5 Healthy Reasons to Eat More Chickpeas Plus Delicious Recipes

If you’re not eating chickpeas (garbanzo beans,) now would be a good time to ask yourself why. Chickpeas are loaded with iron, fiber, and protein and are easy to find and prepare. Cold or hot, these legumes are great in salads, soups and chili, and they are great as a side dish too.

In addition to the convenience, affordability and nutritional content, there are five health benefits of chickpeas that you probably didn’t know about.

1. Lowers Cholesterol

In 2014, a study was published by the Canadian Medical Association Journal on the effects of chickpeas and other legumes on heart health. Researchers found that one daily serving of chickpeas could significantly lower LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) levels.

Lowering bad cholesterol can prevent cardiovascular diseases such as strokes and heart attacks.

2. Lowers Blood Sugar Levels

The Glycemic Index (GI) ranks foods on a scale of one to 100 based on their effects on blood sugar levels. The higher the rank of the food, the more it raises your blood sugar levels.

Chickpeas are low on the GI, which makes them an ideal dietary choice for diabetics and those trying to prevent diabetes. Chickpeas, purchased in the raw, are ranked a 10 on the GI, while canned chickpeas are ranked at 38. Hummus, a healthy chickpea spread, ranks at six.

3. Helps With Weight Loss

Fiber-rich foods make you feel fuller, longer, allowing you to eat less, eat healthy, and lose weight! Just one cup of cooked, boiled, unsalted chickpeas can give you 50% of your daily recommended fiber!

If your body is not use to consuming so much fiber, you may feel a bit bloated or uneasy when you initially eat chickpeas. Don’t worry, this feeling usually passes once your body gets used to the fiber intake it was missing out on.

4. Is a Great Meat Substitute

Vegans and vegetarians rejoice! Combined with a whole grain, like quinoa, chickpeas can provide the protein that meat and dairy products provide, minus the high calories and fat. 100 grams of chickpeas will give you 19 grams of protein! This makes chickpeas a great post-workout food.

5. Is An Energy Booster

If you’ve been operating on low energy, you might not be getting enough iron. Iron helps your blood carry oxygen to all the cells in your body, and aids your energy production and metabolism.

Menstruating, pregnant, or lactating women are more likely to have low iron, due to loss of blood or because they are feeding/caring for a baby. Luckily, chickpeas can give you up to 26% of your daily iron recommendation.

Here are two delicious recipes you can try to maximize your chickpea experience:

Spiced Chickpea “Nuts” – Makes four servings

These “nuts” are a great low-fat substitute for nuts that will satisfy your salty cravings.

Ingredients

1 15-ounce can of chickpeas, rinsed
1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons of ground cumin

1 teaspoon of Marjoram
¼ teaspoon of ground allspice
¼ teaspoon of Himalayan pink salt

Instructions

Position rack in upper third of oven; preheat to 450°F.
Blot chickpeas dry and toss in a bowl with oil, cumin, marjoram, allspice and pink salt.

Spread on a rimmed baking sheet.
Bake, stirring once or twice, for 25 to 30 minutes or until browned and crunchy. Let it cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes.
Cover and store at room temperature for up to two days.

Nutrition

Per serving: 103 calories; 5 g fat (0 g sat, 3g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 14 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 4g protein; 5g fiber; 303 mg sodium; 2 mg potassium.

Mediterranean Tuna Antipasto Salad – makes four servings

This is the perfect salad to have for lunch. This light meal has enough protein and fiber to fill you up without inspiring feelings of fatigue and/or laziness.

Ingredients

1 15- to 19-ounce can beans, such as chickpeas, black-eyed peas or kidney beans, rinsed

2 5- to 6-ounce cans water-packed chunk light tuna, drained and flaked
1 large red bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
4 teaspoons capers, rinsed
1 1/2 teaspoons of finely chopped fresh rosemary

1/2 cup lemon juice, divided
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

1/4 teaspoon of Himalayan pink salt
8 cups mixed salad greens

Instructions

Combine beans, tuna, bell pepper, onion, parsley, capers, rosemary, 1/4 cup lemon juice and 2 tablespoons oil in a medium bowl. Season with pepper.

Combine the remaining 1/4 cup lemon juice, 2 tablespoons oil and pink salt in a large bowl.
Add salad greens; toss to coat. Divide the greens among 4 plates. Top each with the tuna salad.

Nutrition

Per serving: 290 calories; 16g of fat (2g sat, 11 g mono); 12 mg cholesterol; 28g carbohydrates; 17g protein; 9g fiber; 505 mg sodium; 638 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (160% daily value), Vitamin A (100% dv), Folate (42% dv), Potassium & Iron (20% dv).