13 Amazing Benefits of Chickpeas

Chickpeas health benefits includes maintaining blood sugar level, maintaining cholesterol level, reducing high blood pressure, supporting digestive system, promoting weight loss curbing appetite, increasing bone density, fighting inflammation, controlling hormonal activity, promoting hair growth, a source of manganese, and improving weak eyesight.

From keeping you full to maintain glucose in your bloodstream, chickpeas are an amazing food source. It is worth noting that processed foods affect your health and lead you to obesity. You need to make significant dietary changes to maintain a healthy body. Moreover, in this case, chickpeas seem one of the nutritious options.

What are Chickpeas?

Chickpeas or garbanzo beans belong to the legume family. With their nutty taste and grainy texture, chickpeas blend in well with several recipes. This variety of legumes is widely consumed in the Middle East for years. In addition, due to the nutrient content, chickpeas recently gained popularity in other parts of the world as well.

Nutritional Value of Chickpeas

One ounce of chickpeas can provide the following nutrients.

• Carbohydrates 31g
• Copper 5%
• Dietary fiber 2g
• Folate 12%
• Iron 4%
• Manganese 14%
• Magnesium 6%
• Phosphorus 5%
• Protein 18%
• Zinc 3%

13 Amazing Benefits of Chickpeas

1. Maintains Blood Sugar Levels

Due to their low glycemic index, health experts recommend chickpeas to people who have diabetes. Chickpeas contain dietary fiber and protein, which control sugar spikes in your blood after every meal. This is one of the essential factors to examine when dealing with diabetes. You can add up to three servings of chickpeas to get a considerable amount of protein and fiber. Moreover, chickpeas also provide nutrients that are necessary to prevent the risk of type II diabetes.

2. Maintains Cholesterol

Triglyceride and LDL or bad cholesterol levels lead to heart diseases, which can be life threatening. You can protect your heart from these factors by increased intake of chickpeas. This variety of legumes can lower around 16mg/dL cholesterol in a short time and improve your cardiovascular health.

3. Reduces High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is a primary factor for cardiovascular diseases. Most of the heart problems occur due to unhealthy lifestyle and dietary routine. Therefore, to balance blood pressure levels, you should consume chickpeas. This way, you will get a considerable amount of magnesium, potassium, and zinc that will boost your heart health.

4. Benefits your Digestive System

Maintaining a healthy digestive system impacts your overall health. When you consume chickpeas on a regular basis, it provides soluble fiber. This is a great way to promote the growth of good bacteria in your gut. Soluble fiber is also essential to maintain the activity of good or bad bacteria in your gut, which prevents certain digestive conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome. Health experts suggest that soluble fiber reduces the risk of colon cancer. However, more evidence is required to prove the claim.

5. Helps you Lose Weight

When it comes to shedding extra pounds, incorporate food sources with fewer calories into your diet. Chickpeas can also become a nutritious food option to consume in this case. They are low in calories and fats and provide plenty of nutrients. Take note when losing weight, you should not starve but eat nutrient-dense foods in moderate quantity.

6. Curbs Appetite

It is a stressful health condition where you want to eat food several times in a day. Uncontrollable appetite encourage you fill your body with unhealthy dietary sources.  You can curb extra appetite by consuming chickpeas. They will keep you full for hours and allow you to maintain healthy body weight.

7. Ideal for Vegetarians

There is no question that obtaining protein gets difficult for vegetarians as they avoid animal-based food products. Protein deficiency leads to many health complications, which are debilitating in nature. If not treated on time, this deficiency affects organ tissues. Nutritionists recommend obtaining protein from plant-based sources like chickpeas and keep health issues at bay.

8. Increases Bone Density

Age-related bone deterioration is a daunting health condition. You can prevent it by maintaining bone health.  Studies have revealed that mineral like phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, and copper are great to strengthen your bones. One serving of garbanzo beans cannot only provide these minerals but contain a slew of vitamins as well. When your body gets mineral and vitamins together, it wards off factors that lead to diseases such as osteoporosis.

9. Fights Inflammation

Inflammation can be acute or chronic. Many factors lead to inflammation in joints and muscles. In most cases, it is temporary and does not affect your health. However, doctors have warned that inflammation can be a symptom of an underlying health issue. Hence, it is better to take precautionary steps in this case. One of the easy ways to deal with inflammation is to eat chickpeas regularly. This way, your body will receive essential nutrients that increase your body’s ability to fight factors that contribute to inflammation.

10. Controls Hormonal Activity

Menopausal and postmenopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, and mood swings are challenging to deal with. Components like phytoestrogens can help relieve this condition, which is present in all plant-based food sources such as chickpeas. If you have encounter mood swings more often, try eating chickpeas.

11. Promotes Hair Growth

Protein and iron are two secret nutrients that improve the condition of your hair significantly. Not to mention, chickpeas are great when it comes to getting iron and protein. It is worth noting that nutrients obtain via natural sources do not affect your health adversely. Therefore, you can consume as many chickpeas as you want until you start growing new hair.

12. A Source of Manganese

Minerals like manganese are crucial to fight the adverse effects of free radicals on your body. These free radicals destroy skin cells, which lead to premature aging. The sudden appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and weak or gray hair indicate are some common signs. Incorporating legumes like chickpeas are necessary into your diet. They provide manganese along with molybdenum. These nutrients prevent the organ from deterioration and rejuvenate skin cells. If add chickpeas in the diet of children, they might prevent the onset of premature aging in the first place.

13. Improves Weak Eyesight

If you are struggling with weak eyesight, you need to eat chickpeas. It has all the nutrients that boost your eye health. Although weak eyesight is hard to cure, consuming nourishing foods can improve your condition to some extent. Moreover, the nutrients in food sources like chickpeas can also lower the risk of age-related eye disorders.

Bottom Line

Chickpeas are a fantastic food source. So, add some to your salad or prepare other recipes and protect your health from health-damaging factors.