Chickpeas Chickpeas

Chickpeas

Chickpeas, also called garbanzo beans, (Cicer arientinum) belong to the legume family, which includes a variety of beans, peanuts, soybeans and lentils. Although the common chickpea in the market is tan or beige, there are also yellow, red, dark green or brown varieties. The two main varieties of chickpeas are the large, light-seeded kabuli type, referred to as garbanzo beans, and the small, dark-seeded desi type.

Chickpeas offer specific benefits to a healthy diet. A one cup serving of chickpeas provides 29 percent of the daily value of protein and 49 percent of the daily value of fiber. They also contain vitamins and minerals and significantly boost your intake of manganese and folate.