Legumes – who doesn’t love legumes? From black beans and lentils to kidney beans and soybeans, there’s a lot to choose from and a lot to love, as well.

My personal favorite are Chickpeas. They have a subtle sweet taste, a nice, creamy texture when mashed, and they add a delicate flavor to savory dishes that cut through the stronger seasonings. It’s a delightful little legume – and also an affordable and accessible one. Just walk down the canned vegetables aisle at any local grocery or supermarket and you’re sure to find at least a can or two of chickpeas in stock.

Chickpeas are also really healthy! And we’re going to talk about that in today’s article, so buckle up for an informative ride.

GETTING TO KNOW THE CHICKPEA

Chickpeas are a high-Protein legume that is thought to have originated in the Middle East. It’s also known as the Egyptian pea, Bengal gram, or the garbanzo bean. The name “garbanzo” comes from early modern Spanish, and is thought to be derived from the Arabic word galbana, meaning “a variety of small pea”.

The first known record of the chickpea is about its cultivation in the Mediterranean basin. These historical records date as far back as 3000 BC, and tell about the harvesting and trading of chickpeas all the way to India and Ethiopia. They were further exported to Egypt, Greece, and Italy, and in the 16th century, they were brought to subtropical countries by Spanish and Portuguese explorers.

NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF THE CHICKPEA

Chickpeas are high in protein, and are also rich in other nutrients. Here are the vitamins and minerals one can expect to get from a 100-gram serving of cooked and unsalted chickpeas.

Cooked chickpeas have a lot of water, up to 60% of it. In terms of carbohydrates, it contains 27.42 Grams per 100-gram cooked serving. It also has 4.8 grams of sugars, 7.6 grams of dietary fiber, and 2.59 grams of fat (mostly linoleic acid, which is a good kind of fatty acid). Protein wise, it contains 8.86 grams of protein, which is a lot considering the water content.

Vitamins-wise, it has calcium, folate, iron, magnesium, niacin, pantothenic acid, phosphorus, potassium, riboflavin, sodium, thiamine, and vitamins A, B12, C, E, and K.

A 100-gram cup serving of chickpeas meets 50% of the daily recommended dose of dietary fiber, and 17.72% of the daily recommended dose of protein. The same serving size also provides 10-16% of the daily value for magnesium, thiamin, vitamin B6, and zinc.

WRAPPING IT UP

Chickpeas aren’t the most exciting legume, but they’re certainly among the most healthy food choices readily available to many of us while under the COVID-19 pandemic. Pick up a can of garbanzos or buy a few pounds of the beans fresh, and mix them into your diet for a healthy source of fiber and protein.

Stay healthy, everyone – and remember to stay safe!

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