Chickpeas come in two main types. Kabuli chickpeas are larger and tan with a smooth coat, and desi chickpeas are smaller, darker and rougher. In a study of five cultivars in Pakistan, kabuli seeds weighed 26 g per 100 seeds against 21 g for desi, while desi had about three times the crude fiber (11.2% against 3.9%). Genetic work on 421 landraces points to Turkey as the origin of kabuli types.
The liquid in a can of chickpeas has a second life. Called aquafaba, a name that came from an online vegan community in 2015, it foams and thickens well enough to replace egg white in meringue. The same liquid also carries water-soluble gas-causing sugars out of the beans, which is why Monash University advises draining and rinsing canned chickpeas.
Chickpea protein is complete on paper but less digestible than it looks. In an isotope study of healthy adults, only about 75% of the essential amino acids were digested by the end of the small intestine. Most trials below are small and short, and some were supported by a hummus maker or a food company.
Health benefits of chickpeas
The top findings from 26 studies, strongest evidence first
What the stars mean
- Strong. Several randomized trials, pooled in a meta-analysis, point the same way, or regulators (FDA or EFSA) have approved the claim.
- Moderate. Good randomized trials support it, but there are fewer of them, or their results vary.
- Limited. Small, short or single trials, or mixed results. Promising, but it needs confirmation.
Population and lab studies get no stars: they show a link or a mechanism, not proof.
How we rate evidence →- ★★★Lower “bad” LDL cholesterolAcross 38 trials, eating beans, lentils, chickpeas and peas (pooled) lowered LDL slightly (0.14 mmol/L). In one trial, chickpeas lowered LDL by 4.6% compared with a wheat-supplemented diet.
- ★★Smaller blood sugar rise after a mealIn 28 short studies, a chickpea meal lowered the blood sugar rise, but peak glucose did not change significantly and certainty was very low. In healthy women, chickpeas eaten before a meal lowered blood glucose by 29 to 36% compared with white bread.
- ★Higher self-rated fullness and bowel functionIn 42 adults, about 104 g of chickpeas a day for 12 weeks raised self-rated fullness and bowel function. In 39 healthy adults, a hummus snack cut appetite ratings by about 70% compared with no snack.
- ★Slightly more flatulenceIn 12 healthy adults, 200 g a day of chickpeas for 3 weeks raised flatulence ratings from 0.4 to 1.0 (scale of 0 to 3). The authors call the symptoms mild for most people.
- ★More of a butyrate-making gut bacteriumIn 12 healthy adults, 200 g a day of canned chickpeas for 3 weeks raised Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, a gut bacterium that makes butyrate.
All 26 studies, strongest evidence first
Eating whole pulses (beans, lentils, chickpeas and peas pooled) lowered LDL cholesterol by 0.14 mmol/L, with similar results for each pulse type
Pooled pulses, not chickpeas alone. Meta-analysis of 38 randomized trials (2,095 people) lasting a median of 6 weeks, at a median of 130 g a day (0.5 to 0.67 cup). Non-HDL cholesterol fell 0.22 mmol/L and apoB 0.08 g/L, while HDL dipped 0.03 mmol/L. The authors say future studies on chickpeas are warranted.
Eating chickpeas for at least 5 weeks lowered LDL cholesterol by 4.6% compared with a wheat-supplemented diet
Randomized crossover trial in 47 free-living adults who ate a chickpea-supplemented diet and a wheat-supplemented diet, each for at least 5 weeks. Total cholesterol was 3.9% lower. Small differences in polyunsaturated fat and fiber between the two diets explained much of the gap.
Across 28 studies, a chickpea meal lowered the blood sugar rise after eating compared with a carbohydrate-matched control, but the evidence was rated very low certainty
Meta-analysis of 28 acute crossover trials (40 comparisons). Peak glucose and insulin responses did not change significantly, and the trials differed a lot from each other. It was funded by PepsiCo, and several authors work for PepsiCo or the contract research firm Biofortis.
A controlled diet with chickpeas for 5 weeks lowered LDL cholesterol by 0.20 mmol/L compared with a wheat diet of similar fiber
Randomized crossover trial in 27 adults. The chickpea diet used canned drained chickpeas plus bread and biscuits made with 30% chickpea flour, and total cholesterol fell 0.25 mmol/L. Glucose tolerance did not differ, some people reported feeling fuller, and part of the lipid effect came from unplanned shifts in fat intake.
