Chickpeas Benefits: Why This Superfood Must Be a Staple in Your Diet!

Many of us mock a vegetarian diet when it comes to protein – “It is all grass and husk, no protein” “What do you get out of it?” “You are missing on so much, trust me,” and whatnot. 

Protein is potent. We all understand it. It makes us gain those herculean muscles, helps us manage weight, enhances body functions, etc. And for these many reasons, the mass moves toward meat. But what if we tell you that a vegetarian diet is also rich in protein? 

If you cannot consume meat, do not sweat about it. There are lots of foods whose protein content either matches that of meat or even surpasses it. Chickpeas are one of those great foods. 

Not only do chickpeas rock when it comes to nutrition, they even take care of many health issues. 

What’s greater about them? Anyone can eat them. 

So, let’s learn why chickpeas should not only be consumed but be made a staple in your diet. 

What is the nutritional value of Chickpeas?

Let’s first accept the fact that chickpeas taste delicious. If cooked well, they can make one swoon into bliss. 

If you don’t believe this, remember the scrumptious chole-chawal made by your mum!

But what if we tell you that their nutritional value will make you fall for them even further? Don’t believe us? 

Let’s have a walk through its nutritional offerings:

Chickpeas – nutritional value – per 100 grams (boiled)

These names might mean nothing to you. Right? 

After all, what is there in the name? We understand this. It is similar to the scenario when a computer technician comes to you and says that the capacitor is at fault. 

Alas! What do you know about it?

So, let’s tell you the nutritional value of chickpeas in terms that you understand well.

Talking about protein

If you like lazing around and doing nothing, you still must consume 0.8 grams of protein per kg of your body weight. 

For example, if you weigh 80 kg, you must consume 64 grams (80×0.8) of protein per day. This is to maintain normal body functions such as repairing tissues, maintaining hair and skin, producing various hormones, etc. 

And if Rocky Balboa fuels you enough to do exercise every day, your protein intake requirement goes up. 

Now, if you eat around 200 grams of chickpeas in one go, you get around 18 grams of protein out of it. Don’t worry if you feel you are consuming too many calories in those 200 grams of chickpeas. Most of it will be water (nearly 140 grams). 

In some cultures, chickpeas are believed to bring good luck and are traditionally eaten on New Year’s Day.

Talking about carbs and fibre

Now, apart from protein, you’ll indeed get around 55 grams of carbs from chickpeas. This will give you quick and easy energy. As a result, you’ll feel light and energetic. 

There might be days when you feel like launching up in the sky. Nah, just kidding. That never happens!

From chickpeas, you get around 15.2 grams of dietary fibre. This fulfils half of your daily requirements. 

But hey! You surely do not understand what dietary fibre means to your body. Yes? Just know that it is like a cleaning system for your guts. As it moves through your intestines, it sweeps away waste and toxins out of your digestive system. Wonderful right?

Talking about vitamins and minerals

Although micronutrients do not serve us calories, they help our bodies function in an improved way. Vitamins and minerals are vital for our bodies. 

• They strengthen our immunity and help us fight diseases even before they sicken us.
• When we get enough of them, we perform everyday functions gracefully. If you are able to pick up your tea without worry, eat your food, talk to your colleagues, laugh, jump, or read this article, thank these little beauties.
• They help us have healthy bones, skin, hair, teeth, vision, etc.

Apart from it, there are lots of other benefits as well. We’ll dive deeply into it in the next section.

Chickpeas are a staple ingredient in many Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes. This includes hummus, falafel, and chana masala.

Chickpeas: The tiny legume packed with mighty health benefits

Once upon a time in ancient India, the Indian emperor Akbar was served a dish made with chickpeas. The moment he tasted it, his senses flew in a sway of euphoria. He loved the dish so much that it became a staple in his royal court. Legend also has it that he spent the last eight years of his life on one single food – chickpeas. (1)

Now, indeed, chickpeas can make anyone’s taste buds dance in excitement. But even a burger can do that. No? 

Of course, but the burger is unhealthy. On the other hand, chickpeas are super healthy. 

Here are the many health benefits that chipper chickpeas offer to us:

1. Chickpeas are good for your gut and helps heals it

There is an ancient Greek proverb that all diseases begin from the guts. Indeed! Even Ayurveda has been saying for thousands of years that diet cannot be replaced by medicines. Even medicines fail if you have the wrong diet. And don’t you know that even the gentle raindrops come pelting at us like bullets when our stomach pains? 

One way to improve gut health is to consume dietary fibre. And we have already seen that chickpeas are rich in it. The fibre found in them is soluble fibre, which is one of the two types of fibre, soluble and insoluble.

The great thing about soluble fibre is that it doesn’t let the food pass too quickly through your intestines. When it comes in contact with water, it turns into a gel. This means food is moving at just the right pace inside your intestine. And the result? Nutrient absorption gets enhanced. 

Apart from it, chickpeas also help in increasing the number of good bacteria in your gut. These bacteria help in food digestion. It is like you get an increase in the number of good workers in your gut. As a result, you do not suffer from indigestion and acidity. Brilliant! (2)(3)

The water left over from cooking chickpeas (also known as aquafaba) can be used as an egg substitute in vegan baking.

2. Helps you get your portion of iron

Our body depends on small amounts of trace metals to function well. One of these trace minerals is iron. You surely must have heard of how iron is necessary for our overall well-being.

Chickpeas contain a good amount of iron. Eating mere 200 grams of it provides 5.78 mg of iron. And you know how much is recommended per day for an adult? 

