Research shows that adding chickpeas and other legumes to your regular diet may be the key to boosting nutritional benefits and managing your weight.
A study published earlier this year in the Nutrition Journal reviewed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2001 to 2018. They compared people who regularly consumed canned and dried beans (defined as chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans, and pinto beans). ) Compared to the other group, the former group had “significantly higher” diet quality scores and lower BMI, weight, and waist circumference.
“Dietary patterns high in canned and dried beans were associated with significantly higher diet quality scores and higher intakes of deficient nutrients, including nutrients of public health concern,” the researchers wrote. are. “Bean dietary patterns were also associated with improved weight-related outcomes. Dietary guidance should consider the nutrients and health benefits associated with promoting increased intake of canned and dried beans in Americans’ dietary patterns.” There is a need.”
Should you add more chickpeas to your diet, along with other types of beans? Nutrition experts say:
Are chickpeas good for your health?
Chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans), a member of the legume family, have many nutritional benefits.
“Chickpeas are an incredible carbohydrate because they’re rich in fiber and plant protein,” Miranda Galati, RD, told USA TODAY. “When you combine chickpeas with protein, healthy fats, and vegetables, they can lower cholesterol, support gut health, and make weight loss feel easier.”
Previous research has also shown a link between regular consumption of chickpeas and the prevention of colon inflammation, heart disease, and colorectal cancer, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. .
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Is there anything unhealthy about chickpeas?
For most people, eating legumes, including chickpeas, every day is fine. In fact, consuming them not only prevents the health diseases mentioned above, but a 2014 study published in the journal Nature showed that they can actually help treat people who already suffer from them. It has been.
“Lentils have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties in the body, making them a great food to eat on a regular basis,” Galati says.
She added that some creators on social media are “spreading fears about lectins and antinutrients found in legumes, but their benefits far outweigh their exaggerated risks.” According to Harvard University, lectins are a type of protein that binds to carbohydrates and makes them difficult to break down in the intestines, which can lead to digestive problems such as abdominal pain, bloating, gas, and diarrhea.
The good news is that cooking legumes inactivates most lectins, notes Harvard University. In reality, there is little research into the long-term health effects of active lectins on humans, and most of the studies that do exist have been conducted in populations in countries where malnutrition is endemic. It challenges ideas about its effects on the human body. Legumes are actually causing bigger health problems.
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“If you’re eating cooked beans rather than raw beans, and your digestion can handle it, there’s little risk if you consume them every day,” Galati says. “If chickpeas are bothersome to your stomach, add them to your diet slowly or reduce the serving size. If you eat canned chickpeas, rinse them thoroughly before eating.”