Eating at least 728 g of canned chickpeas a week for 12 weeks lowered LDL cholesterol by 7.3 mg/dL (0.19 mmol/L)
Exploratory study in 45 free-living adults, who ate canned, drained chickpeas (four 300 g cans a week) as part of their usual diet for 12 weeks and then went 4 weeks without. Fiber intake rose 6.77 g a day, total cholesterol fell 7.7 mg/dL and fasting insulin fell 0.75 µIU/mL. There was no separate control group.
A single chickpea meal gave a lower blood sugar rise than wheat foods, but 6 weeks of chickpeas did not change insulin sensitivity
Two studies in healthy middle-aged adults. In 19 people, blood glucose was lower 30 and 60 minutes after a chickpea meal than after wheat-based foods or white bread (50 g of available carbohydrate each). In a 20-person crossover of 6 weeks per diet, fasting and post-glucose-load glucose, insulin and HOMA did not differ.
Eating about 104 g of chickpeas a day for 12 weeks raised self-rated fullness and bowel function
Ordered crossover study in 42 adults: 4 weeks of habitual diet, 12 weeks of chickpeas, then 4 weeks of habitual diet. Fullness and bowel function were rated on scales, not measured. Intake from all food groups fell on chickpeas, most for cereal foods, and in focus groups of 15 people inconvenience and gastrointestinal upset were the main barriers.
Chickpeas eaten before a meal lowered blood glucose by 29 to 36% compared with white bread in healthy women
Two short experiments (60 and 120 minutes) in healthy women, using chickpea and white bread preloads matched for energy, volume and available carbohydrate. The authors also report lower appetite and lower energy intake at the next meal after chickpeas. It used a portable glucometer over short test windows.
A pasta meal with 44% of its energy from chickpeas lowered the blood sugar rise in men but did not make them eat less at that meal
In 24 men, pasta and tomato sauce with chickpeas, lentils, navy beans or yellow peas was compared with plain pasta and sauce. All four pulses lowered peak blood glucose. Lentils lowered food intake at the meal compared with plain pasta, while chickpeas did not. Chickpeas also lowered blood glucose before a pizza meal 4 hours later, though the authors say these effects depend on the pulse type.
Whole chickpeas, chickpea puree and chickpea pasta all gave a lower blood sugar response than mashed potato, whatever the form
Randomized crossover trial in 13 healthy adults, using continuous glucose monitoring and test meals matched for available carbohydrate. All three chickpea forms also gave lower C-peptide and GLP-1 responses and higher self-rated fullness, and the forms did not differ from each other.
Hummus had a glycemic index of 15 and an insulin index of 52, both lower than white bread
Ten healthy adults ate 11 breakfast meals in random order, with hummus alone or added to white bread. Blood sugar after hummus alone was about 4 times lower than after white bread, but adding hummus to bread did not lower the total response. The study was supported by Sabra Dipping Co., a hummus maker.
An afternoon hummus snack cut appetite ratings by about 70% compared with no snack and reduced later dessert snacking by about 20%
Randomized trial in 39 healthy adults who each followed 3 snack patterns for 6 days: hummus and pretzels (240 kcal), granola bars (240 kcal) or no snack. Afternoon blood glucose was about 5% lower after hummus than after bars. The study was supported by Sabra Dipping Company, a hummus maker, and one author sits on its advisory board.
Hummus made from intact chickpea cells produced lower insulin and GIP responses than hummus made from ruptured cells
Randomized crossover trial in 15 healthy adults who ate hummus providing 27 g of starch. Starch digestion in the lab was also slower for the intact-cell hummus. GIP is a gut hormone that helps release insulin.
Chickpea meals with intact cells gave a slower, longer gut hormone response than meals with broken cells
Randomized crossover pilot in 10 healthy people fitted with tubes to sample the stomach and gut. Broken-cell meals gave higher GIP, GLP-1 and blood glucose, while intact-cell meals gave a prolonged GLP-1 and PYY release. One author holds shares in a pulse ingredient company.
