Garbanzo Bean Health Benefits

With 5 grams of fiber per serving, garbanzo beans are an excellent source of dietary fiber.

Garbanzo beans, also known as chickpeas, are consumed more than any other legume in the world, according to Yuma County Cooperative Extension. The nutty-flavored beans originated in the Middle East and are grown mainly in India. A versatile food, garbanzo beans can be tossed in salads, ground into flour or mashed into hummus. Eat garbanzo beans regularly to reap the health benefits they have to offer.

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Nutrients in Garbanzo Beans

A half-cup of garbanzo beans provides 143 calories. You’ll also get 27 grams of carbohydrate, your body’s preferred source of fuel, and 6 grams of muscle-building protein. With 5 grams of fiber per serving, garbanzo beans are an excellent source of dietary fiber. They also pack magnesium, potassium and iron. Garbanzo beans are essentially cholesterol and trans fat-free.

Heart Health

Intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids decreases your risk of heart disease, according to the American Heart Association. In a study published in the “Journal of the American Dietetic Association” in 2008, participants who ate 700 grams of garbanzo beans weekly for 12 weeks took in almost 3 grams more of polyunsaturated fat per day than when they didn’t eat the beans. Their blood cholesterol levels were 7.7 milligrams per deciliter lower after the garbanzo bean phase of the trial. Lowering your cholesterol reduces your risk for heart attack, according to the American Heart Association.

Digestive Health

Subjects in the 2008 "Journal of the American Dietetic Association" study consumed almost 7 grams more fiber daily during the garbanzo bean phase. Additional fiber helps to increase frequency of bowel movements to one per day and speed up the passage of stool through the colon to prevent constipation. Beneficial bacteria in your colon ferment fiber into compounds that inhibit disease-causing bacteria, enhance absorption of calcium and stimulate blood flow and nutrients to the colon.

Considerations

Like peanuts and soybeans, garbanzo beans are legumes. If you have an allergic reaction to soy or peanuts, you may also be allergic to garbanzo beans, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Signs of an allergic reaction may include nausea, diarrhea, itching, tingling or swelling around the mouth or difficulty breathing.