Food Spotlight: Chickpea

Chickpea is increasingly used as a healthy, plant-based protein source – from healthy chickpea cookie dough bites to air fryer chickpeas – its various uses are increasingly trending online. What should you know about this popular protein source?

Chickpea is technically considered a type of pulse, which is the dried seed or bean of a legume. In addition to protein, it’s rich in fiber, unsaturated fat, and complex sugars. Chickpeas are eaten worldwide, but they’re most commonly part of diets in India, the Mediterranean, and parts of Africa.

While chickpea is considered a healthy source of protein and fiber, it’s also been studied for a variety of conditions. Like other legumes, there’s a lot of interest in its use for heart health. Small clinical studies suggest that eating chickpeas modestly reduces levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. But it’s unclear if this translates to a clinical benefit for adults with high cholesterol. There’s also interest in using chickpea for diabetes and obesity, but data are similarly unclear.

Chickpeas are likely safe for most people when eaten in typical food amounts – stomach discomfort, gas, and bloating are the most common side effects. But watch out for allergic reactions in patients with allergies to latex and other legumes, especially lentils.

Check out our new monograph for more details. And keep your eyes peeled as we’ll be launching several new food-related monographs in the coming months.