Chickpeas are pretty high in carbs, and especially, starch. They consist of fiber and sugars as well.
What’s the carbohydrate content of chickpeas?
Chickpeas (or Garbanzo beans) are high in carbs. Cooked chickpeas contain 27.4 g of carbs per 100g. A serving contains 45 g of carbs![1]
Are other chickpea-based foods high in carbs?
Other popular chickpea-based foods are high in carbs as well.
For instance, chickpea flour contains 58 g of carbs per 100g. Just for comparison, all-purpose wheat flour contains 73 g of carbs. In addition, chickpea flour has a much higher protein content.
Chickpea pasta is also high in carbs. It contains 61 g of carbs per 100g (3.5 oz).
Hummus is a popular Middle East spread usually made of chickpeas, blended with tahini, lemon juice, and garlic. It contains 20 g of carbs per 100g. A tbsp contains 3 g of carbs.
Falafel is another popular chickpea-based Middle East fast-food. They’re deep-fried balls usually made of chickpeas, herbs, and spices. Falafel contains 29 g of carbs per 100g. A patty contains approximately 5 g of carbs,
However, you should consume falafel in moderation. Especially, if you want to lose weight. Due to its high fat content, falafel is the richest chickpea-based food in calories.
You can find a wide variety of chickpea flours and other chickpea foods on Amazon.
What types of carbs are in chickpeas?
Chickpeas are mainly starch. Actually, starch is between 41 and 50% of the total carbohydrate content of chickpeas.[2]
Starch is the major carbohydrate, followed by dietary fiber, and simple sugars. A typical chickpea variety consists of 46% starch, 28% fiber, and 18% sugar.
So, chickpeas contain approximately 15 g of starch, 7.6 g of fiber, and 4.8 g of sugars.
Furthermore, 35% of total starch is resistant starch.
Resistant starch doesn’t get digested in the small intestine. It ferments in the large intestine. It’s beneficial for gut microbiota, and has many health benefits. For instance, it’s a mild laxative, controls glucose levels, and even helps us lose weight. It has fewer calories than regular starch.[3]
What are the types of sugar in chickpeas?
The main sugars in chickpeas are glucose and sucrose.
Are chickpeas keto-friendly?
If you want to be on keto, you shouldn’t consume more than 50 g of carbs a day. According to certain ketogenic diets, we should consume even less carbs.[4]
Therefore, chickpeas aren’t suitable for a ketogenic diet. Just a serving can exceed the maximum allowable dose of carbs.
Can people with diabetes eat chickpeas?
Despite their high carbohydrate content, chickpeas have a low glycemic load of 5. Foods with a glycemic load less than 10 don’t spike blood sugar.[5]
In fact, the consumption of chickpeas is beneficial on glycemic control.[6]
Chickpeas have relatively low post-meal blood glucose levels because they’re rich in fiber and slowly digestible starch.[7]
The commercially precooked chickpeas tend to be higher in rapidly digestible starch, though. People with diabetes should prefer homemade boiled chickpeas.
According to the American Diabetes Association, people with diabetes can consume 1/2 cup of beans a day. Moderate consumption of beans may be beneficial for people with diabetes, as they’re packed with fiber, protein, vitamins, and many minerals which help control blood glucose, like magnesium, and potassium.[8]
Always consult your physician before changing your diet.
Can carbs of chickpeas make us gain weight?
Actually, chickpeas are good for weight loss. They can help us control appetite and decrease cravings for fattening foods.
However, we should consume them in moderation. Due to their high carbohydrate content, chickpeas have many calories. In fact, chickpeas are the highest beans in calories, second only to soybeans.
We lose weight only when we consume fewer calories than we burn.
Do other beans have fewer carbs?
The total carbohydrate content of chickpeas is higher than most beans and legumes. Only pink and navy beans have more carbs per 100g than chickpeas.
We should regularly eat chickpeas, despite their high carbohydrate content
Chickpeas have many health benefits.
Above all, they’re pretty high in fiber. High fiber intakes may lower the risk of developing heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and certain gastrointestinal diseases. Also, it may reduce high blood pressure, enhance immune functions, and improve insulin sensitivity.[9]
In addition, chickpea consumption may decrease the levels of triglyceride and LDL-cholesterol, while increasing the levels of HDL-cholesterol, which is beneficial for the heart. Also, they can be beneficial for gut microbiota.[10]
Furthermore, chickpeas are good sources of important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, such as iron, riboflavin, niacin, thiamine, folate and beta-carotene.[11]
So, due to their superior nutritional value, chickpeas may have beneficial effects on certain diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, digestive diseases and some cancers.[2]
Also, chickpeas are good for weight loss.
