Chickpeas are taking the world by storm. Whole Foods named them a top food trend, suggesting that these little beans are stealing the spotlight as a consumer food favorite.
While we don’t know the rationale for this prediction (it’s a little like the Oscars but with considerably less controversy and a much shorter ceremony), it’s reasonable to guess that the humble chickpea is this year’s “It Bean” thanks to its incredible versatility.
These days we’re going far beyond hummus, gluten-free chickpea pasta, and vegan tuna “chickpea salad” sandwiches.
Chickpeas have been called “a prince among pulses” and even “the new cauliflower,” indicating that they’ve gone from back-of-the-pantry to kitchen staple status. And not surprisingly, since their relatively neutral taste makes them a versatile base for many products and recipes.
Indeed, there’s more to chickpeas today than its status as a bean suggests. So what are the benefits of chickpeas? Are there any downsides to eating them? And what are some creative ways to use chickpeas?
What Are Chickpeas?
Chickpeas are legumes, along with peas, lentils, and other beans. They’re also called garbanzos or garbanzo beans. In many English-speaking countries, chickpeas and garbanzos are often used interchangeably.
In India, however, chickpeas are known as chana, hence the dish chana masala, or chickpea curry.
Across Africa and parts of the Middle East, chickpeas are sometimes referred to as Egyptian peas. The humble chickpea actually originated in the Middle East, likely in what are now the regions of southeastern Turkey or northern Syria. It’s the world’s second most widely grown legume after the soybean and one of the eight founder crops (plants that archeologists consider the foundation of agriculture on our planet).
Although the common chickpea at stores is generally tan or beige, there are also yellow, red, dark green, and brown varieties.
Chickpea Nutrition
Chickpeas and other legumes are some of the most nutritious foods on the planet. They’re a healthy source of fiber, plant-based protein, and a number of vitamins and minerals.
In a one-cup serving of cooked chickpeas or garbanzo beans, you’ll find the following basic nutritional profile:
- 269 calories
- 14.5 grams of protein
- 12.5 grams of fiber
- 49 grams of carbohydrates
- 73% of the Daily Value (DV) for manganese
- 64% DV for copper
- 71% DV for folate
- 26% DV for iron
- 19% DV for magnesium
- 16% DV for thiamin (B1)
Even this average-sized portion of chickpeas provides an impressive serving of essential minerals. It’s also a good source of B vitamins, which are important for metabolism, tissue health, and disease prevention.
The Health Benefits of Chickpeas
Chickpeas have proven themselves as a great source of nutrients, but what else makes them so deserving of a spot in the front of your cupboard?
Research has shown that eating garbanzo beans — and the hummus you can make out of them — is associated with a number of health benefits, including a lower risk for various diseases and improved overall nutritional status.
1. Chickpeas and Cancer
Beans is the first “B” in the acronym G-BOMBS (the second B is for berries, which are also great, but not the star of this article), coined by my friend and colleague Dr. Joel Fuhrman. G-BOMBS (Greens, Beans, Onions, Mushrooms, Berries, Seeds) describes some of the best anticancer and health-promoting foods on the planet that you should consider incorporating into your diet on a daily basis.
Beans like chickpeas are full of nutrient-dense carbohydrates that digest slowly to help stabilize blood sugar. They contain high levels of fiber and resistant starch, which are fermented by bacteria in your intestines, creating cancer-preventing fatty acids. In fact, including chickpeas in your diet (or other legumes) at least twice per week may cut your risk for colon cancer in half!
2. Are Chickpeas Good for Your Heart?
Authors of a 2015 study published in the journal Clinical Diabetes found that in addition to being a highly nutritious food, legumes like chickpeas can help prevent and manage a number of other health conditions.
For instance, a high intake of legumes is associated with a lower risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. And eating beans like chickpeas may help lower blood fats, like LDL “bad” cholesterol, which are known to raise your risk of developing heart disease.
3. Metabolic Benefits of Chickpeas
Eating chickpeas may also make you less likely to develop metabolic syndrome. This describes a group of harmful conditions associated with type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
According to a 2020 study published in Applied Sciences, which examined data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2005–2016), adults who ate chickpeas and hummus regularly were 48% and 62% less likely to have metabolic syndrome, respectively.
When combined with high glycemic foods, chickpeas can help reduce the overall glycemic load of the whole meal of which they’re a part. Because of their high fiber content, they can help slow the rise in blood sugar and insulin response.
One study found that adding chickpeas to white rice at a meal significantly reduced the glycemic response compared to eating white rice alone.
4. Chickpeas and Weight Loss
Eating beans has also been found to help keep you feeling fuller, which can prevent overeating and unwanted weight gain. Beans like chickpeas are also associated with lower body weights, smaller waist circumferences, and a lowered risk of obesity in epidemiologic studies.
5. Are Chickpeas Good for Your Gut?
Furthermore, eating garbanzo beans can contribute to improved digestive health.
Legume consumption is associated with better bowel regularity and a lower incidence of constipation. Plus, chickpeas may help reduce inflammation in the GI tract.
