15 Surprising Benefits of Chana That You Should Know About!
It's impossible to find an Indian household that is not stocked with chana dal. In addition to being the main ingredient in dishes such as dal and vada, it is also used to prepare masalas.
They pair well with a wide range of foods and ingredients due to their nutty flavour and grainy texture.
The high vitamin, mineral, and fibre content of chana may have numerous health benefits, including improving digestion, lowering disease risk, and aiding in weight management.
Furthermore, this legume is high in protein, making it an excellent vegetarian or vegan alternative to meat.
We've rounded up 13 health benefits of chickpeas - along with our favourite methods for roasting chana!
Chana Calories
One cup serving (195 grams) of Chana has 281 calories.
Benefits of Chana
Chana is a powerhouse of protein, fibre, vitamins, minerals, and heart-healthy fat. It provides enormous health benefits such as weight management, a healthy heart, etc. Mentioned below are some benefits of chana:
1) Controls blood sugar:
Chana contains complex carbohydrates, protein and fibre. It regulates sugar absorption in your body. It decreases blood sugar levels and, hence, reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes.
2) May promote brain health:
It’s rich in nutrients, so it may support brain function and mental health. Chana is also a great source of choline, which plays an important role in brain function.
3) Aids in weight loss:
Soaked chana is rich in protein and fibre that promotes weight management. It may reduce your appetite by lowering your calorie intake. Roasted yellow chana benefits in weight loss too by giving you a fuller feeling and thus decreasing your meal consumption.
4) Prevent certain chronic diseases:
Soaked chana is a good source of minerals like magnesium and potassium, which helps to prevent high blood pressure and reduce bad cholesterol levels. Hence it boosts heart health. It also promotes the production of butyrate, a fatty acid that reduces inflammation. Its antioxidants lower the risk of colon, breast, and lung cancer.
5) Improve haemoglobin levels:
It is rich in iron and hence improves haemoglobin levels in your body. Soaked chana is highly recommended for people suffering from anaemia and pregnant and lactating women.
6) Has anti-ageing benefits:
Magnesium content in chana hydrates skin and increases collagen production. This helps in reducing wrinkles, free radicals and other ageing signs.
7) Gives you healthy and luscious hair:
It has vitamin A, B6, zinc, and manganese that boosts protein production required for building hairs. Thus it keeps your hair follicles strong, prevents premature greying of hair and reduces hair fall.
8) Good Source of Protein and Energy:
It is the best source of protein, especially for vegetarians. It fuels your body with protein and helps you to remain full for longer. Regular consumption of black chana makes you strong and prevents body weakness.
9) Improves Digestion:
It flushes out harmful toxins from your body and maintains digestive health. It fights constipation and indigestion.
10) Maintains Heart Health:
Black chana is loaded with antioxidants and phytonutrients, which keep your blood vessels in the heart healthy. Its essential minerals prevent the formation of blood clots.
11)Maintains Cholesterol Level:
Chana contains soluble fibre that binds the bile acids and reduces the cholesterol level in your body.
12) Maintains Your Eyes Health:
Chana contains zinc that helps to treat night blindness.
13) Balances pH level:
Soaked chana is rich in mineral phosphorus. It helps to neutralize the acids and maintain pH levels in your body.
14) Chickpeas Benefits for Skin
Mentioned below are the benefits of chickpeas for skin:
- Gives you blemish-free skin:
Chickpeas are loaded with magnesium and zinc, which reduces the fine lines, spots, uneven skin tone, and wrinkles. They maintain fatty acid content in your body and increase the elasticity of the skin. It also reduces signs of premature ageing.
The anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidants of chickpeas protect your skin from free radicals. Hence, it gives you blemish-free and radiant skin. The zinc in chickpeas eliminates acne and spots and also prevents them from surfacing on the skin.
- Maintains sebum production (natural oil production of the skin):
Chickpeas have loads of antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties, and a low glycemic index. This helps in balancing the sebum production of the skin. It also acts as a pH balancer of the skin.
- Helps to treat Leucoderma/Vitiligo:
Regular consumption of chickpeas may assist in treating skin problems such as vitiligo or leucoderma. It also contains amino acids that promote the production of melanin which regenerates the skin. This helps in treating these chronic skin diseases.
15) Boiled Chana for Weight Loss
Here’s a boiled black chana chaat recipe that may help you maintain a healthy weight:
Ingredients:
- 150 g black chickpeas
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes
- 15g green chillies
- Lemon juice
- White and black salt as per taste
- 2 tsp chaat masala
- 1 tsp red chillies powder
- 1 lemon
- Coriander leaves for garnishing
Preparation:
- Put boiled chana in a big bowl.
- Add chopped onion, tomato and chilli to the bowl.
- Sprinkle salt, chillies powder, chaat masala and black Salt to it and mix.
- Squeeze fresh lime or lemon juice into the chaat and mix it well.
- Add a few coriander leaves for garnishing.
Side Effects of Chana
There are multiple health and nutritional benefits of chana. However, you should consume it in a moderate quantity only. Wondering how much roasted chana to eat daily for avoiding side effects? 50 grams per day with jaggery are enough to provide you with nutrients without causing any disbalance in body functions.
However, you should avoid eating chana if you:
- Have diarrhoea
- Have bloating or gastric issues
- Have high uric acid and gout
- Are suffering from kidney stones or severe legume allergy
Immediately consult a doctor if you experience skin rashes, headaches, or coughs soon after eating chana.
Bhuna Chana Vs Regular Chana - What's the Difference?
- Regular chana can’t be eaten raw, but bhuna chana can be eaten easily.
- Regular chana needs to be cooked before consumption. So it loses out its inherent nutritive properties and becomes less nutrient. However, bhuna chana or roasted chana benefits are many such as providing higher calories, improving digestive system and assisting in weight loss. It retains most properties of regular chana and thus is more beneficial for health.
Ways to Roast Chana
Although roasted chana is readily available in the market, it can also be prepared at home in certain ways.
Here’s how -
- Take the required amount of chickpeas or grams. Rinse them and drain the water.
- Melt 1 cup table salt in a pot with a thick bottom.
- Stir frequently until salt is very hot and starts to splutter.
- Next, add a fistful of rinsed chickpeas or chana. Roast them at high heat for about 10 minutes
- In 1 - 2 minutes, the chickpeas will begin to pop. Continue roasting for a further 10 seconds
- Take them out using a netted spatula. Serve hot.
Summing Up on Benefits of Chana
Chickpeas boost vitamins, minerals, fibre, and protein, which may support weight management, blood sugar regulation, and brain function while lowering the risk of chronic conditions like cancer and heart disease. To get started with chickpeas, try roasting them for a snack or adding them to a salad to get started with chickpeas.
Faqs
1) What Is the Best Time to Eat Chana?
It is best to consume chana with breakfast. A healthy combination of chickpeas and other fresh vegetables will keep your blood sugar levels stable throughout the day. Besides being a good source of protein, carbohydrates, and fibre, chana also contains Vitamin B6 and tryptophan, making them a good choice for the evening.
2) Can We Eat Chana Empty Stomach?
Yes, you can eat chana on an empty stomach. This is one of the best and healthiest breakfast options for people with diabetes and high blood sugar levels. Most people eat boiled Kala chana for breakfast each day due to its many health benefits.