One of my best friends cares about a balanced diet and nutrition. Discussing these topics with her is a quite fulfilling learning process. These days, we talk about beans and their benefits. I mentioned a super bean I often use when making green smoothies aside from soybeans and black beans-chickpeas. I thought it might be a good idea to write a comprehensive introduction about this nutritious bean. So, let’s take some time now to get acquainted with this unfamiliar yet nutrition-packed, exotic bean. 我有幾個貼心的好朋友 其中一位對營養很講究, 跟她一塊討論怎麼吃是很滿足的學習過程. 這幾天講到豆類, 提到了我打綠拿鐵時除了黃豆黑豆很常放的一款無敵好豆: 鷹嘴豆. 想想應該寫一篇好好介紹這個厲害的豆子, 現在我們就花點時間來好好認識這個陌生卻營養多多, 帶著異國風味的豆子吧!
Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are a staple in Middle Eastern countries like Pakistan, and Morocco, and a major food source in countries like India in Asia. People who are used to enjoying salads in the United States are familiar with chickpeas. After being cooked, simply seasoned, and added to salads, they serve as a primary source of plant-based protein. They can also be mashed with other vegetables (such as peppers, onions, and pine nuts) to create a delicious bean paste known as hummus, commonly eaten with pita bread. This simple yet nutritious dish is a great choice as an appetizer at parties. 鷹嘴豆, 英文是chickpea or garbanzo bean. 主要是中東國家像巴基斯坦,摩洛哥, 還有在亞洲印度的主要食物來源之一. 在美國住久了, 習慣吃沙拉的人對鷹嘴豆是很熟悉的. 蒸煮熟之後, 簡單調味加入沙拉中當作主要植物性蛋白質來源, 也可以磨成泥與其他蔬菜(辣椒, 洋蔥, 松子等) 做成好吃的豆泥醬 (Hummus), 跟pita bread 一塊吃. 一般party 可以用這道簡單又營養滿點的小點當前菜, 是很不錯的選擇.
When it comes to beans, the ones most familiar to us Asians are red beans, black beans, mung beans, and soybeans. Each of these beans holds distinct nutritional values, particularly in terms of their protein and carbohydrate content. The differences mainly lie in the quantities of protein and carbohydrates. Generally, these beans can be roughly categorized into starchy beans and protein-rich beans. 聊到豆類 對我們亞洲人來說最熟的就是紅豆 黑豆 綠豆 黃豆了. 這些豆類營養價值各有不同. 所謂的不同, 指的是蛋白質跟醣類上的含量差異. 一般來說可以約略把這些豆分成澱粉類的豆類 以及蛋白質類的豆類.
- Beans with high starch content: Red beans, mung beans, kidney beans, fava beans, and peas. A serving of 50 grams of these beans contains around 15 grams of carbohydrates and approximately 2 grams of protein, similar to the carbohydrate content in a 50-gram serving of white rice. Hence, people who are aiming to manage their starch intake by consuming beans should pay attention to the quantity they consume.” 高澱粉含量的豆子: 紅豆, 綠豆, 花豆, 蠶豆, 豌豆仁. 來一份50公克的這些豆類跟一碗50公克的白飯所含的醣類都是15公克, 蛋白質則是2公克左右. 所以想以吃豆類控制澱粉攝取的朋友們可能要注意食用的量.
- Beans with high protein content: Soybeans, black beans, and edamame. A serving of 20 grams of soybeans contains roughly 7 grams of protein, similar to the protein content in a 30-gram serving of meat. Additionally, a cooked serving of 20 grams of soybeans has a lower starch content, approximately 2 grams.高蛋白質含量的豆子: 黃豆, 黑豆, 毛豆. 一份20公克的黃豆跟一份30公克的肉所含的蛋白質都是7公克左右. 煮熟的黃豆一份20公克澱粉質較低, 為2公克.