In the gut, chickpea meals with intact cells raised GLP-1 and PYY responses, while broken-cell meals raised GIP
Ten participants ate chickpea meals with intact or broken cells, with fluid sampled from the mouth, stomach, duodenum and ileum. It carries the same trial registration as the study above and adds data on gut metabolites. Oral bacterial strains were also found to reach the ileum with the food.
Eating 200 g a day of canned chickpeas for 3 weeks raised Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, a gut bacterium that makes butyrate
Randomized crossover study in 12 healthy adults comparing a control diet, 200 g a day of canned chickpeas and 5 g a day of the sugar raffinose, 3 weeks each. Total short-chain fatty acids and butyrate did not differ. A high-ammonia-producing isolate was found in 42% of people on chickpeas against 83% on the control diet.
Eating 200 g a day of canned chickpeas for 3 weeks raised flatulence ratings from 0.4 to 1.0 on a scale of 0 to 3
Randomized crossover trial in 12 healthy adults. Bloating was infrequent but rated slightly higher (0.2 against 0.0), while stool frequency, diarrhea and abdominal pain did not change. The authors call the symptoms mild for most people.
Chickpea flour bread did not significantly lower the blood sugar response and raised insulin compared with white bread
Randomized crossover study in 11 healthy adults eating 50 g carbohydrate breakfasts. Glucose showed only a trend downward (P = 0.087). Fullness, later food intake and taste ratings did not differ from white bread.
Cooling chickpea pasta for 24 hours and reheating it lowered its glycemic index from 39 to 33
Crossover study in 12 healthy adults comparing freshly cooked chickpea pasta with pasta cooled for 24 hours at 4 °C and reheated. Resistant starch rose from 1.83 to 3.65 g per 100 g, and taste ratings were similar.
The essential amino acids in chickpea were 74.6% digestible by the end of the small intestine in healthy adults, lower than expected
Isotope-tracer study in healthy Indian adults. True digestibility of the essential amino acids was 74.6% for chickpea, against 71.6% for yellow pea and 63.2% for mung bean. Dehulling improved mung bean digestibility by about 8%.
Swapping two servings of red meat for non-soy legumes, including chickpeas, 3 days a week for 8 weeks lowered CRP, IL-6 and TNF-alpha in people with type 2 diabetes
Randomized crossover trial in 31 adults with type 2 diabetes. The legumes were lentils, chickpeas, peas and beans, so this is not chickpeas alone. The drop in inflammation markers held independent of weight change in overweight patients.
US adults who ate chickpeas had higher Healthy Eating Index scores (62.1 against 51.2) than people who ate no legumes
Cross-sectional analysis of national survey data (8,342 adults in 2015 to 2018). Chickpea eaters made up 4.5% of adults, up from 1.9% in 2003 to 2006, and ate more whole grains and nuts and less red meat. They also had higher incomes and more education, so a link to chickpeas cannot be separated from lifestyle.
In growing pigs, cooked chickpea protein scored 76 on the DIAAS scale for older children and adults
Pigs with an intestinal opening ate each of six cooked pulses as their only protein. Scores were 88 for kidney bean, 86 for mung bean, 76 for chickpea, 68 for pea, 64 for adzuki bean and 60 for broad bean. These are pig data, not human results.
A chickpea protein hydrolysate lowered systolic blood pressure by up to 47.35 mm Hg in hypertensive rats
Spontaneously hypertensive rats were given 50 mg/kg of an enzyme-treated chickpea protein ingredient, and the effect lasted at least 7 hours. It is a processed ingredient, not whole chickpeas, and no human trial is reported.
Isoflavones extracted from chickpea sprouts slowed the growth of human breast cancer cells and triggered cell death
Lab study on two breast cancer cell lines (SKBr3 and MCF-7) at 10 to 60 µg/mL of an extract. It tested a concentrated sprout extract on cells, not food in people.
In a lab digestion and cell model, hummus gave more absorbable iron than plain cooked chickpeas (30.4 against 7.23 ng ferritin per mg protein)
Lemon juice raised iron bioaccessibility and tahini lowered it, while autoclaving also raised it. The authors say studies in people are needed to confirm it.
