Chickpeas

So a colleague of mine brought chickpeas in with her salad a few days ago. She had me try one and they were yummy! I've always heard good things about them but when I checked the caloric intake on here, it said 1 tbsp is nearly 50 calories! Yikes! I would like to start eating them but what is a safe amount to include in something like a salad or pasta dish?

Chickpeas are a great source of fiber and protein. So if you're going to put them in a salad or pasta dish in place of meat, they're perfectly fine. Even a sprinkle over a salad with lean meat is good. It does have some fat, but chickpeas are really good for you. If you're concerned about it, you might try kidney beans. They also go really great on a salad and have less fat, more protein and fiber!

4oz cooked chickpeas is only about 150cals.... which is considerably less than 4oz skinless chicken breast, to compare it with another protein.  Great news... because they're quite fibrous, 4oz is quite a filling amount.  If you read that 1 tablespoon is 50 cals then that was probably dried chickpeas.... like most pulses/legumes they swell in volume by about 2.5 times on cooking. 

So enjoy chickpeas.   Salads, casseroles, dips (hummus), bakes, beanburgers....  They are an excellent food and a real secret weapon if you're trying to control your weight.

"To compare it with another protein",

4 oz chickpeas= 150 calories

4oz cooked skinless chicken breast= 141 calories

4 oz raw chicken breast = 100 calories

Edit: I guess my source is different... i got mine from http://www.calorieking.com/foods/search.php?k eywords=chicken+breast+skinless&showresul ts=yes

CC made "140g chicken breast, meat only, roasted"... 231 cals.  So 4oz or 125g is just over 200.  Don't want to get into a number fight or anything.  Just working with the info as supplied.

Not to mention chicken contains cholesterol and saturated fat, and no fiber.  Chickpeas have no cholesterol or saturated fat, and tons of fiber.

Chickpeas are really good nutrition, especially if you can get them with low-sodium... look at them as a protein source rather than a vegetable, but a protein source with bonus fiber. :)

I love chickpeas, and they are very filling. I like to eat a cup of them, drizzled with salad dressing, or I'll toss them into a salad, or eat them mixed with a grain and some lemon juice.

They aren't low calorie, but they are definitely not 50 cal per tablespoon, and they are nutritious.

gi-jane, is the chicken breast your looking up skinless?

Love chick peas. When I checked, quarter cup canned chick peas approx 72 cal. I use them in my salads and soups, but I just count the calories. Hummus, depending on the make is about 50 cal for 2 tbs. I Bring hummus to work with me with cut up veggies and it is very satisfying. I make my own hummus, just rinse canned chick peas, then using that immersable mixer thingy, I pulse them with 4 cloves of garlic, 1/4 cup lemon juice (approximate amount, I add more as I am mixing it all), water (approx 1/4 cup, I keep adding some more as I am grinding it all together) and grated lemon rind and tahini, about 3 tbsp tahini. I keep adding lemon juice and water until I get the right consistency. Eaten with celery, sliced fresh mushrooms, radishes, and peppers, it still ends up being low cal, high fibre and very filling.

The choices are 'chicken breast meat only, roasted'   and 'chicken breast, meat and skin, roasted'   I chose the former as being 'skinless' therefore.  Seems to be causing some controversy!  :-)

I used the cooked figures so that it compared directly with cooked chickpeas.  Cooked meat loses moisture so will be more calorific per 100g than raw meat.