Kabuli Chana – The delicious tan coloured pea

Chickpeas or Kabuli Chana is another Indian favourite dal. The chickpea or kabuli chana is called garbanzo bean, Bengal gram, Egyptian pea and so on. This grain is also called ‘Safed Chana’ as the colour of this legume ranges from white to tan. It is plump round and pointed towards one end and is used for all kind of dishes from starters, evening snacks, soups and broths, main course and for many baked goodies for its tastiness.

Apart from being healthy the flour made from this pea serves as a readily available beauty ingredient at home. From scrubbing, clearing black spots, white heads to removing tan, the gram flour works wonders on skin and hair. The other names are Kadalai in Tamil, Buta in Oriya, Kadala in Malayalam and Chola in Bengali.

Setting it apart

It is a versatile pulse used in many delicious dishes like ‘Chole or Chana masala’ in India, whereas international dips like ‘Hummus’ cannot be made without the chana. The flour of this lentil goes into preparing falafel while as a whole grain, it goes into making delicious salads, soups and stews.

Cultivation

This chana is cultivated in Afghanistan, Africa, Chile, and such other places. They are sizeable lentils with a light tan coating. While the ideal temperature is between 20- 30 degree Celsius, a chickpea is grown in moist conditions. It is a winter crop and does not tolerate heavy rainfall.

Nutritive value of Chana per cup

Calories	265gm
Protein	17gm
Calcium	200mg
Dietary Fiber(cholesterol reducing)	13gm
Fat	5gmsg
Carbs	44gm

Health Trivia

Kabuli Chana or Chickpeas is rated high on the nutrition chart.
Packed with nutrition: It has in good amounts Vitamin B6, C, K, magnesium, zinc, potassium. The legume is low in sodium and therefore helps in maintaining blood pressure level. Folate in chickpeas is believed to prevent the formation of cancer cells as it helps in creating and repairing our DNA. This lentil is known to push up the energy levels keeping you vibrant for long.
Cholesterol: Having this grain in your diet can decrease the cholesterol (bad lipid) in the blood.
Heart health: Low in cholesterol, it has an added benefit in sustaining blood pressure levels. This makes chickpeas an excellent support for a healthy heart.
Low in GI: High in dietary fibre, this legume keeps your blood sugar in check, especially type 2 diabetes. As it has a low GI (Glycemic Index) this grain is recommended for diabetics.
Eases Constipation: Not to mention, the high dietary fiber eases the condition of constipation and restores normalcy in bowel movements. It works to keep a healthy digestion functioning efficiently.
Helpful for patients suffering from IBS: Kabuli Chana is known to aid those afflicted with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. This pulse is well tolerated by those with this condition.
Increases bone density: Rich in every vitamin, essential minerals and in its correct proportion, a chickpea is a perfect legume in the building and maintaining of bone strength. Moreover, vitamin K in this crop improves calcium absorption which helps repair bones.
Weight management and satiety: Dietary fibers act to increase a feeling of fullness and reduce appetite. As this controls hunger it lowers calorie intake and does wonders when maintaining the right body weight.
Chickpeas go a long way to give one good complexion and strong, shiny hair. So ensure that you have a kabuli chana dish regularly in your meal.