Did you know that chickpeas come from the Middle East where they were cultivated as
early as 7,500 years ago?
Today, they are one of the most sought after legumes in the world.
Hi viewers and welcome back to Bestie!
As part of the legume family, chickpeas are related to kidney, lima, and black beans.
For a little legume, these offer a whole lot of good.
Being loaded with good quality, lean proteins, they are a treasured find for all vegetarians
who usually find it hard to get protein from a plant-based diet.
They’re also loaded with fiber, vitamins and minerals, including iron, magnesium, potassium,
zinc, folate and vitamin A. Because of these nutrients, chickpeas provide you with a wide
range of health benefits.
And in today’s video, we will tell you what they are.
From improving mental health, supporting heart health, building muscles, strengthening bones
to stopping hair loss and more, watch till the end to learn about all of them.
Helps Weight Loss: The presence of fiber makes you feel full for long periods of time.
And that helps you stay away from junk food and other useless stuff.
In fact, chickpeas might also help cut body fat.
Another important nutrient we must talk about is protein, which is known to regulate weight.
Studies showed that subjects on high protein not only lost body weight, but were also able
to shed more body fat.
Also, protein’s thermic effect is 30 percent.
This means that you will burn 30 percent of the calories during the digestion of protein.
Chickpeas are nutrient dense as well.
So if you need to avoid certain foods to reach your weight loss goals, these beans can make
sure you don’t fall behind when it comes to optimum nutrition.
What’s the maximum weight you’ve lost in a month?
Was it because of dieting?
exercising?
Tell us quickly down below in the comments section!
Improves Mental Health: A single cup of chickpeas contains about 70 milligram of choline.
This is an essential mineral for the nervous system and brain function.
It plays a vital role in learning, memory, mood regulation, metabolism, and muscle control.
The daily recommended intake of choline for adults is 400 to 550 milligrams.
This varies according to gender and whether you’re breastfeeding or are pregnant.
In addition, chickpeas are also a good source of selenium, which has been shown to support
thinking and memory.
In fact, a study examining cognitive decline in the elderly found decreased levels of selenium
in them.
Full of Essential Vitamins and Minerals: Chickpeas are full of essential vitamins and minerals
necessary for a healthy, balanced diet.
They are an incredibly nutrient dense food.
By eating them, you will aid in increasing your body’s intake of other essential nutrients
as well.
They are an excellent natural source of iron, magnesium, and zinc while also containing
folic acid, vitamin A, vitamin E and B vitamins.
All of these vitamins and minerals are essential for a healthy and properly functioning body.
In fact, most people do not realize that different health issues are associated with being deficient
in certain vitamins.
So, it is important to add whole foods that contain many of these different vitamins and
minerals.
Eliminates Wrinkles: This can be attributed to the manganese in chickpeas, which offers
energy to cells and is known to fight free radicals that can cause wrinkles.
And the B vitamins work as fuel for the cells.
You can also use these beans to cleanse your face.
Simply mix chickpea paste with turmeric and apply the mixture to your face in the morning.
Leave it on for 15 minutes and then wash off with cold water.
This remedy also helps reduce age spots and brighten your face.
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Regulate Blood Sugar Levels: The glycemic index of chickpeas is 28, which is on the
lower end.
And that’s one reason it doesn’t spike your blood sugar levels.
Studies show that chickpeas can lower their risk of diabetes.
Eating chickpeas in the place of wheat can also lead to lower blood glucose levels.
And they are also rich in fiber.
This nutrient slows down the absorption of blood sugar, which cuts the risk of type 2
diabetes.
Fiber can also control your appetite.
And this helps you stay away from high Glycemic Index foods that you might otherwise mindlessly
snack on.
Promotes Healthy Digestion: Let's be real, digestion problems literally stink, but chickpeas
can help.
The nutrient-dense legume contains both insoluble and soluble fiber, both of which can support
healthy bowel movements.
Insoluble fiber increases fecal bulk, helping stool move through the digestive system.
This is beneficial for preventing or managing constipation.
Meanwhile, soluble fiber absorbs water, forming a gel-like substance that slows digestion.
This can be helpful for managing diarrhea and loose stools.
Reduces Cancer Risk: Not only does chickpeas help your system run smoothly, but the fiber
in it might also play a part in preventing colon cancer.
When you eat it, the fiber passes through your digestive tract and is broken down by
bacteria in your gut.
This produces an acid that can stop multiplication of colon cancer cells.
It also provides energy for the cells of your intestinal lining, thereby improving its function.
And this further protects against colon cancer, as the disease is closely related with dysfunction
of the intestinal lining.
