It’s impressive how far lower-carb flours have come in recent years. It used to be that people with blood sugar concerns were left out in the cold when it came to baking. But, over the years, the market has grown. Now, flours made from almond, flax and coconut are everywhere. You don’t even have to go to specialty stores! They’re in Walmart!
Chickpea flour is a staple in places like India but has only been taking off recently here. It is in Walmart and other stores. But fewer recipes call for it than most low-carb flours. It has more carbs than many other low-carb flours. However, it is also lower in calories and fat. Those two factors can make it very attractive!
A fourth of a cup of chickpea flour has 89 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, 13 grams of carbs, 2.5 grams of fiber and five grams of protein.
Almond flour has 160 calories, 14 grams of fat, six grams of carbs, three grams of fiber, six grams of protein for the same amount.
A fourth of a cup of coconut flour is 120 calories, four grams of fat, 18 grams of carbs, 10 grams of fiber, and six grams of protein.
But, where it really outshines the competition is its vitamin and mineral content. Chickpea flour contains 101 percent of your daily folate, 74 percent of your daily manganese, 42 percent of your daily copper and 38 percent of your magnesium. It also has 30 percent of your thiamine, 29 percent of your phosphorus and 25 percent of your iron. It’s almost like a multivitamin that you bake with!
And, another perk is that it behaves more like wheat flour than most low-carb flours. Even though it’s gluten-free, it behaves similarly to white flour while baking, making it great for bread! And, it doesn’t need extra binding ingredients, like most low-carb flours, because it’s dense.
“Chickpea flour is a unique flour, in that the nutritional benefits, versatility, taste and texture it lends to gluten-free cooking is rare when compared to other flours,” said Lindsey Love. She even wrote a cookbook devoted to recipes for it: Chickpea Flour Does It All.
We think, if you try chickpea flour, it could become a favorite in your kitchen. It’s widely available, its nutritional benefits are excellent and its recipe range is unbeatable!
