Chickpeas Nutrition: Why Chickpea Flour Might Be Your New Favorite Gluten-Free Ingredient

If your only contact with chickpeas has been adding them to a salad or occasionally eating
hummus, then you’re missing out on some of the serious benefits of chickpea flour! Chickpea
flour has all the same benefits of chickpeas nutrition, since it’s simply made using one
ingredient: roasted (or sometimes raw) ground chickpeas.
Chickpeas were one of the first cultivated crops by humans and are still one of the most
popular legumes around the world today, so it’s not surprising that some cultures have used
chickpeas to make a grain-free, versatile flour for centuries.
Why Chickpea Flour Might Be Your New Favorite Gluten-Free Ingredient
Some of the benefits of swapping your usual flours for chickpea flour? A higher proportion of
fiber, no gluten and a higher percentage of protein too. Whether you can tolerate eating
grains or not, you’ll likely love the dense, filling quality of chickpea flour and be surprised just
how many ways you can easily begin to use it.
Chickpeas belong to the class of high-fiber foods called legumes or pulse, which also
includes beans, lentils and green peas. Chickpea flour — which is also called gram flour,
garbanzo bean flour or traditionally besan — is popular in many countries, especially in Asia
and the Middle East. For example, it’s considered a staple ingredient in Indian, Pakistani,
Nepali and Bangladeshi cuisines.
The health benefits of legume consumption have received rising interest from researchers,
and their consumption and production extend worldwide. Among European countries, higher
legume consumption is observed around the Mediterranean, (with per capita daily
consumption between eight and 23 grams, compared to just five grams in Northern Europe
and the U.S.), which has led researchers to believe that higher levels of fiber and
phytonutrients from beans might be one reason why these populations have historically
experienced great health. (1)
Chickpea Flour Nutrition Facts
Eating more chickpeas and chickpea flour is a great way to increase your intake of fiber. And
because they’re such a high source of fiber, many studies show that eating more chickpeas,
and pretty much all types of legumes, can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, obesity,
diabetes and even some types of cancer.
Chickpeas also offer a good array of vitamins and minerals. For example, they’re thought to
have calcium and magnesium in an ideal ratio, a very high amount of folate — which is
essential for a healthy pregnancy — good dose of energizing B vitamins like vitamin
B6 and a decent amount of heart-healthy potassium. They even contain some of the
powerful antioxidant mineral selenium, as well as iron and plenty of plant-based
protein. Gluten-free diets are also becoming more popular, so you’ll love the addition of this
flour to your pantry if you’ve recently decided to go gluten-free.
½ cup of chickpea flour (or besan) has about: (2)
 178 calories
 3 grams of fat
 10 grams protein
 5 grams fiber
 5 grams of sugar (no added sugar)
 101 milligrams folate (50 percent DV)
 0.75 milligrams manganese (37 percent DV)
 0.4 milligrams copper (21 percent DV)
 76 milligrams magnesium (19 percent DV)
 146 milligrams phosphorus (15 percent DV)
 0.2 milligrams thiamine (15 percent DV)
 2 milligrams iron (12 percent DV)
 0.25 milligrams vitamin B6 (12 percent DV)
 778 milligrams potassium (11 percent DV)
 3 milligrams zinc (9 percent DV)
 7 milligrams selenium (6 percent DV)
6 Health Benefits of Chickpea Flour
1. Great Source of Fiber
Chickpeas are an excellent source of dietary fiber, with about 12.5 grams for every one cup
of cooked chickpeas. This makes chickpea flour an equally good source, especially when you
use it in place of refined flours that have been stripped of nutrients and are very low in fiber.
Virtually every study that has looked at high-fiber diets has found some measure of health
benefits, sometimes even striking ones. Some studies show that those who eat the most fiber
have a lower risk of developing diabetes, colon cancer, and are less likely to be obese and
struggle with weight gain. (3)
Chickpeas are rich in total and soluble fiber as well as in resistant starch, all of which
contribute to the low glycemic index of chickpea flour. The fiber in chickpeas also makes
them a heavyweight in terms of helping with digestion, preventing constipation and even
aiding in weight loss since they fill you up.
2. Helps Improve Heart Health
High-fiber, nutrient-dense legumes like chickpeas are known to help balance unhealthy
cholesterol levels, reduce hypertension and protect against heart disease. Beans can help
keep arteries clear from dangerous plaque buildup, maintain healthy blood pressure levels,
and decrease the chances of having a heart attack or stroke. This is why studies have found
an inverse association between insoluble fiber intake and systolic and diastolic blood
pressure, total cholesterol and triglycerides. (4)
Chickpeas provide ample amounts of polyphenols, many of which are potent antioxidants.
Intervention and prospective research published in the American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition suggests that diets that include beans lower cholesterol naturally, favorably
affect risk factors for metabolic syndrome, and reduce risk of ischemic heart disease and
diabetes. (5) Other studies show that having just one daily serving (about 3/4 cup cooked) of
beans of any kind can help decrease chances of a heart attack and help balance cholesterol.
This happens because the bean’s fiber works to create a gel-like substance in the digestive
system that binds with fatty acids.
Both soluble fiber and insoluble fiber have been shown to be important in helping control and
manage hypertension, plus high-fiber foods might also help prevent overeating and the
accumulation of dangerous fat, especially around the vital organs, including the heart (6).
3. Stabilizes Blood Sugar and May Prevent Diabetes
Fiber, particularly soluble fiber, not only lowers blood cholesterol levels, but it also helps slow
the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream. This is hugely important both for people with
diabetes and for anyone else with blood sugar challenges or metabolic syndrome. Chickpea
flour has a form of complex carbohydrate called starch that the body is able to slowly digest
and use for energy over time in a much more beneficial way than consuming refined
carbohydrates.
There’s a lot of evidence pointing to the fact that high-fiber diets are a much more effective
type 2 diabetes natural cure than diets low in fiber. Legumes in general cause less of a
rise in blood glucose than foods like potatoes or almost any sort of wheat-based flour food.
While refined flours can quickly raise blood sugar levels and lead to “spikes and dips” in
energy, chickpea flour is a slower-burning carbohydrate that doesn’t impact glucose levels as
substantially, which means it has a lower glycemic load. Eating more low-glyecmic foods is a
way to naturally reverse diabetes, have more energy and prevent sugar cravings.

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If your only contact with chickpeas has been adding them to a salad or occasionally eating

Why Chickpea Flour Might Be Your New Favorite Gluten-Free Ingredient

Chickpea Flour Nutrition Facts

½ cup of chickpea flour (or besan) has about: (2)

6 Health Benefits of Chickpea Flour

1. Great Source of Fiber

2. Helps Improve Heart Health

3. Stabilizes Blood Sugar and May Prevent Diabetes

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