Compare chickpeas and peas: what is the difference and what is the similarity

Among those who care about their health, products that are not quite traditional for our country are gaining popularity. Much of the demand for them is driven by skillful advertising. For example, chickpeas are being touted as a better alternative to the familiar peas. Is it so? We will tell you how chickpeas differ from regular peas and how they are used in cooking and traditional medicine.

What are chickpeas and peas

Chickpeas and peas are legumes. What is the difference between them? The seeds of these plants are used for food. Chickpeas are also called Turkish, Uzbek, Volozhsky and lamb peas, bubblegum, shish and nohat.

Chickpeas are nuts or peas

From a botanical point of view, chickpeas cannot be considered a nut, since they do not have a woody pericarp.

Both cultures belong to different genera of the same family, therefore it is also incorrect to call chickpeas peas.

Reference. Peanuts are another plant in the legume family that also does not belong to nuts.

How do they differ

The close relationship between the two plants often leads to confusion between the products. However, upon close examination, characteristic differences between chickpea and peas.

Differences in appearance, taste, aroma

Both legumes are herbaceous plants, but the stalk of the chickpea is erect and that of the pea is curly. The ripe fruit - the pod - of the chickpea is shorter, swollen, it contains from 1 to 4 large seeds with a diameter of up to 10 mm. These seeds have a characteristic shape, which is compared to the head of a ram, yellow or dark in color, and a rough surface. The pea pod is oblong, the seeds are smooth, usually spherical or slightly angular, green.

Due to its thermophilicity (beans are formed at a temperature of + 24 ... + 28 ° C), chickpeas tend to regions with a hot climate - Central Asia, India, East Africa, the Mediterranean. Peas grow well in temperate latitudes.

Gourmets note a pleasant nutty shade in the chickpea aftertaste, its buttery-velvety structure. The taste of peas is more delicate, especially when fresh.

In characteristics, composition, KBZHU

Comparison of the energy and nutritional value of chickpeas and peas (dry) is given in the table.

Chickpeas are high in B2, B6, B9, C, E, K (phylloquinone). However, peas have more B1, B4, B5, PP and H (biotin).

100 g of dry whole peas contain:

• almost 3 daily values ​​of silicon;
• 75% of the daily value of copper;
• 41% phosphorus;
• 38% - iron;
• 35% potassium;
• 27% magnesium;
• 26.5% zinc.

In a set of minerals chickpeas ahead of peas only in the amount of manganese (10 times the daily norm in only 100 g of the product), and also contains less sodium, which is good for patients with hypertension. Compared to peas, chickpeas are richer in fatty acids, saturated and polyunsaturated, in particular, omega-6 (56% of the daily value).

In good and bad

Chickpeas are higher in calories than peas, contain more fat and dietary fiber, therefore, gives a long-lasting feeling of fullness... Thus, the product helps to gain muscle mass without increasing fat deposits, which makes it indispensable in sports nutrition.

Low sodium is a strong argument for including it in the diet of people with hypertension.Manganese in the plant helps prevent diseases of the cardiovascular system, is necessary for the absorption of vitamins B, C and E, is responsible for the health of the human nervous system. It's also a great food for diabetics - beans contain only 10.7 g of digestible carbohydrates, so even cooked they do not lead to a sharp jump in blood sugar.

All legumes cause strong gas formation, but peas especially "sin" with this. Oligosaccharides are poorly soluble in gastric juice and cause fermentation.

Reference. To avoid flatulence, the dry product is soaked in cold water before cooking. Reduces bloating and the addition of mint, dill or turmeric to ready-made meals.

Cooking methods and times

Chickpeas have hard grains, so they require a longer heat treatment:

• 40 minutes will take pre-boiling before frying,
• 1 hour - until soft
• 2 hours - until puree.

Chickpeas are soaked in cold water. If this is not done, cooking will take about 4 hours.

What common

Chickpeas and peas belong to the same botanical family and have a number of similar characteristics, for example, the structure of the vegetative part of the plant - leaves, flowers, seed box.

Both products are nutritious and are used in lean and vegetarian menus as an alternative to meat. They have a positive effect on glucose indicators, as they contain enzymes that help lower sugar levels.

Both peas and chickpeas have a diuretic effect, but are contraindicated in nephritis, urolithiasis, thrombophilia and gout.

What's more useful

It is impossible to assert unequivocally about the benefits of a particular product, since individual reactions of the body are possible. Chickpeas are slightly more nutritious, but the mineral composition of peas is more diverse and rich.

When compiling a diet, the regional and price aspects are taken into account: peas are more common in Russia and, accordingly, are cheaper than chickpeas. Therefore, chasing an exotic product is not always rational. However, chickpeas are just right for a variety of food and expanding gastronomic horizons.

The use of chickpeas and peas in cooking

Chickpeas are common in Middle Eastern and Indian cuisine and are used in traditional dishes such as:

• hummus - a homogeneous paste of boiled beans, which is spread on bread or served as a sauce for fresh vegetables;
• falafel - deep-fried balls of chickpea puree;
• leblels - a crunchy delicacy from dry chickpeas fried in a dry pan, can be unleavened, spicy or candied;
• farinata - Italian unleavened flatbread made from chickpea flour;
• Chana Chole and Hana Masala- Indian dishes of stewed beans with spices and vegetables.

Raw food diets use sprouted chickpeas - so it retains a maximum of useful properties.

Peas have become more widespread in world cooking. It is eaten fresh, canned, boiled, stewed and fried. The most popular dishes - pea soup and chowder - have been known since antiquity. In Russia, porridge, jelly was cooked from peas, and used as a filling for pies.

In folk medicine

Popular wisdom is ingenious in treatment, and almost any plant is used in the treatment of many diseases. Legumes were no exception.

The healing properties of peas:

• a decoction of young shoots prevents the formation of kidney stones, promotes the elimination of excess salts;
• a mixture of pea flour and raw chicken protein is used as an external agent in the treatment of eczema, erysipelas and other skin diseases;
• to get rid of boils and carbuncles, poultices of crushed pea seeds are applied to the affected area;
• 1 tsp pea flour on an empty stomach - a remedy for the prevention of migraines, constipation and high cholesterol;
• pea flour is added to homemade cosmetic masks for oily and problem skin, and bean puree moisturizes and nourishes dry skin.

Medicinal properties of chickpea:

• to cleanse the body for a week, they consume every day, breaking into small portions, a glass of beans soaked and mashed in mashed potatoes;
• warm chickpea stew eases coughing, and in combination with radish oil, celery and grated almonds, prevents urolithiasis;
• a decoction of beans is used for poisoning and constipation;
• to maintain youthful skin and relieve inflammation, use a cosmetic mask: a glass of chickpeas soaked for 12 hours is mashed, mixed with 1 tbsp. l. vegetable oil and 1 tbsp. l. honey (wash off the mask with water remaining after soaking the beans).

Conclusion

Chickpeas are tasty and nutritious beans native to the Middle East, but they have no particular competitive advantages over regular seed peas. The vitamin and mineral composition of these products is similar, as is the effect on the human body.