Are Chickpeas Good for Weight Loss?

Chickpeas are a nutrient-rich food, providing high amounts of protein, fiber, iron, potassium, manganese, copper, zinc, phosphorus, magnesium, folate, vitamin B-6 and thiamine, making them a healthy addition to any diet. They may also help you lose weight, especially if you eat them instead of higher-fat sources of protein like beef or pork.

A Filling Food

When used as part of a reduced-calorie diet, chickpeas and other pulses -- the edible seeds of peas, beans, lentils and similar plants with pods -- can increase feelings of fullness and help you lose weight, according to a study published in "Advances in Nutrition" in November 2010. The increased satiety may be in part due to the high amounts of fiber chickpeas contain, with 12.5 grams, or 50 percent of the daily value based on a 2,000-calorie diet, in each cup. The 14.5 grams of protein in each cup could also help since protein is very filling.

 

Whittle Your Waist

Replacing some of the refined carbohydrates in your diet with chickpeas or other legumes may help you get a smaller waistline. A study published in the "Journal of the American College of Nutrition" in 2010 found that an increased legume consumption of at least two servings per day helped reduce waist circumference in people who were obese even if it didn't increase weight loss compared to the control diet.

Weight Loss Comparison

Diets high in legumes like chickpeas may help you lose more weight than diets that are legume-free and may also improve your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, according to a study published in the "European Journal of Nutrition" in February 2011. You may get the blood pressure and cholesterol benefits even if you don't lose weight, according to the study authors.

 

 

Portion Size Importance

You'll get the best weight-loss results if you eat chickpeas instead of other less healthy foods like meats high in saturated fat or refined grains. However, you still need to watch your portion size since the calories from these legumes add up. Each cup of boiled chickpeas contains 269 calories. To lose weight, you need to eat fewer calories than you burn during your daily activities.

Source
http://www.livestrong.com/article/412908-are-chickpeas-good-for-weight-loss/