Who should be careful with chickpeas
Most people can eat chickpeas freely. Take a little care if one of these applies:
- Gas, bloating or irritable bowel syndrome. Chickpeas contain GOS, a type of FODMAP. Monash University says the water-soluble GOS in canned chickpeas leaches into the brine, so drain and rinse them, and a Monash blog post suggests a quarter cup (42 g) of canned chickpeas as a snack portion. In a 12-person trial, 200 g a day raised flatulence ratings, though the authors called the symptoms mild.
- Chickpea allergy. A 2021 scoping review lists chickpea among the less-studied legume allergies that are frequently implicated in severe reactions, and found little research on labeling. If you react to chickpeas, hummus and chickpea flour count too.
- Raw chickpea sprouts. The CDC advises children, older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems to avoid raw or lightly cooked sprouts of any kind. Cook them thoroughly.
How to choose, store and eat chickpeas
- Canned, drained and rinsed: Monash notes the gas-causing GOS leaches into the brine. The cholesterol trials used canned, drained chickpeas, at least 728 g a week (four 300 g cans) for 12 weeks, and LDL fell 7.3 mg/dL.
- Cooked from dry: soak for 8 to 12 hours. In one lab study, overnight soaking cut the cooking time of dry chickpeas from about 114 to 125 minutes to about 33 to 38 minutes.
- Hummus and pasta: hummus had a glycemic index of 15 in 10 adults, and cooling chickpea pasta for 24 hours and reheating it lowered its glycemic index from 39 to 33.
Store dried and canned chickpeas in closed containers in a cool, dark, dry place, and refrigerate cooked leftovers within 2 hours and use or freeze them within 4 days. Residues are no reason to skip chickpeas: in USDA tests of 686 samples of dried chickpeas in 2019, only 3 had a residue above the legal limit.
Sources
- FODMAP FAQs. Monash University.
- Including legumes on a low FODMAP diet. Monash FODMAP blog. 2016.
- Hildebrand HV, Arias A, Simons E, et al. Adult and pediatric food allergy to chickpea, pea, lentil, and lupine: a scoping review. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2021.
- Salmonella Montevideo infections linked to raw sprouts: advice to consumers, restaurants and retailers. CDC. 2018.
- Dahl WJ, Hanifi A, Zello GA, Tyler RT. Gastrointestinal tolerance to daily canned chickpea intake. Can J Diet Pract Res. 2014.
- Pittaway JK, Robertson IK, Ball MJ. Chickpeas may influence fatty acid and fiber intake in an ad libitum diet, leading to small improvements in serum lipid profile and glycemic control. J Am Diet Assoc. 2008.
- Khan MA, Akhtar N, Ullah I, Jaffery S. Nutritional evaluation of desi and kabuli chickpeas and their products commonly consumed in Pakistan. Int J Food Sci Nutr. 1995.
- Augustin LS, Chiavaroli L, Campbell J, et al. Post-prandial glucose and insulin responses of hummus alone or combined with a carbohydrate food: a dose-response study. Nutr J. 2016.
- Bojarczuk A, Kęszycka P, Marszałek K, Gajewska D. The effect of cooking and cooling chickpea pasta on resistant starch content, glycemic response, and glycemic index in healthy adults. Metabolites. 2024.
- How to prepare, store, and enjoy beans and other pulses. Colorado State University Extension.
- Pesticide Data Program annual summary, calendar year 2019. USDA Agricultural Marketing Service.
History of chickpeas
Chickpeas are among the oldest crops. Archaeological records and genetic work place their domestication in the Fertile Crescent about 10,000 years ago, alongside wheat, barley, peas and lentils. Their wild ancestor, Cicer reticulatum, has a very limited natural range in southeastern Turkey.
Early finds come from Syrian sites. Chickpeas then spread to Crete and upper Egypt in the Bronze Age, and chickpeas from about 1900 BCE have been found at Tell Bazmusian. Cultivation in the Indian subcontinent is documented from about 1750 to 1500 BCE, and in 2023 India grew about three quarters of the world crop.
The name travelled too. Latin cicer became French pois chiche and Old English chich-pease, and Spanish garbanzo was used in American English by 1759. The species name arietinum refers to the seed’s resemblance to a ram’s head. The Greek writer Theophrastus described chickpea varieties, and the Roman writer Columella wrote about them around 64 CE.
