Chickpea is a legume of the family Fabaceae. It is also called as the garbanzo beans. In India it is called as the Bengal gram or chana. It is mostly cultivated in the mediterranean, west Asia, Indian subcontinent, and Australia. It is one of the earliest cultivated legumes of more than 7500 years ago, in the Middle East. The chickpea is a type of pulse with a seedpod containing 2 to 3 peas. The plant grows to between 20-25 cm high and has small feathery leaves on the sides of the stem. Chickpeas need a tropical or subtropical climate of more than 400 milliliters of annual rainfall.
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There are 2 types of chickpea
1. Desi variety: Small and darker seeds with a rough coat. It has higher fiber content. It is mostly
There are 2 types of chickpea
1. Desi variety: Small and darker seeds with a rough coat. It has higher fiber content. It is mostly
cultivated in Indian subcontinent, Ethiopia, Iran, and Mexico. The Desi variety in India, it is known
as the Bengal gram.
2. Kabuli variety: Lighter colored, larger sized, and a smoother coat. It is low in fiber content. It is
mainly grown in Southern Europe, Northern Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Chile.
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Mature
chickpea can be cooked in stews, salads, or ground into flour called
as gram flour, which instead is used to make a lot of delicious
recipes. Chickpea can be used to make curries and form a important
ingredient in vegetarian diet which it provides with a good amount of
protein. Chickpea flour is used to make various cuisines and also as a
batter to coat when frying vegetables, meats etc.
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Nutritional Benefits
1. Garbanzo beans are useful sources of zinc, folate, protein, and fiber.
2. It is low in fat, which is mostly present as polyunsaturated fats. It helps to lower cholesterol in the blood stream.
3. It helps to regulate the blood sugar by stabilizing the breakdown of food through the intestine and also stabilizes the blood flow through the digestive tract.
3. It helps to regulate the blood sugar by stabilizing the breakdown of food through the intestine and also stabilizes the blood flow through the digestive tract.
3. Certain varieties of chickpea has high fiber content. It can help support the digestive tract function.
Bacteria in the colon breaks down the insoluble fiber in the garbanzos to short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) including acetic acid,
propionic acid, and butyric acid. These SCFAs are absorbed by the cells that
line the colon wall and can be used by for energy. It is also helpful in preventing constipation. Lowers the risk for colon problems and decreases the chances of intestinal cancer.
4. Garbanzo beans contains antioxidant nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene etc.
5. It also contains concentrated supplies of phytonutrients such as flavonoids quercetin, kaempferol, and myricetin found in the outer layer of the beans, and the phenolic acids ferulic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and vanillic acid found in the interior portion of the beans.
5. It also contains concentrated supplies of phytonutrients such as flavonoids quercetin, kaempferol, and myricetin found in the outer layer of the beans, and the phenolic acids ferulic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and vanillic acid found in the interior portion of the beans.
6. Chickpeas also provide high dietary phosphorus, manganese, and iron.
7. It provides increased chances of food satiety or satisfaction with food and eliminates the sense of hunger and thus reduce weight gain.
