Chickpeas are one of the oldest consumed varieties of legumes on the planet. Did you know that ground chickpeas have been used as a coffee substitute since the 18th Century and are still commonly used as a caffeine-free alternative today?
This superfood contains a huge number of 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 fantastic alternative to meat for vegetarians.
If you’re experiencing hair loss and are tired of taking different supplements, try incorporating chickpeas into your diet. Chickpeas contain plenty of A, B and E vitamins, along with omega fatty acids. All of them can effectively promote hair growth. These nutrients can keep your scalp healthy and enhance blood circulation to your scalp.
The rich manganese content found in chickpeas helps strengthen bones by providing your spine with an increasing amount of minerals for optimal growth and development. Manganese also enhances skin health and reduces fine lines and wrinkles. As a matter of fact, manganese is used to manufacture a majority of beauty products.
Eating chickpeas on a daily basis can improve your eyesight. There’s no question that we all spend a lot of time sitting in front of a computer screen, which can cause adverse effects on your eyes. Chickpeas are full of vitamin A, which is an essential vitamin for your mucous membrane, your skin, and your eyes.
Chickpeas are known by many different names all over the world. Other names include garbanzo beans, bengal grams, egyptian peas, ceci beans and kabuki chana. Approximately 90 million tonnes of chickpeas are produced each year. India is the world’s number one leader in chickpea production, with Australia coming in second place.
Chickpeas are a great source of both soluble and dietary fibre, important for maintaining a healthy digestive system. Soluble fibre may assist with reducing the absorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream and helps maintain blood sugar levels, which may help to reduce the risk of developing heart disease and also aid in managing diabetes. The dietary fibre in chickpeas and their low glycemic index (GI) may also assist with weight loss by making you feel fuller for longer and helping you to resist the urge to grab your favourite bag of chips or chocolate chip cookies after dinner.
These clever little plants actually restore depleted soils and are powerful nitrogen fixing legumes. Their deep root system plays an important role in stabilising soils and preventing erosion, they may use little or no fertiliser while enhancing the fertility of the soil, and, they are a dry land agricultural crop, using no agricultural water. To add to their incredible talents, the chickpea plant even has a natural insecticide in its leaves, which keeps the bugs away. Incredible stuff!
‘CHATEAU CHOOK’ EGG AND CHICKPEA SALAD
Ingredients
garden beetroot, roasted in chunks
2 free range eggs, boiled
feta cheese
chickpeas
red capsicum
lettuce leaves
salt and pepper, to taste
Method
Combine all ingredients together except for the egg quarters and chickpeas, to be used as garnish on top of the salad.
