Ground flour

Chickpea flour (besan) is a popular product in Asia. It is made from chickpeas – the so-called Turkish (mutton) peas. Chickpeas have been cultivated for over 7500 years. From the Middle East, he came to Ancient Greece and Rome, where they cooked porridge from him, called pulse. The ancient oriental physician Avicenna believed that there are no healthier dishes than from this flour, and the stew from it treats lung diseases. In ancient Rome, flour from these legumes was used as a diuretic (diuretic) agent, as well as to treat impotence in men.

Every year the collection of these legumes increases in the world. The high yield and nutritional value of this crop has made chickpeas popular in countries with large populations. The world’s leading chickpea growers are India, Pakistan and Australia. While in the first two countries the harvest is mainly intended for domestic consumption, Australia grows chickpeas mainly for sale on the world market.

Chemical composition

Like all legumes, chickpeas are a valuable source of vegetable protein. 100 g of chickpea flour contains up to 20 g of protein, 3-5 g of fat and 50-60 g of carbohydrates. The calorie content of this product is 330-360 kcal.

Chickpea proteins in terms of biological value can replace animal proteins, as they are a source of essential amino acids, in particular methionine, lysine and tryptophan. Due to the high protein content, chickpea flour contains many purine bases.

Lamb pea fats are classified as “useful”, that is, they consist mainly of mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Flour from it is rich in phytosterols – substitutes for animal cholesterol. Phytosterols are involved in the synthesis of steroid hormones, and are also part of cell membranes.

Carbohydrates of chickpea flour are 15% represented by water-insoluble fiber, which acts as an absorbent in the stomach and intestines. Swelling in the stomach, fiber increases in volume, thereby causing a quick feeling of fullness. In the small intestine, dietary fiber retains cholesterol, which enters the intestine with food or is excreted in the bile.

Due to this composition, this bean product can be called dietary, despite its rather high calorie content.

Chickpeas are enriched with vitamins and minerals.

Most of these substances are found in chickpea flour in quantities that can affect the functioning of the human body. These are vitamin PP, folic acid, silicon, manganese, molybdenum, copper, phosphorus, selenium, potassium, magnesium, zinc, calcium, iron.

Useful Properties

Besan is used mainly in cooking, but its beneficial properties allow it to be used in traditional medicine and cosmetology.

Chickpeas contain the highest amount of the essential amino acid methionine of any other crop. This amino acid is involved in the synthesis of neurotransmitters (adrenaline and acetylcholine), which contributes to the normal transmission of impulses along nerve fibers. As a result of this, the reaction speed is accelerated, memory and analytical abilities are improved, and working capacity is increased. In addition, methionine takes part in the metabolism of fats and vitamins, and exhibits an antitoxic effect.

Chickpea flour is gluten-free, so it is recommended to replace gluten-containing products (from cereal flour) with bread and dishes from it in the diet of people suffering from celiac disease.

In Australia, at the beginning of the XNUMXst century, large-scale clinical studies were carried out, during which the dependence of the level of insulin in the blood on the intake of dishes from chickpea flour was studied. Studies have found that taking besan dishes slightly increases the concentration of glucose in the blood and, accordingly, the subsequent insulin response to this increase, so chickpea flour can be considered a product for diabetics.

Another US clinical study in 2007 showed that chickpea flour can help lower blood cholesterol levels. On the one hand, the hypocholesterolemic effect is due to the presence of phytosterols in the product, which “dilute” animal cholesterol, since they have a molecule similar to it. On the other hand, vegetable fiber absorbs cholesterol while still in the intestines, reducing its absorption.

Due to the low calorie content, high protein content, the presence of zinc and calcium, chickpea flour is recommended to be added to meals for everyone who wants to lose weight. B vitamins, tocopherols, iron, zinc and magnesium strengthen the immune system and promote hematopoiesis.

Proteins, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, besan vitamins contribute to the intensive growth and harmonious sexual development of the child’s body. For the elderly, this product will help maintain vision and prevent osteoporosis.

Possible harm

Despite all the benefits of chickpea flour, in some cases it can be harmful and even dangerous:

• limiting the use of mutton pea flour is necessary with a tendency to flatulence or diarrhea;
• people with food allergies should eat besan dishes with caution;
• it is forbidden to use chickpea flour for people suffering from gout, peptic ulcer, acute diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and kidneys, thrombophlebitis.

