Finding that one special ingredient that can keep you full while you’re trying to eat healthily seems next to impossible. It might appear far-fetched, but some foods can ward off feelings of hunger while helping you burn calories. While visions of raw celery might spring to mind, don’t immediately assume a filling food that helps promote weight loss has to come with a minuscule calorie count. The perfect weight loss ingredient that keeps you full has to contain significant levels of protein, in addition to filling fibre. 

Luckily, there’s an ingredient that fits the bill; chickpeas. They are a great weight-loss food as the two key nutrients that help you feel full, fibre and protein.

Pulses like chickpeas contain satiating protein to keep you full throughout the day by making your body produce more appetite-suppressing hormones. A bonus is that this legume has a low caloric content, making it a great way to increase your protein gains without packing on any extra fat. The fibre found in chickpeas also slows down the absorption of carbohydrates in your bloodstream, preventing sudden blood sugar spikes. Combine this advantage with the power of the bean’s protein content, and you have an ingredient that can transform any meal into a dieter’s dream. 

The only thing left to think about is how to prepare the bean. Chickpeas are extremely versatile so, including this special legume into your diet couldn’t prove easier. 

Here are some easy ways to incorporate chickpeas into your diet: – 

Hummus 

To a food processor, you’ll add chickpeas, 2 Tbsp liquid from chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and cumin. Season with salt to taste (I use about 1/2 tsp). Process the mixture for 5 minutes while stopping and scraping the sides once through mixing, and adding additional liquid from chickpeas to thin as needed. Plate and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with paprika. Store in refrigerator. 

Roasted Chickpeas

In a medium bowl, toss the chickpeas with olive oil. Add the spices after baking because they tend to burn. So don’t worry about them for now. Preheat your oven to 350 °F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the chickpeas on the baking sheet and bake them for 25 minutes. Then take the chickpeas out of the oven and place them in the bowl you used before. Add the spices and toss well until the chickpeas are coated evenly. Return them to the baking sheet and bake for another 10 minutes until they’re browned and crunchy. 

Sticky Sesame Chickpeas 

Drain and rinse the chickpeas and set them aside. Mince the garlic and add to a sauté pan with avocado or olive oil. I suggest using a garlic press so, it’s very finely minced and you don’t end up with any large pieces in the sauce. Sauté for a few minutes or until the garlic is very fragrant. In a small bowl combine the arrowroot powder and 2 tbsp of the vegetable broth and mix until no clumps remain. Set aside. To the sauté pan with the garlic, add in the low sodium soy sauce, sesame oil, maple syrup, rice vinegar, ginger, and the additional 2 tbsp of vegetable broth. Whisk together. Add in the arrowroot mixture and stir. When bubbles start to form, add in the chickpeas and stir until they are well coated. Cook on low heat until the sauce becomes thick and sticky, about 5 minutes. stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and let sit to allow the chickpeas to absorb all of the flavours. Serve with steamed broccoli or quinoa and enjoy!