Chickpeas are a good starch for reducing sugar! 2 great tools for weight loss! Chickpeas vs. brown rice and quinoa: these nutrients win big

Many female celebrities such as G.E.M. and Alyssa Chia have tried to control their weight by reducing sugar in their diet. Nutritionists say that the superfood chickpea is rich in protein and dietary fiber, and can provide a high sense of fullness. It is a good starch and a good helper in reducing sugar in life, and it also has the effect of assisting in weight loss. As for chickpeas, they are actually much better than the equally popular brown rice and quinoa.

The small chickpea has been very popular in recent years. It is native to Turkey and can be found in Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Indian cuisine. It is named chickpea due to its unique shape, which is pointed like an eagle's beak. It can also be called chicken pea, Egyptian bean, etc. In Taiwan, it is called "snow lotus seeds".

Nutritional Value of Chickpeas

Nutritionist Lin Licen said that many people often mistakenly believe that "chickpeas" can replace soybeans, but it actually belongs to the "whole grains" among the six major food categories, while soybeans belong to the "beans, fish, eggs and meat" that are rich in protein. Because the two have different nutritional components, they belong to different categories in food classification, so they cannot replace each other.

Chickpeas reduce sugar in 2 ways

However, among many whole grains, chickpeas have a protein content of up to 19~20%. Compared with the following two types (brown rice and quinoa) which are also unrefined grains, you can find that chickpeas are rich in protein and dietary fiber, and their amino acid types are rich and complete. They are complete proteins and are definitely a good starch and a good helper for you in your sugar-reducing life.

Chickpeas are rich in vitamins and minerals

In addition, chickpeas are also very rich in vitamins (B group) and minerals, especially potassium and folic acid. The rich potassium can metabolize excess sodium and water in the body, help regulate water and stabilize blood pressure, and is suitable for people with high blood pressure. Chickpeas are rich in B group, and the "folic acid" is better than quinoa. It is suitable for women preparing for pregnancy, pregnant women, growing children, and the elderly. Although we often say that brown rice is a good whole grain food, if you can widely consume some other diverse grains, such as quinoa, chickpeas, etc., the nutrients you get will be more diverse and complete.

Kidney patients should not consume excessive chickpeas

In addition, a little reminder, since chickpeas and quinoa are high in potassium ions, people with poor kidney function (stage 3, 4, and 5 kidney disease) cannot metabolize too much potassium, so they need to pay special attention to the intake. It is fine to eat a small amount; or when cooking, boil them in water for a longer time, which can also keep the potassium ions in the water and prevent excessive potassium intake. However, for healthy people or people with simple high blood pressure, there is no need to worry.

Nutritional comparison of chickpeas, brown rice and quinoa

The following table compares the nutritional content of 100 grams of chickpeas, brown rice and red quinoa:

Nutritional composition of chickpeas vs. brown rice and quinoa. (Photo provided by nutritionist Lin Licen)

How to Choose and Cook Chickpeas Smartly

Nutritionist Lin Licen said that in your daily diet, you might as well add some chickpeas to rice so that you can absorb more nutrients in your meals. The chickpeas we buy in the market are nothing more than dried beans, instant canned and other forms. If you buy dried beans, you need to soak them in a large amount of water before cooking. You can refrigerate and soak them overnight so that they can fully absorb water and swell. Pour out the soaking water the next day, add water to the inner pot of the rice cooker to cover the beans, and add one cup of water to the outer pot of the rice cooker. Press the switch button, and after the rice cooker pops up, drain the excess water in the pot. The cooked chickpeas can be eaten directly, or you can mix the soaked overnight chickpeas into the rice and cook them together.

Whether cooking in an electric cooker or boiling directly in water, it is recommended to soak in the refrigerator overnight to shorten the cooking time. In addition, chickpeas can not only be added to rice for cooking, but are also often made into hummus, chickpea soup or cold dishes abroad. The cooked chickpeas taste as soft as chestnuts and can be eaten directly or with salad. And because chickpeas are quite resistant to cooking, they are also very suitable for stewing in curry, which is very delicious!

Vegan Chickpea Recipe

Next, nutritionist Lin Licen will share with you a "chickpea vegetarian food" recipe (about two servings):

Chickpea vegetarian recipes. (Photo provided by nutritionist Lin Licen)

Serving Size:

100 grams of chickpeas (dried beans), half a red and yellow bell pepper, 80 grams of edamame, a teaspoon of olive oil, and some black pepper as seasoning.

Cooking steps:

1. Wash the dried chickpeas, add enough water to cover the beans, and soak them in a fresh-keeping box (refrigerate overnight).

2. After draining the water from overnight soaking, place the beans in the inner pot of the rice cooker, add enough water to cover the beans, and one cup of water in the outer pot of the rice cooker. After pressing the switch, wait for the rice cooker to pop up, then drain the cooked chickpeas and set aside.

3. Wash and dice the red and yellow bell peppers; wash and set aside the fresh edamame.

4. Take a frying pan, add a teaspoon of olive oil, add edamame and some water first, stir-fry until half cooked, then add chickpeas and red and yellow bell peppers and stir-fry until cooked, add appropriate amount of black pepper and seasonings, and serve.

Chickpeas are very suitable for making low-sugar dishes. You can also cook more chickpeas in an electric cooker, store them in the refrigerator, add some to curry, or add some to soup or salad. They are all very suitable for sharing with everyone. So when following a low-sugar diet, it does not mean that you should completely avoid starch. Instead, you should choose good starch and good sugar. They are not only rich in nutrients and dietary fiber, but also can provide you with full energy.