John Myers
Chickpeas are a high-quality food that contains many healthy nutrients: they are rich in protein, fat, vitamins, and fiber. They must always be cooked before consumption.
Anyone looking for places around the world where people live longer than average will find two things in common: an almost exclusively plant-based diet and the daily consumption of legumes. American researchers have found that these people eat 95 percent plant-based food – and that instead of meat they eat about a cup of legumes such as beans, peas, lentils, or chickpeas a day.
Chickpeas are good for digestion
In addition to the nutrients, 100 grams of dried chickpeas contain 15.5 grams of fiber. That’s half the amount we should be consuming every day. Fiber swells fill you up, keep blood sugar levels low, and serve as food for our intestinal flora. Eating a lot of chickpeas regularly reduces the risk of being overweight, developing diabetes, or getting cancer. In addition, dietary fiber lowers the cholesterol level and thus protects the blood vessels.
Cook with chickpeas
The slightly nutty-tasting chickpeas can be used to prepare delicious patties that are in no way inferior to meat. They are soaked overnight and then boiled for 30 minutes. If you are in a hurry, you can also use pre-cooked canned chickpeas.
Chickpea patties are an excellent meat substitute because they contain particularly high-quality vegetable proteins, iron, B vitamins (important for the nerves), and potassium (good for people with high blood pressure). Hummus, an aromatic cream, is a popular snack made from chickpeas in the Arab world.
Never eat chickpeas raw
Before eating, chickpeas must always be boiled to destroy the toxin phasing they contain. Chickpeas also have a flatulent effect. Therefore, they should be prepared with herbs such as parsley, rosemary, and thyme, which make chickpeas more digestible.
The plant needs a lot of warmth
Chickpeas are mainly grown in Southeast Europe, North Africa, and India. The annual, bushy plant is about 50 centimeters high and needs a lot of warmth. In favorable locations or in a greenhouse, it also thrives in our latitudes but needs a lot of time to mature. The soil should be sandy and fairly dry. Chickpeas do not grow in greasy, wet soil.
