Chickpea pasta is a high protein, lower carb, gluten-free alternative to traditional pasta. It is made of chickpeas, but tastes and looks just like the real deal. In fact, Banza's pasta shapes include Rotini, Penne, Spaghetti, Linguine, Shells, Angel Hair, Rigatoni, and Ziti.
Chickpea Pasta Nutrition Facts
The nutrient profile of chickpea pasta outweighs that of traditional pasta, containing 25g of protein, 13g of fiber, and 40% fewer net carbs per 3.5oz serving than traditional pasta. Compared to white or brown pasta, chickpea pasta will definitely keep you fuller for longer and more satisfied.
Health Benefits of Banza Chickpea Pasta
1. Allergy Friendly
For those who are intolerant to wheat, gluten, soy, dairy, or eggs, chickpea pasta is the miracle! Specifically fromBanza, their chickpea pasta is not made with any major food allergens as defined by the FDA. On top of that, it is vegan, NON-GMO, and has no artificial ingredients.
Given that it's made from chickpeas, Banza pasta is a low glycemic index food — this means it is less likely to cause blood sugar spikes. When your blood sugar rises and then falls immediately after, it can lead to hunger and fatigue.
When this occurs frequently, your blood glucose levels may remain elevated for a longer period of time and your body will be unable to absorb the glucose. This can lead to insulin resistance, which can increase risk of type 2 diabetes.In onestudy, 13 healthy subjects who tried spaghetti made from chickpea flour experienced significantly lower GI (58.9) than when they tried traditional spaghetti (72.8).
The legume-based pasta also had a higher total polyphenol content and antioxidants than regular pasta. This study confirms the benefits of chickpea pasta and encourages a wider usage of legume based pastas in our diets.
3. Increases Muscle Mass
Banza's chickpea pasta contains 25g of protein per serving anddoublethe amount of essential amino acids found in durum wheat pasta. Whether you're trying to gain muscle mass or maintain a well balanced diet, it is important to get enough protein in your diet.
While many individuals can get their protein from eating a variety of whole foods, others may struggle or require more. Chickpea pasta is protein-rich which can not only satisfy that pasta craving, but also help you reach your protein intake much easier.
Although pasta typically gets a notoriously bad rep for its carb-laden profile, it no longer needs to! With chickpea pasta, you can still enjoy your favorite pasta dish and stay on a healthy diet.
4. Improves Digestive System
Given that chickpea pasta contains 13g of fiber per serving, it can help with your digestive system by regulating bowel movements and keeping them healthy. Despite the array of high fiber foods available, Americans typically fall short on meeting their dietary fiber needs.
While the recommended intake of fiber is 20-30g, adults are only getting about 15 grams per day, almost half of what is required. This is why chickpea pasta can be a great alternative to traditional pasta for increasing your fiber intake.
5. Reduces Risk of Chronic Disease
Because Banza chickpea pasta does not cause a spike in blood sugar levels and has a low GI, it is linked with a lower risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, the high nutrient profile (particularly the high fiber content) helps reduce the absorption of cholesterol in your bloodstream. It may also reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering blood pressure and reducing inflammation. In onemeta-analysis, participants who consumed high dietary fiber experienced reductions in relative risk (RR) of 0.77-0.83 when it came to mortality. Hence, high fiber reduces their incidence and mortality from cardiovascular disease.
Banza Pasta Recipe Ideas
Cooking with Banza chickpea pasta is very easy and simple! Here are some ideas to get you started:
This Anabolic Aliens membership will grant you access to workout classes, rehab programs, diet plans, and more exclusive content to help you achieve sustainable success!
Banza is a chickpea based pasta alternative stating that their pasta has 50x the protein, 3x the fiber, and 25% fewer net carbs than regular pasta…we will take a look at what that actually looks like later in the blog.
Yes! Chickpeas themselves are plant-based powerhouses chock-full of both protein and fiber — up to 8 grams of each per ½ cup serving. Plus, they're a sustainable food source along with other pulses like beans, peas, and lentils.
Be sure to try different brands, like Barilla or Banza too, because the quality can differ, as can the taste and texture. To make a long story short, yes, chickpea pasta is good for you—and its filling, nutrient-dense nature can help you reach your weight loss goals too.
Rinsing Banza after cooking removes the chickpea starch that forms during the cooking process. To decrease the foam, fill your pot with more water, turn the burner down to a lower heat, add a splash of olive oil to the water, and/or scrape some foam off the top with a spoon.
Plus, pasta shelves these days look different than they did 20 years ago. You can find legume-based options made with black beans, chickpeas and lentils that offer protein and fiber that might help reduce inflammatory woes.
Both soluble and insoluble fiber aid digestive health. Chickpeas contain both types but are an especially good source of soluble fiber ( 1 , 24). Soluble fiber attracts water and forms a gel during digestion, which helps slow digestion.
Also called whole-grain pasta, this type of pasta keeps the bran, endosperm, and germ of the grain together. It's filled with fiber, vitamins, and minerals. This helps you feel full longer and keeps your blood sugar from spiking. It also has a little over 8 grams of protein per cup cooked.
Chickpeas count as both a carbohydrate and a protein. One half-cup of cooked chickpeas provides approximately 22 grams of carbohydrates and 7 grams of protein. That's the same about of protein as about one ounce of lean meat, lean poultry, or seafood, making chickpeas a great source of plant-based protein.
A report from a nonprofit organization called Moms Across America claimed to find high levels of glyphosate in Banza chickpea pasta. The herbicide is sometimes found in chickpea products because it is used around the time chickpeas are harvested.
This part makes me so sad, but it makes sense that the cost is high. I can't say I know the details of Banza's entire production process, but turning chickpeas into pasta must take some sort of Hogwarts-level sorcery, right? And beyond that, they add pea protein which likely ups the cost, too.
Chickpea pasta, Morrison acknowledges, is "high in fiber," which is great for many who need more of the nutrient in their diet, but could "cause bloating for some, especially people with IBS." Chickpea pasta, Hanes agrees, can "potentially cause bloating and indigestion for some people for a couple of reasons." She ...
Like most pastas, it's best to cook Chickapea in a big pot, full of boiling, salted water. We recommend 10 cups of water per box. The more space the pasta has to move around, the better. Once water is boiling, reduce to a boil over medium heat.
Loaded with protein, thanks to the chickpeas, Banza pasta has 25 grams of protein, 13 grams of fiber and 42 grams of net carbs per serving (versus 13 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber and 70 grams of net carbs for a traditional pasta serving), and it's low glycemic index and gluten-free.
Due to the high fiber and protein content, chickpeas are considered to be great for weight loss. It is said to slow down digestion, improve satiety and keep unhealthy calories at bay. All of these factors help in shedding kilos and maintaining a healthy weight.
Legume pastas, like lentil or pea pastas, are higher in protein and fibre than traditional wheat pastas but this is not necessarily needed. If you are adding a protein and vegetable rich sauce to your pasta already though, you might be better having the starchy carb from your wholegrain pasta, a much cheaper option.
Introduction: My name is Aracelis Kilback, I am a nice, gentle, agreeable, joyous, attractive, combative, gifted person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