One 2018 animal study (Our view on animals in medical research is here.) found that supplementing mice with 20% cooked chickpea flour for three weeks before being induced with an inflammatory colon condition actually helped reduce inflammatory biomarkers, compared to mice not given the chickpea supplement. (Of course, it would be nice if humans could just give the mice chickpeas, without having to give them a disease, too.)
Downsides to Eating Chickpeas
Along with their many health benefits, chickpeas also have a few things to be aware of.
Gas from Garbanzo Beans
Some people may take time to adjust to the fiber content in garbanzos — similar to any other bean. If you’re not used to eating a lot of fiber-rich foods in your diet — like raw fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and other legumes — chickpeas may cause digestive symptoms like increased gas, abdominal cramps, or bloating.
However, one study suggests that consumer perception of the link between eating beans and unwanted gas may be exaggerated. (Sadly, the published study, soberly titled “Perceptions of flatulence from bean consumption among adults in 3 feeding studies,” did not reference the ditty that starts with “Beans, beans, the musical fruit.”)
To minimize gas while eating chickpeas, start with a small amount of beans and increase your intake slowly. Be sure to drink plenty of water for smoother digestion.
What About Phytates?
Beans like chickpeas contain substances called phytates, which have been subject to some nutritional controversy. Like other substances found in plant foods, such as lectins and tannins, phytates have been dubbed “antinutrients” because they can bind to and inhibit the absorption of certain micronutrients when eaten around the same time.
How does this work? Phytic acid binds to certain essential minerals, including iron, calcium, zinc, and magnesium, which can make those minerals less bioavailable when consumed. This sounds like a bummer, but it’s been made out to be more alarming than it actually is for most people.
Phytates seem to be most problematic when consumed in raw form. But last I checked, most of us aren’t sitting down to eat a bowl full of uncooked garbanzos or other legumes. (If you are, I want to meet your dentist!)
You can easily reduce the phytate content of legumes in your meal prep. Sprouting, cooking, soaking, and fermenting all help to destroy phytates and allow for increased mineral availability. (This is also true for lectins, which are really not a point of concern either, so long as you cook your garbanzos properly.) Since canned chickpeas are pre-cooked, they will naturally have a lower phytate content as well.
If you choose to cook chickpeas in their dry form, soaking them will reduce phytates and increase the bioavailability of some of their nutrients. It’s ideal to soak beans for 24-48 hours, rinsing twice daily, before cooking.
Since garbanzos are not eaten raw (unless sprouted, and even then, we’d recommend cooking them), most of the phytates are destroyed before they hit your plate. Even so, if you’re still worried about their effects, eating chickpeas with vitamin C (which tends to support nutrient absorption) can help make sure you’re absorbing the vitamins and minerals you need.
Chickpea Allergy
While not heard about as often as peanuts or dairy allergies, chickpea allergies can occur. This is more likely if there is already an allergy to other legumes, especially lentils and peas.
The most frequent allergic reaction to chickpeas is hives or other skin reactions. If you suspect or are diagnosed with a chickpea allergy, it’s likely best to avoid them and products made with them.
Glyphosate in Chickpeas
Glyphosate, manufactured by Bayer under the brand name RoundUp, is an herbicide sprayed on crops such as wheat, chickpeas, and other legumes as a desiccant to speed up the harvesting process. Because of this, some caution is necessary when eating large amounts of conventionally grown chickpeas and products made with them, including hummus and chickpea pasta.
While organic farms do not use RoundUp, choosing organic isn’t a guarantee of zero RoundUp exposure in this case. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) conducted testing on non-organic hummus and chickpea products and found the presence of glyphosate in 90% of them. They also tested 12 organic hummus and chickpea products and still found traces of glyphosate, though in much lower amounts than the conventionally grown products.
Why is RoundUp still found in organic products even though its usage isn’t allowed in their production? Most likely, they were cross-contaminated by nearby crops sprayed with the herbicide.
Even though the EWG test results aren’t what we want to hear, the organization still says that people shouldn’t stop eating hummus and other chickpea products because of it. These foods are important sources of protein, fiber, and other nutrients in a healthy diet.
Furthermore, the EWG says that even though small levels of glyphosate were detected in some organic products, choosing organic hummus is still better than not eating hummus or chickpeas at all.
What should you do to avoid glyphosate exposure? Try to choose chickpeas and hummus that have been shown to be lower in glyphosate or have non-detectable amounts according to the EWG test results table.
Are Chickpeas Sustainable?
One of the biggest questions that many eco-conscious consumers have about popular foods is whether they’re sustainable. I’m happy to report that, when it comes to chickpeas, the answer is a solid yes.
Chickpeas can help restore soil, and, if they’re well managed, even sequester carbon from the atmosphere. Like all legumes, garbanzo beans also leave extra nitrogen in the soil they’re grown in for future crops to use, which can be especially helpful for growers who rotate crops.