Supports Heart Health: Chickpeas can improve several risk factors of heart disease, including
high levels of bad cholesterol.
The soluble fiber in chickpeas binds with the bad cholesterol in the digestive system.
When the fiber is excreted in the feces, it brings along the cholesterol.
This prevents your body from absorbing the bad stuff.
Lower levels of bad cholesterol has been associated with a lower risk for heart disease.
Other risk factors of heart disease include low levels of good cholesterol, high triglyceride
levels, and high blood pressure.
And chickpeas can help with all three.
It also contains a compound called ALA, which can increase good cholesterol and lower triglyceride
levels.
What’s more, they are also rich in magnesium and potassium, two nutrients that can help
lower blood pressure.
Protects Your Skin: Chickpeas are common in many warm and sunny climates, which is good
news for those who eat them.
That’s because they act like a natural sunblock, with high levels of a nutrient called manganese.
Just one cup of cooked chickpeas contain 85% of your daily value of the mineral, which
functions as an antioxidant in skin cells.
It also protects against damage from UV light, which decreases rashes.
Builds Muscles: You can’t get enough protein on a vegetarian diet!
This fiction doesn’t hold ground, as many vegetarian athletes and bodybuilders know.
Proteins are made from 20 different amino acids, and it's true that not all of them
are found in plants.
These amino acids provide the building blocks in muscle that allow for contraction.
And when your muscle contracts, it grows.
1 cup of chickpeas contains 1/3rd of your recommended protein value.
So combine them with protein found in nuts, veggies, fish, or animal sources to round
out your protein and get strong.
Good For Pregnant Women: One cup of cooked chickpeas has 152% of your daily folate requirements.
It helps your body to produce and maintain new cells, especially red blood cells.
It is particularly important for pregnant women to have enough folate.
They must start eating folate rich foods even when they are planning to conceive.
Folic acid deficiency in pregnancy can cause neural defects in growing babies.
Optimum folate levels need to be maintained before and during pregnancy.
Prevents Hair Loss: Given that chickpeas are rich in protein, they can prevent hair loss.
And the manganese they contain also strengthens your hair.
A deficiency in manganese can also lead to slower hair growth.
The vitamin A and zinc in chickpeas also fights dandruff.
You can simply mix 6 tablespoons of mashed chickpeas with water and massage into your
scalp.
Let it sit for 15 minutes before you rinse as usual.
Zinc can also help prevent hair thinning.
And the copper in chickpeas might help regrow hair in individuals who lost hair due to medical
treatments like chemotherapy.
Hair loss can be a rather difficult and expensive problem to tackle.
But there are natural ways to handle this.
Learn more of what we are talking about by watching this video titled “15 Natural Solutions
To Promote Hair Growth And Thickness”
Now, back to unbeatable health benefits of chickpeas.
Strengthens Bones: Chickpeas contain calcium, and you know how important it is for the bones.
More importantly, the presence of magnesium along with calcium, is also very helpful for
building bones.
Other minerals in chickpeas that improve bone health include manganese, zinc, vitamin K
– and all of these help maintain the bone structure.
They also contain phosphate, which, along with calcium, greatly contributes to proper
bone mineralization.
And by the way, eating too much phosphorus with too little calcium can lead to bone loss.
Chickpeas are also rich in Vitamin K which has been shown to improve calcium absorption.
Low levels of vitamin K are often linked to bone fractures.
And the iron and zinc in chickpeas are important for the production and maturation of collagen,
another important protein that supports the health of bones and cartilages.
Inexpensive and Easy to Add to Your Diet: Chickpeas are incredibly easy to include in
your diet.
They are quite affordable and convenient.
Most grocery stores carry them in canned and dry varieties.
What’s more, chickpeas are versatile and can be used in a variety of dishes.
One popular way to eat them is by adding them to salads, soups or sandwiches.
They’re also a main ingredient in hummus, which is a dip made with mashed chickpeas,
tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic.
You can buy hummus from the store or make it on your own, it’s incredibly easy.
Another way to enjoy chickpeas is to roast them, which makes for a delicious and crunchy
snack.
You can also incorporate them into veggie burgers or tacos.
Due to their protein content, they can make an excellent substitute for meat.
While chickpeas are one of the best sources of proteins, there are other foods that are
also rich in it, which you should eat regularly.
Learn more about these by:
Watching: 20 Foods High In Protein That You Should Be Eating
Or
Understanding Top 12 Plant-Based Protein Foods
These 2 videos will definitely help you pick out foods that are the best sources of protein.
So go ahead and watch one or both for maximum benefits.
What’s your favourite way to eat chickpeas?
Let us know in the comments section below!