6 Things You Didn’t Know About Chickpeas
6 Things You Didn’t Know About Chickpeas
We at Anat love chickpeas! We use them to make our hummus and our falafels, both of which are important parts of our meals and menu. Not only do chickpeas make some delicious dips and dishes, but they are also very healthy for you. Chickpeas may be small, but there is so much more to them than meets the eye. We look at 6 interesting things that you may not know about this legume.
- Studies show that chickpeas were first cultivated in the Middle East around 7500 years BC! Their popularity spread, and they were soon grown and eaten in many ancient civilizations such as Greece, Rome and Egypt.
- Chickpeas are very versatile to cook with and can be eaten canned, dried or roasted. They can be consumed hot or cold and are inexpensive to buy. They can be used for so much more than just hummus so explore some recipes to experiment more with chickpeas.
- Chickpea plants are a wonder of the agricultural world. They restore depleted soils and are powerful nitrogen fixing legumes. They may use little to no fertilizer while enhancing the fertility of the soil and they don’t use any agricultural water. Chickpea plants even have a natural insecticide in their leaves to keep bugs away.
- Chickpeas are known by different names all over the world. Their other names include garbanzo beans, Bengal grams, Egyptian peas, ceci beans and kabuli chana.
- Chickpeas come in a variety of colours and not just the beige variety that we are used to. They can also be black, red, green and brown.
- Ground chickpeas have been used as a substitute for coffee since the 18th They are still commonly used as a caffeine-free alternative today in some countries, although this is not very common.
Chickpeas are not highly thought off and are seldom included in peoples’ diets other than in the form of hummus. Their nutritional benefits are amazing, and they are affordable. As a form of protein and a form of fiber, they should be eaten more than they are. The chickpea plants are also fantastic from an agricultural point of view and are great for the environment. All in all, there are not too many downsides to chickpeas, as they are delicious to eat too! Try and explore some more recipes with these incredible legumes.
