Horse Gram Benefits, Nutrition, Side Effects, and Recipes

What is Horse Gram?

Horsegram is a species of bean that is gaining popularity due to its numerous health benefits. The scientific name of horse gram is Macrotyloma uniflorum. The consumable beans are high in nutrients and a rich source of protein, dietary fiber, iron, and calcium that can be utilized in a variety of dishes. Horsegram offers several health benefits, such as weight loss, kidney stone elimination, improved digestion, and maintaining heart health.

Horsegram is a beautiful annual plant that grows in clusters. In this article, we will discuss various horse gram benefits, side effects, and how to use it to maximize its benefits.

Horse Gram is a beautiful annual plant that grows in clusters. 

This climbing plant’s overall description is as follows:

• Stems: The stems have slight hairiness.
• Leaves: It bears inflorescence leaves with leaflets ranging in width from 2.5 to 5 cm. 
• Pods: Their compacted dagger pods grow to be roughly 5 cm long.
• Large beans are either spherical or somewhat flattened in form. When they dry, they turn virtually black.

Different Names of Horse Gram in Different Languages

Horse Gram Nutrition

Horse Gram Calories 

12 Horse Gram Benefits to Know

1. A Powerhouse of Nutrients

Just like other lentils and grams, horse gram is very rich in nutrients like protein, fiber & carbohydrates. It has a good concentration of iron, phosphorus, and few other minerals.

2. Diabetes-friendly Lentils

By delaying the digestion process of carbohydrates and blocking protein-tyrosine phosphatase 1, raw horse gram seeds can lower blood glucose levels after a meal and improve insulin sensitivity.

3. An abundance of Antioxidants

Due to richness in antioxidants like phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and amino acids, it acts as an immunity booster.

4. Wonderful Diuretics

In the field of ayurvedic medicines kollu is highly recommended as a diuretic that helps in curing ailments related to urination. It shows a positive effect especially on women’s health in context with painful urine discharge. 

It also helps in curing vaginal swelling, infections & pain. It also helps to avoid foul-smelling or excessive vaginal discharge, which is more common during adolescence or when sexual desire is at its highest.

5. Elimination of kidney stones 

Horse gram is particularly important in helping in the elimination of kidney stones due to its diuretics effects. Furthermore, including it in your normal diet will prevent you from getting occurrence of kidney stones, as horse gram contains components that make kidney stones dissolvable.

6.Ulcer Healing Property

Due to the presence of phytosterol in kollu it can fight ulcers, provide comfort & decrease burning sensation. Horse gram helps to prevent gastrointestinal and mouth ulceration.

7. Pacify Asthma

Consuming the paste of cooked horse gram with a pinch of black pepper, that aids in the elimination of coughing, cold, and mucus, It is a traditional Ayurvedic recommendation for asthmatic patients.

It also deals with allergic respiratory issues and provides instant relief.

8. Maintains the Core Body Temperature

These beans help in maintaining internal body temperature, especially when consumed as a soup, and have the capacity to generate thermal energy in the body, keeping you comfortable on a cold winter day.

9. Good for Bones

Iron, calcium, and amino acid are all abundant in horse gram. It has the highest concentration of calcium among all the legumes and is rich in protein that makes it one of the most favorable options for a protein-rich diet for vegetarians.

10. Amazing Effect on Women’s Health

Horse gram has a high iron content, that aids in the treatment of abnormal menstruation. Owing to its large iron content, it also raises your blood hemoglobin which prevents women from being anemic and also provides strength during monthly cycles.

11. Good Super-food for Leucorrhea

Leucorrhea-affected women have a difficult time maintaining their sanitary requirements. Leucorrhea is a frequent and healthy secretion from the vaginal area.

According to Ayurveda, a fistful of kollu should be soaked in water in a bowl of warm water and then boiled the very next day. To cure leucorrhea symptoms, drink this water three times a day.

12. Cure Constipation

Constipation can be attributed to a lack of fiber in the diet, insufficient fluid consumption, mineral deficiency, as well as an unhealthy lifestyle, stress, and a variety of other factors.

Because horse gram contains significant minerals as well as a lot of fiber, it can aid with gastrointestinal issues. In such instances, horse gram should be pre-soaked and consumed raw in the form of salad garnish.

Horse Gram Side Effects

1. No to tuberculosis patients

Horse Gram should be avoided by people who have a plethora of tuberculosis because it can cause abnormal breathing, inflammation in the alveoli, and excessive weight loss.

2. Allergic to selective individuals

Horse gram has been linked to allergic responses in a few cases. A person who’s allergic to it suffers from bloating and gas formation. Sometimes it is also responsible for roughness and granule formation in the inner mucosal lining gastro-intestinal tract.

3. Stops inhibition of nutrients

It includes anti-nutrients like phytic acid, which when consumed in excess amount hinder the absorption of iron, zinc & calcium which will ultimately contribute to the mineral deficiency.

4. Should be avoided by Pregnant women

It is also advised to be avoided by expectant moms.

As discussed earlier that horse gram helps in regulating body core temperature and at the time of pregnancy, the body of women is itself going through lots of hormonal changes which results in nausea, suffocation, dizziness, and consumption of horse gram sometimes led to excess sweating and raise in internal body temperature which can be harmful to the fetus(baby). 

