Are Chickpeas Healthy? Here's What a Dietitian Says (2024)

FAQs

Are Chickpeas Healthy? Here's What a Dietitian Says? ›

Chickpeas are high in fiber, protein, and healthy fats and have a low glycemic index. Potential benefits of chickpeas include helping control blood sugar, manage weight, and support heart and gut health.

Naturally low in saturated fat, loaded with nutrients

While naturally low in saturated fat, chickpeas are nutrient-dense. They provide nearly 20 grams of protein in a ½-cup serving and 5 grams of dietary fiber. Chickpeas also are a source of folate, iron, vitamin C and phosphorus.

Chickpeas are what's known as a complete protein because they contain all nine essential amino acids, which are building blocks that help our bodies function properly. “Chickpeas are also an excellent source of non-animal protein,” Lane adds. “They're great for vegetarians and vegans.”

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." Overall, beans are budget-friendly, but dried can often be less expensive and also more flavorful than canned.

Chickpeas are high in dietary fiber, especially a soluble fiber called raffinose. The good bacteria in your gut breaks this down so your colon can digest it slowly. Studies have found that eating more chickpeas can help make bowel movements easier and more regular.

No, chickpeas aren't considered inflammatory. Most healthcare providers consider chickpeas to be an anti-inflammatory food. This means they can help fight harmful inflammation in your body. They're also high in fiber and a good source of protein.

Beans and Legumes

Packed with protein and fiber, beans are a nutritious choice for people on most kinds of diets. However, they and other legumes such as chickpeas and lentils are also high in carbohydrates. Eat them in moderation when on a low carb diet.

"Chickpeas are wonderful to add directly to your dish—like salad, pasta, or soup—for extra protein and fiber," Cannon told us. If you're craving a satisfying crunch, she recommends roasting them with avocado oil and plain ol' sea salt.

Chickpeas are made up of oligosaccharides, sugars that are also found in other foods like rye, onions, and garlic. Since they are highly concentrated in chickpeas, a lot of it has to pass through our system, causing longer and more severe bouts of bloating or uneasiness.

Yes, it has carbs, but your body digests them slowly. That means they aren't absorbed as quickly as other carbs and won't spike your blood sugar. The chickpeas in hummus give it lots of fiber and protein to fill you up.

Should I rinse chickpeas from a can? ›

If you are using canned chickpeas, drain and rinse them with water to cut the sodium (salt) content by almost a half. Rinse well in cold water to make them easier to digest and less gas-producing.

Canned chickpeas are pre-cooked chickpeas. You can eat canned chickpeas straight out of the can! (Just be sure to rinse them off before chowing down to wash out excess sodium) Otherwise, you can roast them or turn them into any number of delicious dishes, like these here.

The honest answer—there's no difference between chickpeas and garbanzo beans. They're just two (of many) different names for the same type of pulse. (Pulses are basically seeds of legume plants.) The word chickpea doesn't come from chickens at all—it's an evolution of the plant's Latin name, cicer arietinum.

You can eat at least one serving (28 grams) of chickpeas per day. However, don't eat more than 70 grams a day since that can cause adverse side effects. If you consume too many chickpeas, some side effects you may get include bloating, nausea, and gas.

Lectins are a type of antinutrient. These compounds can make it hard for your body to use other nutrients properly. But they're not all bad: Some antinutrients can have beneficial effects, too. Lectins are proteins in all plants, and they're particularly abundant in legumes, like beans and chickpeas.

There so many benefits to eating chickpeas. There are good reasons for it being a superfood. Chock full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, it helps your body run smoothly and gives you the energy you need for your life.

Chickpeas are great for weight loss, mainly because they contain fiber, which makes you feel fuller longer; satiety helps you lose or maintain weight. Additionally, chickpeas are low on the glycemic index, so they won't raise your blood sugar.

3 Tablespoons (about 2 ounces) of chickpea flour packs slightly more folate than half of your daily needs, more than 3 times the amount of iron found in one egg, provides about 6 grams of dietary fiber (which eggs don't carry any of) and about 13 grams of protein (an egg only contains 7).

Unlike chicken and other animal products, chickpeas contain absolutely no cholesterol. They're also a rich source of soluble fibre, which reduces the production of cholesterol in the liver and its absorption in the small intestine. A win-win for those with high cholesterol levels.