Urad also known commonly as Black Gram originated in India, is black in color and split dehulled is white in color. Whole Urad: Whole Urad dal is lentil-like beans with black skins covering creamy white interiors. Whole urad dal derives its strong, earthy flavor from the black skins.

Urad dal is a good source of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, iron, and calcium. In addition, whole urad has dietary fibre, whereas urad dal (split urad) does not contain fibre. Among the phytochemicals, prominent phytochemicals present in urad dal are flavonoids and phenolic compounds.