=Researchers from Trinity College Dublin have also said that chickpea pasta is a >more sustainable alternative to pastas and grain products made from wheat. And they’re healthier for the consumer, too. The chickpea pasta was found to contain one and a half times more protein and over three times more fiber than durum wheat pasta.
Chickpea Foods and Products
Chickpeas in their whole bean form come dry or canned. Stored in a cool, dark place, dried chickpeas will keep for at least a year. Canned beans usually last for a couple years as well, making both options excellent pantry staples.
With the popularity of chickpeas, there has also been an increase in chickpea products. Naturally wheat-free chickpea pastas, like rotini and penne, have made a recent market splash. Roasted seasoned chickpeas, chickpea puffs, and chips are also becoming regulars in the snack aisle.
Chickpea flour is another gluten-free option you’ll likely see in the baking aisle.
Of course, hummus and other dips that incorporate garbanzo beans continue to have high consumer demand.
How to Use Chickpeas
Chickpeas are super easy to incorporate into your diet and require very little special prep work. If you choose to buy them canned, all you have to do is drain and rinse them.
If you buy dried garbanzos, you’ll have to soak and cook them.
To soak chickpeas, cover them with water in a large pot and allow them to soak for 24–48 hours, rinsing twice per day. Then, you can either cook them by simmering them in new water on the stove, in a crockpot, or by using a pressure cooker to reduce cooking time.
When cooking, you might want to add a bay leaf or a little dried kombu (a sea vegetable) for a pleasant hint of extra flavor. Spices like fennel, cumin, caraway, ginger, and turmeric are great flavoring agents for garbanzos and make them more digestible, too.
To use chickpeas in your own culinary creations, try them in these ways:
- Dips like hummus
- Seasoned and dry roasted in the oven for a snack
- In Indian dishes like chana masala, dals, or curries
- In soups and stews
- In veggie burgers and patties
- As a topping for dishes like baked sweet potatoes or salads
- Mashed and used in place of canned chicken or tuna in chickpea salad sandwiches
- Blended in a food processor with peanut butter, oats, and dates as a base for high-protein snack balls (see the recipe for Oatmeal Chickpea No-Bake Cookie Dough below!)
Aquafaba
The liquid from cooked and canned chickpeas that most people generally discard is called aquafaba (Latin for “bean water”). You can use it in baked goods as a binder and a vegan alternative to eggs. You can even whip it into a meringue! Simply whip it with a bit of cream of tartar and watch a stiff foam form in a matter of minutes.
3 Creative Chickpea Recipes
The recipes below are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how chickpeas offer delicious and nutritious presence and diversity to the culinary world.
We weren’t sure whether to start or end with the Oatmeal Chickpea No-Bake Cookie Dough since this recipe could easily become a sustainable breakfast or a healthy treat with its high fiber and protein content. We’ll let you choose, so let us know which way you love it most.
If you’re a crunchy snacker, Moroccan Baked Chickpeas will soon be your BFF with their worldly flavor.
And finally, move over black beans; it’s time to experiment with another bean for a super flavorful, samosa-style chickpea and potato burger that’s as tasty as it is easy to make!
1. Oatmeal Chickpea No-Bake Cookie Dough
This recipe is sure to confirm your notion that chickpeas are pretty magical. In this Oatmeal Chickpea No-Bake Cookie Dough, high-protein and high-fiber chickpeas create the most delicious cookie dough that you can enjoy straight out of the jar or baked into a soft and chewy treat. With seven grams of plant-based protein and over five grams of fiber per serving, plus flavor to boot, you can’t go wrong with this tasty and nutritious snack!
2. Moroccan Baked Chickpeas
Do you consider yourself a crunchy snacker? Looking for an ideal nibble to replace those chips that aren’t serving your health so well? Chickpeas get perfectly crunchy in the oven (with a little tossing in between). All you have to do is add your favorite seasonings. This flavorful, Moroccan-style baked chickpea snack will get you started with a healthier, high-fiber and protein-rich alternative to those traditionally fried and salty chips.
3. Chickpea and Potato Samosa Burgers
Chickpeas make fabulous burgers, and if you love Indian spice as much as we do, then trust us, these burgers might make it to your recipe library of fame. Serve them with mint chutney and plant-based yogurt, as well as plenty of veggies on top, like pickled onions, leafy greens, or sliced tomato, for the ultimate chickpea burger experience.
Chickpeas Deserve a Spotlight in Your Kitchen
Chickpeas, also known as garbanzos, are becoming an increasingly popular plant food, and for good reason. Like other legumes, they’re highly nutritious and a good plant-based alternative to meat. As well as offering a number of important health benefits, they’re also a sustainable crop, and have a wide variety of uses in cooking and baking.
While there are a few potential downsides to consuming chickpeas, including exposure to glyphosate in some products, they can make an important contribution to a varied and whole food-based diet.
Tell us in the comments:
- What are your favorite ways to eat garbanzos? What new ways are you considering trying them in your diet?
- Have you ever used aquafaba in baking? What did you think?
- Have you noticed an increased presence of chickpea products in your local markets?
Feature image: iStock.com/nito100