"helped understanding" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to express that something has aided in a better comprehension of something else. For example: The instructor's clear explanation of the material helped understanding.
Docking studies using trypanothione oxy-reductase as target helped understanding the activities.
This study helped understanding the dynamics of the interaction between the two excitation mechanisms and clearly highlighted the transition through four regimes of VIV-galloping interference.
"It helped understanding that aspect of what it's like to be an N.F.L. quarterback, and to be on a successful team".
The analysis of the morphological and topographical characteristics (width length relation, frequency area distribution and topographical threshold) of the landslides revealed important differences compared to the characteristics reported in other landslide studies, and helped understanding possible landslide triggering mechanisms.
Pointing and tracing facilitated understanding relative to text-only instruction as well as no instruction comparison groups, but shape gestures only helped understanding relative to the no instruction comparison group.
This technique helped understanding the relative importance of the groups in the occurrence of behaviours given the amount of time pairs of individuals spent together.
Local U.S. tourism offices need help understanding what attracts Chinese visitors.
This study helps understanding the interactions between underlying land surface dynamics and watershed water-energy balance.
This model yields temperature-dependent data that can help understanding macro-scale experimental results.
"When it's all we have, however, it's enough to help understanding.
But they often need help understanding what those drivers really are.
