Chickpea Nutrition Facts & Benefits

Chickpeas are having a second. Actually, the worldwide chickpea market is predicted to grow by $4.68 billion by 2024. (That’s a lotta hummus!)

Their recognition is smart given their versatility.

Chickpeas may be tossed on salads, roasted for a crunchy snack, blended into baked items, and naturally — blended with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, and spices to make hummus.

With a creamy texture and gentle taste, you possibly can add chickpeas to simply about any delicacies and eat them any time of day.

Need to be taught extra about this humble, beloved legume?

Learn on for chickpea vitamin information plus artistic methods to make use of them in candy and savory dishes.

What Are Chickpeas?

As one of many most commonly consumed legumes and most popular vegetarian foods, chickpeas have turn into a staple in pantries and fridges across the globe.

Their title comes from the Latin phrase cicer, they usually had been one of the earliest cultivated crops.

They had been first grown in Mesopotamia as much as 7,500 years in the past. There are two classifications of chickpeas: Kabuli and Desi.

Kabuli, also called garbanzo beans, are the bigger of the 2 and have a lighter, cream coloration.

The smaller, darker Desi chickpeas vary from tan to black. You’re extra prone to discover Kabuli chickpeas in U.S. grocery shops.

Chickpea Vitamin Details

Listed below are the chickpea vitamin information for one cup of those cooked legumes:

• 269 energy
• 15 grams of protein
• 4 grams of fats
• 45 grams of carbohydrates
• 13 grams of fiber

Chickpeas also provide lysine, a necessary amino acid that the human physique can’t make by itself.

“Lysine is restricted in most plant meals apart from legumes,” says Taylor Wolfram, M.S., R.D.N., L.D.N., a vegan registered dietitian with a non-public apply primarily based in Chicago.

Vegans ought to eat a different weight-reduction plan to make sure ample consumption of all vitamins and minerals.

Right here’s one other enjoyable chickpea vitamin reality: They will typically be loved by individuals with widespread dietary restrictions.

“They’re gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, and allergen-friendly,” says Danielle Gaffen, M.S., R.D.N., L.D.

Chickpea Advantages

Positive, the chickpea vitamin information show they’re a wholesome, plant-based meals — however additionally they have some fairly spectacular advantages past fiber and protein.

“Blended chickpeas can add creaminess to something, comparable to dips and soups,” Wolfram says.

• Use them to thicken soups and stews.
• Mix into smoothies for plant-based protein.
• Puree them into sauces instead of cream!

Extra Chickpea Vitamin Details

Chickpea pasta vitamin

In the event you’ve taken a stroll down the pasta aisle, you’ve probably seen all types of alternative noodles, together with ones created from chickpeas.

“Chickpea pasta is loaded with protein and fiber and is of course gluten-free,” Wolfram says. “For anybody trying so as to add extra protein to their pasta meal, it’s an important alternative.”

Chickpea flour vitamin

The almighty chickpea doesn’t cease there; you can even discover it within the baking aisle.

“Chickpea flour has a advantageous texture and a nutty, earthy taste,” Gaffen says. Plus, per cup, you get 21 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber!

Chickpea Liquid, a.okay.a., Aquafaba

If you open a can of chickpeas, do you pour off the liquid? Put it aside!

Whereas this typically discarded ingredient — referred to as aquafaba — gained’t add a great deal of vitamins to your weight-reduction plan, it could pull off some severe culinary wizardry.

“Aquafaba is a good vegan means so as to add foam or physique to varied recipes comparable to meringues, macarons, and do-it-yourself plant-based mayo,” Wolfram says. “It’s a extremely neat means to make use of all the pieces within the can!”

Whereas Gaffen says baked items utilizing aquafaba don’t at all times brown as deeply as recipes utilizing an egg, the feel of the ultimate product is usually fairly near the true deal.

Methods to Prepare dinner Chickpeas

In the event you plan to prepare dinner dried chickpeas, it’s a good suggestion to soak them first.

“This not solely hurries up cooking time but additionally makes them simpler to digest,” Wolfram says.

Deliver them to a boil for 10 minutes, then simmer till tender. Skim off any foam, however maintain the cooking liquid!

One of the crucial handy methods to prepare dinner chickpeas? Purchase them canned.

They’re already cooked and able to eat, however you possibly can roast them in oil and spices to vary up their texture and add taste.

If you’re making an attempt to be extra acutely aware of added salt, keep in mind to get chickpeas that haven’t any salt added or that say “low sodium” on the can.

“Rinse and drain a can of chickpeas, dry them on a clear dish towel, add to a mixing bowl, and drizzle with avocado or grapeseed oil and your favourite seasonings. Unfold evenly on a baking sheet and bake at 400 levels Fahrenheit for 15 to twenty minutes,” Wolfram recommends.

To simply take away chickpea skins, Gaffen suggests rinsing after which pouring them onto a clear kitchen towel.

“Gently however vigorously rub the towel in opposition to the chickpeas till the skins loosen and fall off,” she says. This step makes your hummus further fluffy and creamy.

Seeking to broaden your chickpea horizons? Attempt our vegan slow cooker stew with chickpeas and spinach or our maple chai-roasted chickpeas.