An easily digestible protein that's also great for skin: Renowned Ayurvedic doctor explains

Mung beans are small green legumes that is widely used in Asian cuisine for its incredible nutritional benefits. It could be enjoyed as a filling meal and a nutrition powerhouse for regaining health during the recovery stage. Compared to other legumes, mung beans are lighter and easily digestible. Ayurveda describes the green mung beans as the best among the mung beans that come in white, yellow, green, red and reddish black varieties. The scientific name of the green gram or mung beans is vigna radiata. Dr Gopalakrishnan Valiyaveetil of Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala explains why green gram is worth all the hype. 

What Ayurveda says 
According to Ayurveda, green gram has rasa (taste), shita virya (cooling potency) and madhura (sweet) properties. It has incredible dosha effects including balancing pitta and kapha. Green gram is often recommended as a medicine for diseases related to pitta and kapha, blood disorders, amlapittam, raktapitham, eye disease, hepatitis, dysentery and fever. It could even calm down fever and control tridosha. The seed and root of the plant are usually used for preparing medicines and concoctions while the leaves and stem could be used as fodder. Green gram is an amazing storehouse of albuminoid, starch, oils, fats, fibre, iron, magnesium, potassium and is an easily digestible protein. Mung bean soup (boiling water) is recommended by ayurvedic practitioners for putting on weight in a healthy manner. 

Healthy protein
Sprouted mung bean stir fry could be enjoyed if you suffer from a protein deficiency. Having mung bean soup seasoned with salt and pepper daily will improve digestion. Besides, it prevents skin dryness and thirst and regulates digestion. Steamed sprouted mung bean with turmeric powder and sesame oil improves digestion and strengthens the body. 

You could prepare an excellent energy drink by cooking green gram in fresh cow’s milk and then adding some jaggery. Adding an oil tempering on mung beans mixed in soured buttermilk, pepper powder, salt and ginger is a tasty dish that ensure good gut health by improving digestion and protecting oesophagus. This dish should be had every day in the evening to enjoy its benefits. One ounce of mung bean soup is recommended three times a day for nursing mother if their breastmilk gets stale. 

Meanwhile, kashayam (medicinal concoction) made by mixing six protions of mung beans and hibiscus petals in an edangazhi (traditional measuring vessel) of water and then reducing it to one by fourth prevents urinary problems in children. 

Having kashayam made with mung beans and hibiscus roots mixed in honey will effectively prevent excessive urination. Mung bean and horse gram soup is a nutrient powerhouse that cures kapha disease like gulmaroga (abdominal lump). Meanwhile, soup made with mung beans and Indian nightshade, and nourished with a few drops of gooseberry juice will soothe cough. Medicinal paste made by mixing mung bean, sesame seeds and Navara rice powdered and mixed in milk could be applied on wounds when it is still warm. This freshly prepared herbal paste will soothe pain and reduce inflammation. 

Essential in skincare
Mix a paste of kasturimanjal and mung bean powder and apply it on the face. Keep this mask for 10 – 15 minutes and wash off using cold water to cure acne. Face pack made by mixing one teaspoon each of mung bean powder, lemon juice, yoghurt and honey will prevent pigmentation and improve skin brightness. Women who suffer from excessive hair growth on the face could try a face mase made by mixing mung bean powder in milk, lemon juice and a pinch of turmeric powder. 

Mung bean is an excellent cleanser that could be applied on the scalp and body as it eliminates dandruff and improves skin brightness by removing impurities. Mung bean root is an important ingredient in an herbal mix called madhyamapanchamoolam. Rice gruel mixed with mung bean soup is given to patients who have undergone panchakarma treatments like vamanam to gradually stimulate the digestive system. Mung bean is also added a main ingredient in ayurvedic medicines like balahatadi tailam, thenginpushpadi tailam, agragrahyadi tailam, valia marmagulika, panchashashtika varthi, rujahara dravakam, Migra cot oil and tiladi choornam.