What did the chickpea say when he had a stomach ache?
"I falafel!"
(i feel awful, and chickpeas are made to make falafels)
Anyways, whether you call them by garbanzo or chickpea, you most likely have not just eaten them plain. They are most commonly found in hummus. They don't look like much, but they have a lot of good health benefits.
Characteristics: Chickpeas kind of look a little shriveled, and come to a point at the end. They are kind of a light tan hue, and when mashed, they have a very unique texture and taste that some people may not like.
Origin: These beans are the oldest and most relied on bean in the world. It is actually a member of the pea family.
Growing Season: Chickpea planting begins in early to late spring. They take 90-100 days to grow, so they should be ready in mid to late summer.
When they are ripe: Once the plant is brown and shriveled, they are ready to harvest.
Health benefits: Chickpeas are surprisingly healthy for how small and non-mighty they look.
-Promotes heart health: helps to reduce cholesterol and prevent heart attacks
-Helps prevent genetic defects
-Contains iron, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, and copper that make strong bones
-Diabetes management
-Prevents digestive problems
-Stops chronic diseases
-Lots of protein for a protein boost!
How to cook and prepare: Chickpeas are relatively easy to prepare, but you probably would not want to eat them plain. For the benefit of chickpeas and other good things, here is a link to a healthy homemade hummus recipe!
We will not feature this recipe, but here it is anyway so you can try it! It is very good!
http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-hummus-from-scratch-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-107560
Fun Facts:
-Chickpeas are the oldest known legume on Earth!
-There are 90 different species of chickpeas
-Chickpeas have a lot of different names. Here are a few: chickpea, garbanzo bean, Bengal gram, Egyptian pea
-The leaves of chickpeas make blue dye
-India is the world's top producer of chickpeas
Warnings: You should not eat these if you are suffering from kidney stones.
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For more information, go to:
(1) https://www.secretlyhealthy.com/chickpea-salad/
(2) https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/afcm/chickpea.html
(3) http://www.gardeningblog.net/how-to-grow/chickpeas/
(4) http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Chickpea
(5) https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/other/chickpeas.html
(6) http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-hummus-from-scratch-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-107560
I love hummus!
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