Chickpeas could also be greatest identified for his or her starring function in hummus. However there’s a lot extra to this plant-based powerhouse than only a scrumptious dip. From intestine well being to coronary heart well being, chickpeas can present a nutrient-dense and budget-friendly plant protein choice to elevate your meals and snacks. 

Learn beneath to study extra about chickpea diet content material, chickpea well being advantages, and wholesome chickpea recipes and tricks to simply incorporate this versatile legume in your eating regimen. 

Chickpea Diet

You’ll have heard that chickpeas are supply of fiber, which is most undoubtedly true. However there are such a lot of different chickpea diet advantages that make it a staple for us.

The diet content material of only one cup of cooked chickpeas contains¹:

• 269 energy
• 44.9 grams of carbohydrates
• 12.5 grams of fiber
• 7.87 grams of pure sugar
• 4.25 grams of wholesome fat
• 4.74 grams of iron

Chickpeas are additionally supply of potassium (477 mg), calcium (80.4 mg), selenium (6 mcg), and magnesium (78.7 mg). 

How A lot Protein Is In Chickpeas?

Every cup of cooked chickpeas comprises about 14.5 grams of plant-based protein. Chickpea protein is an efficient supply of 18 amino acids and is extremely bioavailable in comparison with different plant-based protein sources. This principally signifies that many of the protein in chickpeas is damaged down and used for power within the physique.

How Wholesome Are Chickpeas?

In case you’re unsure how you can decode the diet info of chickpeas, you might be asking, “So, are chickpeas wholesome?” As you’ll see from the analysis, chickpeas can simply be thought of a well being meals. Chickpea well being advantages vary from intestine well being from their fiber content material to muscle and coronary heart well being from their plant-based protein content material.

Coronary heart Well being Advantages

Latest analysis reveals that chickpeas can decrease the danger of coronary heart illness, hypertension, and stroke². They’ll additionally help these with digestive ailments. When eaten as a part of a balanced eating regimen, the isoflavone and polyphenol content material of chickpeas (each antioxidant compounds) assist scale back the danger of power ailments like coronary heart illness and sort 2 diabetes.

Blood Sugar Regulation

One other useful compound in chickpeas is a polysaccharide often called amylose. Polysaccharides are a kind of carbohydrate that include three or extra sugars bonded collectively. Amylose, together with resistant starch in chickpeas, resist digestion within the small gut. 

In different phrases, the advanced bonds in these compounds make it more durable for the physique to transform them into sugar, resulting in a delayed entrance of glucose within the bloodstream³. This may also help stabilize blood glucose ranges and scale back your threat of metabolic circumstances like kind 2 diabetes.

Digestive Well being

Lastly, analysis reveals that chickpeas could maintain prebiotic properties. Prebiotics are nutrient compounds that feed intestine microbiota. When digested in our our bodies, the byproducts of prebiotics are short-chain fatty acids that may help intestine integrity, in addition to immune operate.

Is There Something Unhealthy About Chickpeas?

Chickpeas should not solely nutrient-dense — they’re additionally calorie-dense, and are greatest eaten moderately. That is very true for meals that use chickpea flour, which comprises 356 energy per cup⁴. This similar cup additionally comprises 20.6 grams protein, 9.94 grams of fiber, 4.47 mg of iron, and 6.16 grams of wholesome fats, nevertheless, so it’s not all unhealthy.

Except for energy, chickpeas could comprise varied antinutritional compounds from lectins to protease inhibitors⁵. Antinutritional compounds could make it more durable for the human physique to make the most of sure vitamins, so it’s value being conscious of your chickpea consumption for that reason. Additionally they comprise many allergens, so consuming a number of chickpeas could improve allergic issues in delicate people.

Chickpea Historical past

Chickpeas, often known as garbanzo beans, have been round for tens of 1000’s of years. They had been first domesticated together with different crops wheat, barley, rye, peas, lentil, and flax. 

The earliest data of chickpeas in use as meals are across the 8^th millennia in Syria and round 7,500 – 6,800 BC in Turkey⁶. Chickpeas are talked about in Homer’s the Iliad for each meals and medicinal makes use of, which isn’t any shock because of the huge array of vitamins on this legume.

6 Easy Recipes with Chickpeas

Including chickpeas to your each day routine doesn’t must be arduous. Try these straightforward recipes to seek out your new favourite option to get your dose of chickpeas.

Recipe: Pasta Salad with Feta, Olives, and Chickpeas

Add chickpeas to your salad as a substitute of (or together with!) lean animal protein sources.

Recipe: Curry Cauliflower Fried Rice with Roasted Chickpeas

Attempt a dinner that packs a protein-filled, additional flavorful punch with wealthy spices and crunchy, oven-roasted chickpeas.

Recipe: Hearty Vegan Soup with Candy Potatoes and Chickpeas

Indulge on this cozy recipe that’s excellent for getting your protein throughout the fall and winter.

Recipe: Savory and Spicy Roasted Chickpeas

Simply in search of a facet dish or a satisfying snack? Attempt having fun with these chickpeas on their very own — roasted and spiced with cumin, chili powder, cayenne powder, and garlic.

Recipe: Vegetarian Enchiladas with Asparagus and Chickpeas

Make a simple swap by changing black beans, refried beans, or pinto beans in your basic enchiladas (or tacos and burritos) with chickpeas.

Recipe: Ottoman Desk Hummus

Mash cooked chickpeas with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, and spices for home made hummus you may get pleasure from alongside snacks like whole-grain pita chips, cucumber slices, or child carrots.

Is It OK to Eat Chickpeas Each Day?

Due to their nutrient-dense profile, chickpeas can simply be eaten each day as part of a nutritious diet. You possibly can get pleasure from chickpeas of their pure kind or in recipes like those above, but in addition through chickpea-enriched pasta or chickpea flour. To not point out that chickpeas are a lot inexpensive than animal protein choices, to allow them to match into nearly any funds.

The Closing Verdict on Chickpeas

Chickpeas are a fiber and protein wealthy plant-based meals choice that may help coronary heart and intestine well being. They’re additionally a reasonable option to enrich your each day routine with vitamins like iron, protein, and fiber, and their versatility makes them splendid to be used in quite a lot of meals and snacks.

Sources:

1. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/173757/nutrients
2. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10580981/
3. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10856887/
4. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/174288/nutrients
5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27779388/
6. https://www.researchgate.internet/publication/289134705_History_and_origin_of_chickpea

Staci has been a registered dietitian since 2010 and has handled a whole lot of sufferers for nutrition-related points ranging from … Extra about Staci Gulbin, Registered Dietitian

Tags: chickpea Chickpea Flour legumes plant protein plant-based protein plant-based recipes