Why is chickpea good for you

Add more water if the beans do not reach desired tenderness and further cook time is needed. Canned: Place in a strainer, drain, and rinse well. These do not need additional cooking but hold up well when added to cooked or baked dishes.

Serve Chickpeas have a nutty buttery flavor and creamy texture that can enhance many recipes. There are various ways to incorporate cooked chickpeas: Add to salads, soups, and stews. Use a food processor or blender to grind into a paste and add to veggie burgers or meatless meatballs. Season and roast for a tasty snack. Blend with tahini, garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice to make a hummus spread. Mash and use in baking as a replacement for flour.

Roasted and ground chickpeas have been used as a caffeine-free alternative to coffee for centuries. The beverage is also available as ready-to-brew commercial brands in some grocery stores. It is called aquafaba, a thick liquid containing a mix of starch and trace amounts of protein, with emulsifying, binding, and thickening properties. It can also be whipped to replace the eggs in meringues or mayonnaise.

Unlike many canned vegetables, canned chickpeas retain much of their nutritional value and are comparable to dried cooked versions. Nutritional quality and health benefits of chickpea Cicer arietinum L. British Journal of Nutrition. J Agric Food Chem. Bioactive constituents in pulses and their health benefits. J Food Sci Technol. Potential beneficial effects of butyrate in intestinal and extraintestinal diseases. World J Gastroenterol. The challenge is to lower your caloric intake without walking around with stomach always on your mind.

Enter chickpeas. So eat a cup of chickpeas for lunch and you will feel full until dinner. Chickpeas are common in many warm and sunny climates, which is good news for those who eat them. It also protects against damage from UV light, which decreases rashes. Folk wisdom suggests you reach for the vitamin C when you feel a cold coming on. Researchers are much more skeptical about the efficacy of fighting the common cold.

They, however, almost unanimously endorse zinc. Zinc inhibits replication of rhinoviruses, the bugs responsible for cold. Fiber helps keep your digestive system working. Unfortunately, more and more people struggle with type 2 diabetes. If you are one of the millions of people across the world who need to regulate blood sugar, incorporate legumes like chickpeas into your diet. Doctors recommend starchy legumes and vegetables for their phytochemicals and fiber.

Chickpeas digest slowly without spiking blood sugar and lower hemoglobin A1C levels. These two minerals work together as a super team to keep you energized. Iron needs copper to blend with red blood cells and stave off anemia. Meanwhile, copper transfers energy from cars to cells and keeps you feeling full for longer. This important mineral delivers oxygen to our brain and muscles.

Chickpeas supply non-heme iron, so be sure consume with source of vitamin C to increase absorption. Great news! Both canned and dried varieties of chickpeas are nutritious! When purchasing canned varieties, look for those labeled "no salt added" or "low in sodium. Because you can flavor them while they cook by adding aromatics such as onions, garlic and other herbs and spices. Intimidated to try it? We have this guide to show you how to cook dried beans. When it comes to enjoying them, Nguyen, is all about roasting!

They're a crunchy snack I love to eat as is, or pop them in my bag for an on-the-go snack. They're a great addition to salads, they're delicious when smashed on toast and are a delicious boost to soups, stews and chilis.

Looking to satisfy your desire for something sweet? Chickpeas can help! Try our recipe for Dark Chocolate Hummus!