Then, what about chickpeas? According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), every 100 grams of chickpeas contain 19 grams of protein, 6 grams of fat, and 61 grams of carbohydrates. If we consider a serving of 20 grams, chickpeas contain around 3.8 grams of protein and approximately 12 grams of carbohydrates. Looking at it this way, chickpeas indeed have a decent amount of protein, but the carbohydrate content is quite high. Surprise! No wonder they are also called snow lotus seeds in Chinese because they contain a high amount of starch, giving them a creamy texture and a delicious taste similar to lotus seeds. In the US, chickpeas are still classified as high-protein legumes. In any case, their nutritional value is quite high. Here’s an excerpt from Wikipedia. 那麼鷹嘴豆呢? 美國農業部(USDA)的資料說呢 每100公克的鷹嘴豆含有19公克蛋白質、6公克脂肪、61公克醣類 . 如果換成一份20公克的話, 鷹嘴豆的蛋白質含量是3.8公克, 醣類則是12公克左右. 所以這樣看的話, 鷹嘴豆蛋白質含量也是頗不錯的 但是醣類也很高 *驚*! 難怪它又被我們叫做雪蓮子, 原因也是因為它含高量澱粉, 吃起來口感綿密, 跟蓮子一樣美味了. 美國這呢還是把鷹嘴豆歸到高白質豆類. 總之, 它的營養價值是很高的. 以下節錄一段Wiki:
Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, belong to the category of highly nutritious leguminous plants. They are rich in various plant proteins, amino acids, vitamins, and dietary fiber, as well as calcium, magnesium, iron, and other nutrients. Chickpeas contain more than 28% pure protein, 5% fat, 61% carbohydrates, and 4-6% fiber. They encompass over 10 different amino acids, all eight essential amino acids required by the human body, and in quantities more than double that of oats. These legumes can be consumed as a staple or in sweet dishes, roasted for snacks, canned or candied for flavorful bites, and even eaten raw in salads. They are versatile and can be steamed, boiled, stir-fried, or used in soups, making them an ideal healthy food for individuals dealing with diabetes, high blood pressure, or those suffering shenhui (a Chinese medicine term) with general physical weakness. 鹰嘴豆（Garbanzo）属于高营养豆类植物，富含多种植物蛋白和多种氨基酸、维生素、粗纤维及钙、镁、铁等成份。其中纯蛋白质含量高达28％以上，脂肪5％，碳水化合物61％，纤维4－6％，鹰嘴豆含有10多种氨基酸，其中人体必需的8种氨基酸全部具备，而且含量比燕麦还要高出2倍以上。籽粒作为主食或甜食，也可炒熟食用，也可制作罐头或蜜饯等风味小吃，鲜豆做菜也可生吃。广泛适用于蒸、煮、炒或泡汤，是糖尿病、高血压和肾虚体弱者理想的健康食品。
Because of its rich nutritional profile, including omega-3 fatty acids, regular consumption of chickpeas offers benefits such as anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, anti-atherosclerosis (heart health), and effective aid in weight management. Additionally, since it is gluten-free, it falls under the category of gluten-free foods. One of my neighbor who has a gluten allergy often consumes chickpeas along with potatoes as part of their regular diet. 因為有這麼多好營養, 加上它也含有omega-3 脂肪酸, 這些綜合營養長期食用, 可以抗過敏, 抗發炎, 抗癌, 抗動脈硬化(保心), 更能有效幫助減重喔! 且因為它不含麩質 (gluten), 屬於gluten free 一類食品, 像我的鄰居對麩質過敏的, 她們家常吃的除了馬鈴薯, 就是chickpea啦!
By the way, just like nuts, it’s highly recommended to soak and sprout legumes before adding them to your green smoothies. I usually wash and soak the dried garbanzo beans overnight in the fridge so that they’re ready to cook the next morning. As mentioned earlier, sprouting these foods helps release their nutrients, making it easier for our bodies to easily digest and absorb the nutritional goodness from these seeds.. 對了, 所有要加入綠拿鐵中一塊打的豆類跟堅果一樣, 強烈建議最好先浸泡催芽過(我通常在前一晚洗淨泡水放冰箱, 隔天一早就可以煮了), 之前提到, 在催芽的過程中, 這些食物能讓自身的營養釋放出來. 讓我們身體可以更輕鬆的吸收到這些種子的營養喔!
Reference 參考資料:
Wiki chickpea in English and Chinese . 維基本科看鷹嘴豆
A great bean for our health in English and Chinese 吃鷹嘴豆好處多多
The benefits of sprouting seeds 種子催芽的好處: Chinese and English.
Darcy Loves 2 Share : 搭喜愛分享 