Why Every Vegan/Vegetarian Should be Eating Chickpeas

Most vegans and vegetarians eat beans on a daily basis as it’s one of the best sources of vegan proteins. But what a lot of people don’t know is that not all beans are created equally. In fact, garbanzo beans, a.k.a. chickpeas, are one of the most nutritious beans you can enjoy. So before you grab those black beans or kidney beans one more time, you might want to switch over to the garbanzo beans to reap the benefits of these bad boys.

THE NUMBERS

Per one cup of cooked chickpeas:

• 269 calories
• 45 grams of carbohydrates
• 15 grams of protein
• 13 grams of dietary fiber
• 4 grams of fat
• 0 grams cholesterol
• 50% of daily potassium needs
• 84.5% of daily manganese needs
• 70% or more of daily folate needs
• 69% of daily iron needs
• 55% of vitamin B-6
• 57% of magnesium
• less than 20% of additional vitamins as well

While most non-animal sources of protein lack the essential amino acid methionine, and grains lack lysine, combine whole grains and chickpeas together and they produce a complete protein that contains all of the essential amino acids. SCORE!

REASONS WHY CHICKPEAS ARE GREAT FOR YOU

KEEPS YOU FULL

Chickpeas have 13 grams of fiber per serving. Fiber is what keeps you full as well as helps prevent digestive disorders.

CAN HELP REPLACE ANIMAL PRODUCTS

As mentioned above, when combined with whole grains, they provide the amount of protein comparable to that in meat or dairy products but without the calories and fat content.

HIGH IN ANTIOXIDANTS

Chickpeas contain phytochemicals called saponins, which act as antioxidants. Saponins helps lower the risk of breast cancer, protect against osteoporosis, and minimize hot flashes in menopausal women.

PREVENTS CANCER

While selenium is not found in many other vegan/vegetarian food options, it’s found in chickpeas. Selenium helps detoxify cancer-causing compounds as well as prevents inflammation and decreases tumor growth rates. The saponins, mentioned above, also prevent cancer cells from multiplying and spreading throughout the body.

Let us know how you add chickpeas into your diet! If you are already a big fan, let us know your favorite recipes!