Canned chickpeas provide numerous health benefits and are considered a nutrient-dense food. Research shows chickpeas are beneficial for weight management, blood sugar regulation, heart disease, and digestive health (1).
Great news! Both canned and dried varieties of chickpeas are nutritious! When purchasing canned varieties, look for those labeled "no salt added" or "low in sodium." Overall, beans are budget-friendly, but dried can often be less expensive and also more flavorful than canned.
You can eat at least one serving (28 grams) of chickpeas per day. However, don't eat more than 70 grams a day since that can cause adverse side effects. If you consume too many chickpeas, some side effects you may get include bloating, nausea, and gas.
Canned or jarred chickpeas just need to be reheated if you are eating them in a hot dish, or can be used straight from the can for a recipe like hummus. Like dried chickpeas, they vary in quality and size, as do some of the jarred varieties from Spain.
“The major nutritional difference between dried and canned chickpeas is their sodium content, with canned beans averaging between 300 to 400 milligrams sodium per half-cup serving, depending on the brand,” says Rachel Begun, MS, RDN, a culinary nutritionist and co-founder of the The Modern Loaf in Los Angeles.
If you're watching your sodium intake, we have good news. In each case, draining and rinsing beans lowered the sodium by about 100 milligrams per ½-cup serving—or 20.7 to 26.5 percent. Rinsed Beans: Goya chickpeas: 24.7% less sodium.
Cannellini beans are high in fibre and contain vitamin C as well as magnesium, a mineral that helps our muscles to function properly. Chickpeas are a good source of fibre and contain more than 10 different micronutrients, including copper, which keeps our skin and hair healthy.
If you are using canned chickpeas, drain and rinse them with water to cut the sodium (salt) content by almost a half. Rinse well in cold water to make them easier to digest and less gas-producing.
Most of the calories in chickpeas come from carbohydrate. There are about 35 grams of carbs in a 1-cup serving. Most of the carbohydrate in chickpeas is fiber and starch, though there is a small amount of naturally occurring sugar in chickpeas.
Canned chickpeas are pre-cooked chickpeas. You can eat canned chickpeas straight out of the can! (Just be sure to rinse them off before chowing down to wash out excess sodium) Otherwise, you can roast them or turn them into any number of delicious dishes, like these here.
However, chickpeas are considered to be both a vegetable and a protein because they're so nutritious. Some people even consider them a superfood.
And while fresh cooked chickpeas are sublime, the canned ones are not that bad, so I'm not adverse to using them. But freshly made chickpeas are definitely going to become a regular part of my cooking routine. Their texture is infinitely creamier than their canned siblings, which can feel a little grainy in comparison.
Black beans are slightly higher in fiberthan the other two choices and provide some extra magnesium, butgarbanzo beans (chickpeas) are a little higher in the B vitaminfolate. Some news stories have picked up on preliminary studies showingblack beans among the highest in certain antioxidants.
Rich in protein and fiber, chickpeas are also low-glycemic carbohydrates and full of inflammation-fighting nutrients.
With about 6 grams of protein apiece, eggs are an excellent source of this vital nutrient. But lots of other foods offer as much or more. For example, chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) provide nearly 8 grams of protein per 1/2 cup. People have enjoyed them since the days of ancient Egypt.
However, chickpeas aren't a complete protein because they don't provide adequate amounts of the nine essential amino acids. To make them a complete protein, eat them with wheat, oats or rice. Chickpeas are also a source of folate, fiber, iron and phosphorus.
Not rinsing the beans first.
Not only is this liquid extra starchy, but it's also usually full of sodium. Unless a recipe specifically calls for using this liquid, it won't be a welcome addition to your dish.
The next time you open a can of chickpeas, think before you drain it. It turns out, that leftover liquid is kind of magic. Known as aquafaba or chickpea water, it can be used as a vegan substitute in many recipes that call for eggs or egg whites.
It's called aquafaba, and it's (basically) free! When we refer to aquafaba (as we often do in our cookbook on vegan cooking, Vegan for Everybody), we're talking about the liquid in a can of chickpeas.
Yes, chickpea pasta is definitely healthy
“It's lower in simple carbohydrates and more nutritious than regular pasta. As a plant food, it's also a sustainable source of protein and contains resistant starch which may help stabilize blood sugar and improve gut health.”