Chickpeas

The chickpea plant belongs to the Fabaceae family. Its seeds are the chickpeas, these legumes have been known since ancient times and are very high in protein. In addition to this, chickpeas are a source of important fiber for natural regularity and of omega 3 fatty acids for cardiovascular health. Chickpeas, in fact, help to control cholesterol, both total and LDL, the bad one. The fiber of these vegetables has a high satiating power, it expands in the stomach and thus controls appetite. The chickpeas are a source of calcium and iron, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium, vitamins A, B, C and E and also of a particular type of substance, isoflavones, very recommended to protect from all that class of hormone-dependent cancers, such as breast cancer or prostate cancer. In fact the isoflavones mimic estrogen in our bodies and take their place, thereby preventing the real estrogen to interact. Finally the chickpeas, like all legumes, help control blood sugar, avoiding the blood sugar spikes and thus being an excellent food for diabetics and for those suffering from high blood sugar. Finally some advice on how to present chickpeas in your dishes: in order to increase the absorption of iron, vitamin C can be added, such as lemon juice or hot chili pepper to flavor the chickpeas. In general it is better to avoid the combination with meat and fish, which would be too much protein, it is better instead the union with cereals for a very complete dish, such as a soup of chickpeas and pasta.