Garbanzo beans (aka Chickpeas)

Garbanzo beans (commonly known as chickpeas) are part of the legume family of foods.

They are a fabulous source of fibre, with one serving containing around 1/3 of your daily recommended fibre intake!

But that’s not all. Chickpeas contain high amounts of B vitamins, as well as a vast array of minerals including manganese, copper, iron, zinc, phosphorus and magnesium.

Not sure why these minerals are so important? Well, between these mentioned they:

• Reduce inflammation

• Help to regulate blood sugars

• Provide robust antioxidant protection (aka antiageing support)

• Help your body utilise vitamins (particularly the skin-loving vitamins C and E)

• Reduce symptoms of PMS

• Help produce collagen

• Maintain healthy bones

• Protect against heart disease

• Support the immune system

• Speed up wound healing

My goodness, that’s a list and a half. And it doesn’t stop there. Chickpeas are also a great protein source. And the high fibre and protein content combined can help keep your appetite under control. Meaning it’s a great food if you are trying to manage your weight.

So why wouldn't you include these little legumes in your diet?

Houmous is my all-time favourite chickpea-based food. It’s great:

• As a dip for veggies

• Instead of butter in sandwiches or burgers

• Alongside falafels (for some extra chickpea goodness)

• Mixed into egg yolks to make devilled eggs

There’s more to chickpeas than houmous though. They taste great smashed in salads, cooked into a Moroccan tagine, or thrown into a tray bake with fish.

Dried chickpeas often put people off. But it’s not that scary. Simply pop them into a bowl, cover them with plenty of cold water and leave them overnight. Then to cook them:

1. Tip the drained chickpeas into a pan

2. Add twice the amount of cold water

3. Bring to a boil

4. Turn the heat down and simmer for around 45 minutes - 1 hour

You can even freeze the cooked chickpeas to use at a later date

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