Side Effects of Eating Horse Gram Legumes Daily

When consumed in excess, it can result in excessive bile production. It is rich in nutrients & minerals, daily consumption can lead to in-toxicity of vitamins and minerals which will show a negative impact on health like mal-absorption of nutrients.

Can We Eat  Horse Gram at Night

Although horsegram is a highly nutritious food, it is not usually recommended to eat it at night, especially in large quantities.

This is because horsegram is high in protein and fiber, which take longer to digest. So if you consume it as a heavy meal, it can lead to discomfort like indigestion and bloating and worsen your sleep at night.

You should usually consume light foods at night that are easy to digest and promote better sleep.

Horsegram is best consumed in the morning or daytime to obtain the desired health benefits and avoid any side effects.

How much Horse Gram to Eat Daily

You should consume half to one cup (50-100 g) of presoaked horse gram daily. However, the amount of horse gram you should consume depends on several body factors, like age, gender, weight, and overall health conditions, so it is better to consult a dietitian before making any changes to your diet.

Horse Gram Recipes

1. Horse gram sweet dish- “Halwa”-

Ingredients

• 500ml kulthi milk
• 50 gm jiggery
• 2 cardamom seeds
• 2 tbsp. ghee
• 10 cashew

Instructions

• Horse gram beans should be washed, soaked, and ground, and horse gram milk should be prepared. Leave it for four hours.
• Heat the kadhai, then add the horse-gram milk and stir constantly. Cook the horse-gram milk till it is thick, then add the jaggery powder and whisk constantly. Add ghee into it.
• Stir it well to avoid lump formation then add the cardamom powder and stir well before transferring to a plate.
• Cashews should be added. After they’ve cooled, break them up and serve them.

2. Kollu idli

Ingredients

• ½ cup kollu – around 300gm
• Salt as per taste
• Rawa- 250gm
• Water to make the batter

Instructions:- 

• Soak kollu for 8 hours
• Grind it and make a fine paste
• Add the same into rawa, leave it for 15 min then add a pinch of baking soda.
• Put the mixture in an idli steamer, idli will get ready in 20 min. serve hot with coconut chutney.

3. Kulthi –Fibrous Soup

Ingredients

• 100 gm kulthi
• 1 onion
• 1 green chili
• 1 teaspoon oil
• Cumin seeds
• 5 curry leaves
• 3cm ginger
• 1 garlic cloves

Instructions:- 

• Soak kulthi for 10 hours
• Grind it 
• Heat a pan, add chopped onion, chili, ginger, garlic cumin seeds, and oil.
• Cook it for 4 minutes
• Then add ground kulthi
• Stir it for 3 minutes
• Add curry leaves and water as per need.
• Then add salt and serve it hot.

4. Kolatha Parantha

Ingredients:- 

• 1 cup wheat flour(300gm)
• 4tablespoon soaked kulthi
• Onion, 1 chili, coriander leaves, salt, and ajwain

Instructions: 

• Grind the soaked kulthi and mix it with wheat flour
• Add 1 chopped onion, chilli, coriander, salt as per taste, and ajwain 
• Prepare a soft dough
• Make roti out of it, put it on a heated pan
• Add oil (optional), cook for 4-5 minutes from both sides
• Serve warm with mixed vegetables 

5. Ulavalu Rasam for weight loss:-

Ingredients:- 

• 200 gm ulavalu
• 20 gm tamarind
• 10 curry leaves
• ½ lemon
• Mustard seeds
• Meethi seeds:-4-5 pcs
• Oil- 1tbspn
• Salt to taste
• water

Instructions:-

• Soak ulavalu overnight, then boil it in a pressure cooker for 6 whistles. Don’t throw the leftover water.
• Heat a saucepan
• Put oil into it
• Add mustard seeds, curry leaves [red chilies(optional)]
• Then put the boiled ulavalu into it.
• Add tamarind & lemon into it and salt as per to taste.
• Add 2 cups water (100ml) 
• Add curry leaves into it
• Set it for boiling for 10 minutes
• Turn off the flame after 10 minutes, serve hot, squeeze lemon and add ½ teaspoon of jiggery if you want a more tangy flavor. 

How to Use Horse Gram for Weight Loss

Consuming the proper amount of kollu can help in reducing weight. It can be soaked in milk overnight and then consumed as an early morning breakfast. Horse gram boiled in water added with black salt & pepper can be wonderful detoxifying water.

People who love to eat flavorful meals can go for kollu rasam. Roasted unsalted kollu beans can be a great munchkin option. Horse gram sprouts are also recommended as a good protein source if you want to lose weight.

Conclusion

The botanical name of horsegram, one of the popular superfoods superfoods, is Macrotyloma uniflorum. Macrotyloma uniflorum. It is rich in nutrients & antioxidants.

Due to its abundance of carbohydrates, protein, and fiber, the horse gram has numerous health benefits, like proven positive effects on women’s health, weight loss, diabetes, and constipation, and it also acts as a wonderful diuretic.

Along with health benefits, excess consumption of horse grams can lead to inhibition of the absorption of essential nutrients. There are various tempting, mouth-watering recipes that can be prepared using horse gram which is tasty as well as very nutritious.

Reference Url 1

Reference Url 2

Reference Url 3

Reference Url 4

Reference Url 5

Reference Url 6