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.
On the other hand, canned chickpeas are already pre-cooked and, most of the time, pre-seasoned. You can even eat them straight out of the can, even though it's always better to drain and rinse them very well, as the bean juice (a.k.a. the aquafaba) is generally high in salt and preservatives.
“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.
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.
Rich in protein and fiber, chickpeas are also low-glycemic carbohydrates and full of inflammation-fighting nutrients.
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.
However, chickpeas are considered to be both a vegetable and a protein because they're so nutritious. Some people even consider them a superfood.
Dietary guidelines for Americans promote high consumption of chickpeas. They recommend 3 cups per person, per week, which corresponds to about 600 grams of cooked chickpeas per week. The results of many studies support even larger quantities, namely 200-400 grams of cooked chickpeas per day.
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.
"Chickpeas are wonderful to add directly to your dish—like salad, pasta, or soup—for extra protein and fiber," Cannon told us. If you're craving a satisfying crunch, she recommends roasting them with avocado oil and plain ol' sea salt. To help spruce up the flavor, though, Cording likes to add fresh seasoning.
Traditional hummus has a fat content 4-5 times that of chickpeas alone (Table 1), which may account for the improved blood glucose and insulin response, since dietary fat delays gastric emptying and therefore slows carbohydrate absorption [32,33].
Health Dangers of Canned Chickpeas
The CDC explains that eating too much sodium may increase your risk of developing high blood pressure, which may contribute to heart disease and stroke. Some canned chickpea brands contain added sugar as a preservative.
Dried garbanzo beans are usually the ones that get cooked and canned or turned into hummus. Canned chickpeas are cooked and seasoned with salt prior to canning. Dried chickpeas are sold in a raw, dehydrated form. Before serving at home, they'll need to be both rehydrated and cooked.
Like all legumes, chickpeas are a source of protein, and they're optimal for muscle building. Just 100 grams' worth of chickpeas contains a whole 9 grams of protein. They also contain fiber and minerals such as iron as well as magnesium, which keeps our muscles functioning smoothly*.
Chickpeas are made up of oligosaccharides, sugars that are also found in other foods like rye, onions, and garlic. Since they are highly concentrated in chickpeas, a lot of it has to pass through our system, causing longer and more severe bouts of bloating or uneasiness.
The avocado, chickpeas or tomato in them will count towards your 5-a-day. A typical serving weighs around 50g (a portion of vegetables is 80g) and that includes other ingredients, so it isn't a whole portion, but every little helps.
3 Tablespoons (about 2 ounces) of chickpea flour packs slightly more folate than half of your daily needs, more than 3 times the amount of iron found in one egg, provides about 6 grams of dietary fiber (which eggs don't carry any of) and about 13 grams of protein (an egg only contains 7).
Chickpeas should be on your must-have list of prebiotics in order to give your belly that boost it needs in the winter months. In addition to inhibiting the growth of bad bacteria, pre/probiotics also protect the intestinal walls from damage caused by drugs, cortisol and inflammation.
Both chickpeas and lentils are rich in fiber, plant-based protein, resistant starch, and plenty of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Lentils have a slightly higher nutritional value compared to chickpeas, and chickpeas take significantly longer to cook, but both are healthy and tasty options.
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.
What Is It? Aquafaba is the thick liquid that results from soaking or cooking legumes, such as chickpeas, in water for an extended period of time. It's the translucent viscous goop you probably rinse down the drain when you open a can of chickpeas.
Unless the recipe tells you to keep the canned beans in their liquid, you should drain your can and give the beans a good rinse before using. This will improve the flavor and texture of your finished dish. Open your cans of beans using a can opener. There may be sharp edges from opening the can.