Kulthi (Horse Gram) Dal for Kidney Stones: Fact vs Folk Claim
A relative gets a kidney stone diagnosis and within a day someone in the family is boiling kulthi dal water, convinced it will dissolve the stone before the next scan. Horse gram has a real place in the kitchen and a much more modest place in stone treatment than the folk version claims. Here is both, honestly separated.
In brief
- What it is: horse gram, kulthi dal, a small brown legume common in South Indian and some North Indian kitchens.
- Protein: roughly 7 to 8 g per cooked katori (about 150 g).
- Folk use: kulthi water for kidney stones, passed down for generations.
- Evidence: weak and preliminary; not a replacement for medical stone treatment.
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What horse gram actually is
Horse gram, kulthi dal in Hindi and Urdu, is a small, hard brown legume traditionally used as animal feed in some regions and as a protein-rich human food in others, especially in South India where it appears in sambar, rasam and a distinctive kulthi soup, and in parts of North India mainly as this specific stone-related kadha rather than as a daily dal. It has a slightly earthy, nutty taste and needs longer soaking and cooking than more familiar dals like moong or masoor because of its harder outer coat.
The kidney stone claim, examined
The tradition of drinking water in which kulthi has been boiled, sometimes called kulthi kadha, as a home approach to kidney stones goes back generations in parts of India, and it has attracted some scientific curiosity as a result. A handful of small laboratory and animal studies have looked at horse gram extract and found some effect on crystal formation in test-tube conditions, and a few very small human studies have reported changes in urinary parameters after regular kulthi water intake. This is preliminary evidence, not the kind of large, well-controlled human trial that would justify calling kulthi water a treatment for kidney stones, and no major urology guideline recommends it as a substitute for standard stone management.
What this means practically: drinking kulthi water alongside proper medical care, plenty of plain water and any treatment a doctor has prescribed is not harmful for most people and may be a reasonable traditional habit to continue. Treating it as a replacement for imaging, doctor follow-up, or prescribed treatment for an existing stone is where the folk version overreaches.
Ayurvedic and household tradition across parts of India has long used kulthi as a diuretic and stone-related remedy, believed to help “break” stones and support urine flow. This is a long-observed traditional use worth respecting as exactly that: tradition, alongside modern medical stone management, not instead of it.
Proper kidney stones need imaging and fluids first
A genuine kidney stone diagnosis needs an ultrasound or CT scan to confirm size, location and type, since treatment differs enormously depending on these factors; a stone under about 5 mm often passes on its own with high fluid intake, while a larger stone, one causing severe pain, fever, or blocking urine flow, needs medical or surgical treatment. The single most consistently useful home measure for anyone prone to stones, regardless of what else they try, is drinking enough plain water to keep urine pale yellow throughout the day, generally requiring 2.5 to 3 litres in a hot climate for an adult without kidney or heart restrictions.
- Soak 50 g horse gram (kulthi) overnight, about 8 hours, in 300 ml water.
- Drain, add fresh water (400 ml), and boil for 30 to 40 minutes until the water turns a deep brown and the beans soften.
- Strain and drink the water warm, about 150 to 200 ml, once daily; the softened beans can be used separately in a dal or curry.
- Continue alongside, not instead of, plain water intake of 2.5 to 3 litres a day unless a doctor has restricted fluids.
A proper kulthi dal recipe, beyond the stone-water use
Soak 200 g horse gram overnight, then pressure cook with 600 ml water, half a teaspoon turmeric and salt for 4 to 5 whistles until fully soft. Prepare a tempering of 2 tablespoons oil or ghee, a teaspoon of mustard seeds, a pinch of hing, curry leaves, 2 chopped garlic cloves and a chopped tomato, cook until the tomato softens, then pour over the cooked dal and simmer 5 minutes. This gives a filling, protein-dense dal, roughly 7 to 8 g protein per 150 g cooked katori, quite close to moong dal’s protein content and a reasonable addition to a varied vegetarian diet.
Horse gram sprouts, a lesser known option
Sprouted horse gram, soaked for 8 hours then left to sprout for a further 24 to 36 hours in a damp cloth, is eaten in some South Indian households as a salad or light snack, seasoned with lemon, chopped onion and a pinch of chaat masala. Sprouting slightly increases certain nutrient availability and softens the bean’s texture further, though it should still be lightly steamed rather than eaten fully raw, since raw legume sprouts can carry bacteria that cooking reduces.
Myth: kulthi water dissolves stones the way a medicine would
This is the overreach worth correcting plainly. No food or drink, kulthi water included, has been shown to dissolve an existing kidney stone the way a targeted medical treatment or procedure can. What preliminary research suggests, cautiously, is a possible effect on preventing new crystal formation or slightly easing passage of very small stones, not breaking apart a stone already sitting in the kidney. Anyone with a confirmed stone larger than a few millimetres, or one causing pain, needs a doctor’s assessment regardless of any home drink.
Before you try it
If a doctor has confirmed a small stone and advised watchful waiting with high fluid intake, adding kulthi water as a traditional daily habit alongside that plan is a reasonable, low-risk choice. It should never delay a scheduled scan or a follow-up appointment.
Severe flank or back pain, especially if it comes in waves, blood in the urine, fever with stone-related pain, or an inability to pass urine are all signs needing urgent medical attention, not a home remedy. People with existing kidney disease should check with a doctor before increasing horse gram or its water regularly, since its protein and mineral content may need to be adjusted for their specific kidney function. Stone type also matters here: imaging usually shows whether a stone is calcium oxalate, uric acid or another kind, and someone prone to uric acid stones may be told to keep overall protein, including dals like this one, moderate rather than generous, so it is worth asking a doctor which type applies before making kulthi water a daily habit. Anyone with a known allergy to legumes should avoid it. Pregnant women can generally eat horse gram as a cooked dal in normal portions, though concentrated kulthi water as a specific remedy is best discussed with a doctor first given the limited safety research available.
Buying and storing horse gram
Horse gram is sold dried in most grocery stores that carry a range of dals and legumes, sometimes labelled kulthi, hurali or muthira depending on the region. Buy from a store with good turnover rather than a jar that has sat on a shelf for a long time, since older dried legumes take noticeably longer to soften even after a full soak. Store in an airtight container away from moisture, where it keeps well for up to a year.
Frequently asked questions
How much kulthi water is safe to drink daily?
Around 150 to 200 ml once a day is the traditional amount used; there is no established safe upper limit from research, so more is not necessarily better.
Can kulthi dal help with weight loss?
It is a protein-rich, relatively low-fat legume, which can fit into a weight-conscious diet like other dals, but no dal on its own causes weight loss without an overall calorie balance.
Is horse gram safe for people with uric acid or gout issues?
Legumes contain purines, and horse gram is no exception; people managing gout should keep portions moderate and check with a doctor about their overall diet plan.
Does horse gram need to be soaked before cooking?
Yes, its outer coat is harder than common dals, and an overnight soak of about 8 hours significantly shortens cooking time and improves digestibility.
For a related winter green with its own kidney-relevant caution, see our bathua guide and its oxalate warning. This article is part of our Desi Remedies coverage of traditional foods examined honestly.