Chickpeas are part of the everyday diet for thousands of Australians. If you love freshly-made hummus or crunchy chickpeas in salads, it’s time to forget buying canned chickpeas. Start sprouting your own at home and reap the nutritional and taste benefits.
Nutrient packed, naturally.
As Harvard Medical School explains in its fantastic article – Are sprouted grains more nutritious than regular whole grains? – sprouts are typically jam-packed with nutritional value, even compared to the mature version of the exact same plants. Chickpea sprouts are no exception.
It’s all thanks to the germination (or ‘sprouting’) process which breaks down the starch that naturally occurs in plants. By doing this, the percentage of nutrients – including things like folate, iron, vitamin C, zinc, magnesium and protein – is often much, much higher. Germination has another healthy trick up its sleeve too, because it also breaks down something called phytate, a form of acid that normally reduces the body’s ability to absorb vitamins and minerals.
Fibre, cholesterol, blood sugar – chickpeas do it all.
Because sprouts typically contain less starch, many people find they’re easier to digest. Which brings us right back to chickpeas, because being high in dietary fibre they’re already known as something of a digestion superfood. Beyond that, chickpeas are also used by many Australians to help control blood sugar and even lower cholesterol and the risk of heart disease. Chickpeas really do have a lot going for them!
Ready to start sprouting?
Chickpeas are one of the easiest legumes to sprout at home. To get started all you need is a growing kit and some seeds (you can order yours here). Then, just follow the simple instructions and you’ll have fresh chickpea sprouts in just days!
In more good news, chickpea sprouts also store very well in the fridge so you can always keep some handy to add into your meals. They don’t need to be pre-soaked or cooked down either, unlike dried chickpeas.
Did you know?
Bisphenol A (BPA) is an industrial chemical found in the coating on the inside of many food cans and containers. A variety of global studies, including right here in Australia, have shown that in some circumstances, BPA can leak into the food – providing yet another reason to grow your own chickpeas!