For a person aged 19-50, it is 18 mg. It means you get around 32% of your recommended portion. 

When you get your dosage of iron, you get enhanced production of red blood cells, grow physically well, have better brain function, etc. As a result, you feel energetic. What’s more? (4)

Because of the presence of vitamin C in chickpeas, iron gets absorbed well in your body.  

Chickpeas are one of the oldest cultivated crops, dating back to around 7,500 years ago in the Middle East.

3. Enhances blood sugar regulation

When we consume food, our bodies turn it into energy. Now, some foods induce our bodies to break down food and absorb it quickly. This is bad. When this happens, you get a burst of sugar in your blood. The body doesn’t know what to do with this excess sugar. 

Chickpeas have a low Glycaemic Index. Of course, you don’t know this term again. To put it simply, it means that they get absorbed by your body gradually. As a result, your energy levels remain stable throughout the day. And you know why this happens? Because of the fibre present in them.    

4. Helps you maintain a healthy weight

It surely feels like a herculean task, to shed off those layers of fat around the belly. No matter how hard and positively we think, this stubborn fat doesn’t go. Why? Because neither is our diet correct nor is our activity level. We all want to feel light and airy, so we could hop here and there joyfully. But this weight! 

Not only do chickpeas allow us to do daily activities with ease, but they also let our organs function gracefully. 

Chickpeas are rich in nutrients, protein, and fibre. And here is how these things help us towards our fitness goal –

• Nutrients allow our bodies to function well. This means the energy is distributed efficiently, metabolism stays up, we feel good, and the body doesn’t store unnecessary fat. 
• Protein halts the tongue’s temptation to eat more. This is because it makes us feel fulfilled for longer. As a result, we do not keep on eating every now and then. 
• Fibre is excellent for those who dream of losing their weight. It slows down the movement of food and doesn’t let your insulin spike. 

You can try some high-fibre food like Aashirvaad Multi-grain atta, along with chickpeas, to increase your fibre intake and aid your weight loss journey and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Along with fibre, all these things help you have a lower cholesterol level as well.

The scientific name for chickpeas is Cicer arietinum. It comes from the Latin word for “ram” because the seed pods were thought to resemble ram’s heads.

5. Strengthens your bones and immunity

We think that our muscles help us run and do all the hard work in life. Indeed. But they are not tissues that help us do it. There remains a hidden structure that works like a foundation of our structure – Bones. 

Bones are important; bones are supportive; bones are calcium. And do you know what food is calcium-rich? Chickpeas.

Chickpeas contain a good amount of calcium, if not high. Eating 200 grams of boiled chickpeas provides us with 98 mg of calcium. This fulfils around 10% of our daily calcium requirement, which is 1000 mg for a person aged 19-50. (5)

Apart from calcium, phosphorus is another mineral that supports bone health. And chickpeas are rich in this vital mineral. You get nearly 336 mg from 200 grams of boiled chickpeas. This means this delicacy lets you have around 27% of the daily phosphorus requirement (if you age 19 years or older). (6)

Just note one thing. Whenever you prepare your diet, make sure you do not focus too much on one mineral and overdose on it. So, not just phosphorus, but make sure you consume other minerals in moderation too. 

These were some of the many benefits that you get from eating chickpeas. Now, as is the case with any other food, there are things that you must take care of while making chickpeas your staple.

Chickpeas: side-effects and precautions

You surely might not want to see yourself getting sick because of something healthy. It might seem ironic but is true. Even lemons can sicken you down. So, when consuming chickpeas, just take care of these few things:

• Always soak them overnight (or for 8-10 hours) in water before consuming them. You may either boil the soaked chickpeas or eat them as they are. 
• If, by any chance, you suffer from legume allergy, just observe how you react to chickpeas and consult your doctor.
• Talk to your doctor in case you have gout or stones before making them your go-to food.
• Whenever possible, consume them in fresh form. Canned chickpeas are for situations when you cannot cook. Also, they contain lots of preservatives. Avoid them as much as possible.
• If you are undergoing any blood thinning medication, talk to your doctor before making changes to your diet. 

When a runner tries to finish the race at the top spot, he tries to know all that could be there about running – the start, the movement, heart rate, muscle movement, stance, etc. 

So, if diet is your goal, try to know all that there could be. And this blog aimed to do just that.

Conclusion

Chickpeas are not just a delicacy but a nutritious delicacy. You get a good amount of fibre, vitamins, minerals, protein, and of course, taste. There is not one but many reasons that you should make them a big part of your diet. 

First of all, your body gets blessed with vital minerals like calcium, potassium, Iron, magnesium, phosphorous, etc. 

Where iron helps you have healthy blood, calcium and phosphorous provide herculean strength to your bones. Apart from it, you get a good palette of vitamins like A, B, C, choline, etc. These vitamins help us function not ust sanely but brilliantly in our lives. For example, choline present in chickpeas improves our brain’s capacity to remember, our mood, and overall muscle control. 

However, just because this lovable legume is healthy, doesn’t mean you stuff your stomach with it.

Always make sure you soak them for 8-10 hours before consuming them. It helps remove the anti-nutrients in them, which the plant uses to protect these legumes. Also, if you are on a medication and thinking about having a lifelong affair with them, consult a dietician or a doctor.

In a world where quick and convenient meals reign supreme, the humble chickpea stands tall as a nutritional powerhouse. It reminds us that good things come to those who soak and simmer.

Happy Eating!

Happy Tummy!

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