The small (but mighty) chickpea is becoming increasingly popular, both as a snack (our favourite way to eat them) and as a key ingredient in many vegetarian/vegan recipes. Eaten for as long as we can remember, and centuries before that… there are many reasons they’ve been favourite for so long. We found some interesting chickpea facts that we’d like to share with you.
- Chickpeas have lots of different different names all over the world, suchgarbanzo (our favourite name for them) beans, bengal grams, egyptian peas, ceci beans and kabuli chana.
- Chickpeas come in a variety of different types and colours, not just the common beige variety. There are also be black, green, red and brown chickpeas.
- Chickpeas are a great source of fibre and are great for maintaining a healthy digestive system. The dietary fibre in chickpeas and their low GI may also assist with weight loss by making you feel fuller for longer.
- Chickpeas are super versatile. There’s a whole bunch of chickpea recipes out there. (Pinterest is the best place to look, and where we found lots of our faves…) But our favourite way to eat them is dry roasted and sprinkled with flavour.
- Ground chickpeas have been used as a coffee substitute since the 18th century (mind = blown) and are still commonly used as a caffeine-free alternative today. BRB, we’re just going to hunt some down…
- Chickpeas are packed full of good stuff: antioxidants, vitamins and minerals including folate, magnesium, vitamin b6, vitamin c, iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus and zinc. They are also high in protein so are a really meat replacement for vegetarians and vegans.