Hummus is simply the Arabic word for chickpeas. The earliest known chickpea dishes like it are in 13th-century cookbooks from Syria and Baghdad, and they had no garlic. A 14th-century Cairo cookbook gives a cold chickpea purée without tahini or garlic, and by an 1885 Lebanese cookbook garlic was standard.
Chickpeas also had a turn as coffee. A German writer noted ground, roasted chickpeas as a coffee substitute in 1793, and they were grown for that purpose in parts of Germany in World War I. In the US, hummus went from 12% of households in 2006 to 17% by early 2009.
Sources
- Igolkina AA, Noujdina NV, Vishnyakova M, et al. Historical routes for diversification of domesticated chickpea inferred from landrace genomics. Mol Biol Evol. 2023.
- van Oss R, Abbo S, Eshed R, et al. Genetic relationship in Cicer sp. expose evidence for geneflow between the cultigen and its wild progenitor. PLoS One. 2015.
- Chickpea. Wikipedia.
- Hummus. Wikipedia.
- Aquafaba. Wikipedia.
- Shim YY, Mustafa R, Shen J, et al. Composition and properties of aquafaba: water recovered from commercially canned chickpeas. J Vis Exp. 2018.
Frequently asked questions about chickpeas
Are chickpeas good for you?
For most people, yes. A cup of cooked chickpeas (164 g) has 269 calories, 14.5 g of protein and 12.5 g of fiber, and covers 71% of the daily value for folate. In a 47-person crossover trial a chickpea diet lowered LDL cholesterol by 4.6% against a wheat diet, and a meta-analysis of 28 studies found a smaller blood sugar rise after chickpea meals. No chickpea result here reaches strong evidence.
Are canned chickpeas as healthy as dried?
No study here compares them directly. The cholesterol trials used canned, drained chickpeas, and Monash University says the gas-causing GOS in canned chickpeas leaches into the brine, so draining and rinsing helps if beans upset your gut. The nutrition figures on this page are for chickpeas cooked from dry.
Do chickpeas cause gas?
They can. In a trial of 12 healthy adults, 200 g a day of canned chickpeas raised flatulence ratings from 0.4 to 1.0 on a scale of 0 to 3, and bloating from 0.0 to 0.2, while stool frequency and abdominal pain did not change. The authors called the symptoms mild. Monash University advises draining and rinsing canned chickpeas, and starting with small amounts helps.
Are chickpeas high in protein?
Fairly high for a plant food. Cooked chickpeas have 8.9 g of protein per 100 g, or 14.5 g in a cup (164 g), which is about 23% of their calories. The amino acid pattern is complete, but in healthy Indian adults only 74.6% of chickpea essential amino acids were digested by the end of the small intestine.
Are chickpeas good for weight loss?
No trial here tested weight loss. Cooked chickpeas have 164 calories and 7.6 g of fiber per 100 g. In small studies, chickpea meals raised self-rated fullness in 13 adults, and 42 adults who ate about 104 g a day for 12 weeks rated themselves fuller, but chickpea flour bread did not change fullness or later food intake.
Are chickpeas good for people with diabetes?
They can fit, but the evidence is mixed. A single chickpea meal gave a lower blood sugar rise than wheat foods in 19 people, yet 6 weeks of chickpeas did not change insulin sensitivity in 20 healthy people. A meta-analysis of 28 studies found a smaller rise after chickpea meals but rated the certainty very low. Check portions and choices with your care team.
Is hummus healthy?
It can be a good choice. Hummus had a glycemic index of 15 in 10 healthy adults, and an afternoon hummus snack cut appetite ratings by about 70% against no snack in 39 adults. Both studies were supported by Sabra Dipping Co., a hummus maker, and recipes differ in tahini and oil, so no single figure fits every tub.
How many chickpeas should you eat a day?
No study here sets an ideal amount. Trials used about 104 g a day for 12 weeks, 200 g a day of canned chickpeas for 3 weeks, and at least 728 g a week (four 300 g cans) for 12 weeks. A cup of cooked chickpeas weighs 164 g. If beans bother your gut, start small and drain and rinse canned ones.