Which is Healthier Lentils or Chickpeas

Today I have another post is in “Which is healthier” series, a comparison between two popular legumes ..Lentils or chickpeas ..

Lentils or Chickpeas

They are both legumes , and very healthy, high in protein and fibers, very versatile, and fits many savory dishes.

There are many types of lentils, red or yellow, brown, green and black. the red and yellow range of colors , means the lentil seeds are hulled, and splitted, and they are easier to digest. Dark colors like brown, or green, are higher in fiber content, and better for cooking dishes like curries, dal .Chickpeas are mostly yellow legumes, but there is rare ones like red , and black.

Nutrition

Lentils are relatively low in calories and carbohydrate, and have almost zero fat. Also, they contain good amounts of proteins and are rich in Magnesium which is very important for , and prevent injury in muscles .It’s also higher in Iron. It has more B vitamins like pantothenic acid, and has choline, a compound (neither a vitamin or mineral) that is necessary for brain function, like memory and muscle control. Also, it’s high in Folate, b1 , b2 and B6 vitamins.

Chickpeas is lighter in protein, heavier in fat and similar to lentils for carbs. Chickpeas has more calcium (which is crucial for bone health) and magnesium than lentils, and also has good amounts of B vitamin but in less amount than lentils.
Both have good amounts of Vitamin A , they contain small amounts of beta-carotene.

Here are the amounts of macronutrients for both lentils and chickpeas (both cooked +boiled)

Lentils Chickpeas

Calories 230g per cup (198g) 286 per cup (240g)
Carbohydrate 40g 45g
Protein: 18g 14.5g
Fat: 0.8g 2.7
Fibers 15.6g 12.5

Fighting diseases

Heart diseases

In this analysis of studies, it shown that consuming legumes lower blood pressure, in people with high blood pressure or with normal ones.

Lentils & chickpeas have a compound called plant sterol, which is interfere with cholesterol absorption therefore, reduce LDL cholesterol levels in the body. We usually see these results in people with high cholesterol. However, they cant be the only tool to help lower cholesterol with patients with high cholesterol.

Diabetes

Both lentils and chickpeas have low glycemic index , which means , when they entered your body, their absorptions is slow and they entre the bloodstream slowly, rather than a spike, and that’s help keep the insulin levels to stay normal. In this study , its shown that replacing two serving of red meat with two serving of legumes /week, reduce fasting blood sugar and also improve lipid profile.

Antinutrients:

You will read many pages on the web, advise and warn you to avoid legumes, including chickpeas and lentils, because they have antinutrients, such as phytates and lectins (in lentils). these compounds can adhere to essential minerals and prohibit their absorption in the body. So if you eat them regularly , you may expose your body to minerals deficiencies. However, in this review, it shows the proper way of preparing and cooking legumes (preferably no grilling or baking) significantly lower the antinutrients. And the benefits of consuming legumes, are more than the unpleasant effects.

Protein

Lentils have all the essential amino acids that your body needs but they are low methionine and cysteine. mans, you need to combine them with other food items that have higher amount of these amino acids such as whole grains and rice.

Chickpeas has better proteins quality than other legumes, it has all essential amino acids (our body cant synthesis it) but methionine. So it’s better to pair it with a whole grain that contains methionine such as quinoa.

Availability and cost

They are abundant in many countries at cheap prices, and both are very affordable.

In many culture including ,Arabic cuisine, a nd Indian are full of recipes using various type of chickpeas and lentils in many different and healthy ways.

Who is the winner ?

Lentils! with higher protein, fiber, and B vitamins like Folate a, and many others. Lentils are better option! However, chickpeas are healthy too, and also have the other characteristics as lentils as they same belong to the same family, so regarding cholesterol, and diabetes, and fullness. So alternate between them through the week, and you will definitely , have a good strong health.

Here are some recipes to enjoy chickpeas and lentils.

Sweet potato, Chickpeas, with Spinach Dry Curry

South Asian or Indian use lot of lentils and chickpeas in their dishes, savory and also use chickpea flour for sweets. Also many use chickpeas puree for desserts like chickpea cookie dough. also more important is the use of water in canned chickpeas for vegan meringue based desserts.

The Classic Hummus Recipe You will Ever Need!

The best pureed chickpeas dip ever!