Garbanzo beans are also referred to as chickpeas, Bengal grams, and Egyptian peas. They have a delicious nut-like taste and a texture that is buttery yet starchy and pasty. A very versatile legume, they are a common ingredient in many Middle Eastern and Italian dishes, such as hummus, falafel, and curries. Though most people think of garbanzo beans as being beige in color, some varieties are black, green, red, and brown.
Garbanzo beans are an excellent source of molybdenum. They are also a very good source of fiber, folic acid, and manganese. In addition, they are a good source of protein, as well as minerals such as iron, magnesium, copper, and zinc.
HEALTH BENEFITS A good fiber source, garbanzo beans can help lower cholesterol and improve blood sugar levels, making them a great food for diabetics and insulin-resistant individuals. Served with high-qiality grains, garbanzo beans are an extremely low-fat, complete protein food.
Garbanzos also offer a good supply of magnesium and folic acid. Also found in garbanzo beans is molybdenum, a trace mineral needed for the body's mechanism to detoxify sulfites, a preservative commonly found in wine, luncheon meats, and the fresh salad of most salad bars. Sulfite-sensitive individuals who are deficient in this trace mineral may experience headaches, racing heartbeat, or confusion.
TIPS FOR PREPARING Prior to cooking, rinse the beans under cool running water. Dried garbanzos are best soaked before cooking to lessen cooking time and make them easier to digest. Drain the soaking water and rinse with clean water. Bring to a gentle boil, and simmer with a minimum of stirring to keep them firm and unbvroken. A pressure cooker or CrockPot can be used for convenience.
Regardless of cooking method, do not add any seasonings that are salty or acidic, such as vinegar, wine, tomatoes or citrus fruit juices, until after the beans are cooked, since adding them earlier will make the beans tough and greatly increase the cooking time. Whenever possible, use the cooking liquid as well as the beans. About 35% of the B vitamins and 50% of the folic acid leach into the liquid when the beans are cooked for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Add 3-4 cups of water to 1 cup of presoaked garbanzo beans and cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
GARBANZO BEANS SAFETY ISSUES Garbanzo beans can cause a severe allergic reaction in sensitive individuals. They also contain moderate amounts of purines. Since purines can be broken down to form uric acid, and excess accumulation of uric acid may contribute to health problems, such as gout and kidney stones, individuals who are susceptible to purine-related problems may want to limit or avoid taking garbanzo beans.
Garbanzo beans also contain large amounts of oxalate. Individuals with a history of oxalate containing kidney stones should avoid overconsuming them.
GARBANZO HUMMUS RECIPE
- Purée 2 cups of cooked grabanzo beans, add 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 4 cloves fresh garlic, 4 Tbsp tahini, fresh lemon juice from one lemon, black pepper and cumin to make a quick and easy hummus spread.
- Add red pepper for a different color and flavor. You can let the hummus sit in the refrigerator to add texture.
Nutritional Profile of Garbanzo Beans
1 cup cooked boiled beans without salt
| Nutrient |
1 cup = 164 g | Unit |
| Proximates |
| Water | 98.74 | g |
| Energy | 269 | kcal |
| Protein | 14.5 | g |
| Total fat | 4.2 | g |
| Ash | 1.5 | g |
| Carbohydrate | 45 | g |
| Fiber | 12.5 | g |
| Sugars | 7.9 | g |
| Minerals |
| Calcium, Ca | 80 | mg |
| Iron, Fe | 4.7 | mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 79 | mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 276 | mg |
| Potassium, K | 477 | mg |
| Sodium, Na | 11 | mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 2.51 | mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.577 | mg |
| Manganese, Mn | 1.689 | mg |
| Selenium, Se | 6.1 | mcg |
| Vitamins |
| Vitamin C | 2.1 | mg |
| Thiamin | 0.190 | mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.103 | mg |
| Niacin | 0.863 | mg |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.469 | mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.228 | mg |
| Folate, total | 282 | mcg |
| Folic acid | 0 | mcg |
| Folate, food | 282 | mcg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 6.10 | mcg |
| Vitamin A | 44 | IU |
| Retinol | 0 | mcg |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.57 | mg |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 6.6 | mcg |
| Lipids (fat) |
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 0.441 | g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 0.956 | g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 1.896 | g |
| Cholesterol | 0 | mg |
| Amino acids |
| Tryptophan | 0.139 | g |
| Threonine | 0.540 | g |
| Isoleucine | 0.623 | g |
| Leucine | 1.035 | g |
| Lysine | 0.973 | g |
| Methionine | 0.190 | g |
| Cystine | 0.195 | g |
| Phenylalanine | 0.779 | g |
| Tyrosine | 0.361 | g |
| Valine | 0.610 | g |
| Arginine | 1.369 | g |
| Histidine | 0.400 | g |
| Alanine | 0.623 | g |
| Aspartic acid | 1.709 | g |
| Glutamic acid | 2.542 | g |
| Glycine | 0.605 | g |
| Proline | 0.600 | g |
| Serine | 0.733 | g |
| Glycine | 0.605 | g |
| Other |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0 | g |
| Caffeine | 0 | mg |
| Theobromine | 0 | mg |
| Carotene, beta | 26 | mcg |
| Carotene, alpha | 0 | mcg |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 0 | mcg |
| Lycopene | 0 | mcg |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 0 | mcg |