per 100g
| Nutrient | Value | DV% | In TOP % of foods | Comparison |
| Calories | 341kcal | 17% | 24% |
7.3 times more than Orange
|
| Protein | 25.21g | 60% | 13% |
8.9 times more than Broccoli
|
| Fats | 1.64g | 3% | 69% |
20.3 times less than Cheddar Cheese
|
| Vitamin C | 0mg | 0% | 100% |
N/A
|
| Net carbs | 40.69g | N/A | 22% |
1.3 times less than Chocolate
|
| Carbs | 58.99g | 20% | 17% |
2.1 times more than Rice
|
| Cholesterol | 0mg | 0% | 100% |
N/A
|
| Vitamin D | 0µg | 0% | 100% |
N/A
|
| Iron | 7.57mg | 95% | 8% |
2.9 times more than Beef broiled
|
| Calcium | 138mg | 14% | 16% |
1.1 times more than Milk
|
| Potassium | 983mg | 29% | 7% |
6.7 times more than Cucumber
|
| Magnesium | 267mg | 64% | 10% |
1.9 times more than Almond
|
| Fiber | 18.3g | 73% | 8% |
7.6 times more than Orange
|
| Copper | 0.98mg | 109% | 17% |
6.9 times more than Shiitake
|
| Zinc | 3.35mg | 30% | 28% |
1.9 times less than Beef broiled
|
| Phosphorus | 379mg | 54% | 12% |
2.1 times more than Chicken meat
|
| Sodium | 38mg | 2% | 76% |
12.9 times less than White Bread
|
| Vitamin A | 23IU | 0% | 57% |
726.3 times less than Carrot
|
| Vitamin A RAE | 1µg | 0% | 72% | |
| Selenium | 8.2µg | 15% | 62% | |
| Manganese | 1.53mg | 66% | 29% | |
| Vitamin B1 | 0.27mg | 23% | 29% |
Equal to Pea raw
|
| Vitamin B2 | 0.25mg | 20% | 33% |
2 times more than Avocado
|
| Vitamin B3 | 1.45mg | 9% | 63% |
6.6 times less than Turkey meat
|
| Vitamin B5 | 0.91mg | 18% | 37% |
1.2 times less than Sunflower seed
|
| Vitamin B6 | 0.28mg | 22% | 41% |
2.4 times more than Oat
|
| Vitamin B12 | 0µg | 0% | 100% |
N/A
|
| Folate | 216µg | 54% | 18% |
3.5 times more than Brussels sprout
|
| Trans Fat | 0g | N/A | 100% |
N/A
|
| Saturated Fat | 0.11g | 1% | 81% |
51.7 times less than Beef broiled
|
| Monounsaturated Fat | 0.09g | N/A | 82% |
115.3 times less than Avocado
|
| Polyunsaturated fat | 1.07g | N/A | 44% |
44 times less than Walnut
|
| Tryptophan | 0.26mg | 0% | 55% |
1.2 times less than Chicken meat
|
| Threonine | 0.88mg | 0% | 62% |
1.2 times more than Beef broiled
|
| Isoleucine | 1.29mg | 0% | 48% |
1.4 times more than Salmon raw
|
| Leucine | 2.09mg | 0% | 52% |
1.2 times less than Tuna Bluefin
|
| Lysine | 1.67mg | 0% | 63% |
3.7 times more than Tofu
|
| Methionine | 0.37mg | 0% | 70% |
3.8 times more than Quinoa
|
| Phenylalanine | 1.47mg | 0% | 42% |
2.2 times more than Egg
|
| Valine | 1.42mg | 0% | 48% |
1.4 times less than Soybean raw
|
| Histidine | 0.71mg | 0% | 58% |
1.1 times less than Turkey meat
|
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NUTRITION FACTS LABEL
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Health checks
Black gram nutrition infographic
References
All the values for which the sources are not specified explicitly are taken from FDA’s Food Central. The exact link to the food presented on this page can be found below.