Post: Chickpeas: Easy ways to eat more of this nutritious legume

By Lindsay Warner , Content Licensing Editor, Harvard Health Publishing Reviewed by Teresa Fung, MS, RD, ScD , Contributor; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing

Close-up of a bowl of roasted chickpeas on a wood table. If you’ve ever swirled a crudit’ through a creamy, garlicky bowl of hummus, or topped a salad with crunchy roasted chickpeas, you’ve tapped into the goodness of garbanzo beans.

But even if you’re new to eating legumes, chickpeas can be an easy and nutritious addition to your diet. What are chickpeas?

A member of the Fabaceae (or pea) family, chickpeas are the edible fruits produced by the Cicer arietinum plant. Small, round, and usually beige-colored, chickpeas — or garbanzo beans — are a rich source of vitamins, minerals, plant protein, and fiber. Are chickpeas good for you?

Chickpeas provide 14.5 grams of plant-based protein per cup (cooked), making them a good choice for people looking to get more protein in their diets without eating more meat . They also provide 12.5 grams of dietary fiber per cup, which aids digestion, helps maintain a healthy gut microbiome, and can help keep you feeling fuller for longer after eating. Plus, they’re relatively low in calories and contain 4 grams of fat (a mix of healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) per cup. And, because they’re low on the glycemic index , unlike refined carbohydrates, eating them will not cause blood sugar levels to spike.

Chickpeas provide a variety of vitamins and minerals . They’re an excellent source of the mineral manganese (important for your brain and nervous system) and the B vitamin folate (important for cell growth), as well as copper, iron, zinc, and phosphorus. Chickpeas are high in vitamins A, E, and C, and a good source of, thiamine, vitamin B 6 , and selenium. They’re also a good source of potassium and magnesium — both of which can help support cardiovascular health by helping prevent high blood pressure. Additionally, garbanzo beans are naturally cholesterol-free and low in sodium, while being rich in heart-healthy polyunsaturated fats. Ideas for adding chickpeas to your diet

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Chickpeas: Easy ways to eat more of this nutritious legume