Chickpea flour is not a food allergen, but when trying dishes from it for the first time, it is advisable to reduce the serving size to a minimum in order to avoid unforeseen consequences in the form of allergies or individual intolerances.

Application in medicine

Due to this range of useful properties, besan has found its application in the treatment of various diseases. It is useful to add chickpea flour to dishes for various diseases:

• central nervous system (depression, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, autism, attention deficit disorder, schizophrenia);
• digestive organs (cirrhosis of the liver, hepatitis, fatty degeneration of the liver);
• heart and blood vessels (atherosclerosis, arrhythmias of various origins, coronary heart disease, after strokes);
• eyes (decreased visual acuity, cataracts, glaucoma);
• metabolism (diabetes, obesity, growth retardation in children);
• musculoskeletal system (arthritis, arthrosis, osteoporosis, after injuries, bruises, sprains);
• autoimmune pathologies, fermentopathy (celiac disease);
• anemia, including after heavy menstrual bleeding, metrorrhagia, childbirth;
• toxicosis of pregnant women and intrauterine growth retardation of the fetus;
• disorders of the male genital area (sexual impotence, prostatitis, prostate adenomas).

Chickpea flour soup helps to separate sputum from the respiratory tract, so this dish is recommended to be included in the diet for diseases of the respiratory system (bronchitis, pneumonia, laryngitis, tracheitis, tuberculosis, bronchiectasis) since the time of Avicenna.

The regular presence of chickpea flour in dishes, due to the large amount of B vitamins in it, helps to get rid of skin diseases (dermatitis, eczema, itching, rash, seborrhea).

The antioxidant properties of chickpeas and flour from it also make it possible to talk about the anti-cancer properties of these products and include dishes from them in the menu for the prevention or early stages of cancer.

Used in cosmetics

Chickpea flour is used in the manufacture of cosmetics for external use. Scrubs and masks for the skin of the face, décolleté and the whole body, depilation products, hair masks are prepared from it.

As a scrub, it cleanses the pores of sebum, comedones (blackheads) and flaking. In masks for the face and décolleté, chickpea flour nourishes and moisturizes the skin, improves complexion. Regular use of scrubs and masks based on mutton pea powder allows you to get rid of acne and scars on the skin after them. A hair mask based on grated mutton peas nourishes the hair roots, strengthens them and makes them silky and shiny.

In India, this product is used to prepare products that help fight unwanted hair growth in some areas of the body.

Body Scrub

To prepare it, you need to take 3 parts of chickpeas, 2 parts of cornmeal and one part of oatmeal. This mixture should be diluted with milk to a thick consistency. You need to do this scrub just before use, otherwise it will dry out quickly. The product is applied to wet skin, massaged with a hard washcloth for five minutes, then washed off with warm water and a light moisturizer is applied.

Mask for shine of hair

The mask is prepared from a tablespoon of mutton pea flour, the same amount of cottage cheese, the juice of one lemon and the protein of one chicken egg. All ingredients are mixed and applied to clean, damp hair for half an hour. After that, the mask is thoroughly washed off.

How to store

Chickpea flour packaged in paper or plastic bags should be stored at room temperature in a dry place for up to one year.

After opening the package, the product must be poured into a clean, hermetically sealed container and placed in the refrigerator or freezer. In this case, the shelf life is extended to 6 months (or one year, respectively) from the moment the package is opened. It is undesirable to store flour after opening at room temperature: the shelf life is reduced to 1 month.

Use in cooking

Adding besan to a dish improves its taste and nutritional value. Chickpea flour can be added to dough for bread and pastries, desserts, soups, cereals, gravies, sauces, used as a savory breading for meat and fish. Mutton pea flour imparts a spicy, nutty flavor to dishes to which it is added. It can be used on its own or mixed with other types of flour, such as rice or wheat flour.

In Asian countries, dishes are very popular, where one of the ingredients is chickpea flour. In Kyrgyzstan, bread shirmay nan is baked from it, in Tajikistan – cakes of chabata and kulcha, in India – cakes of sokka, pudla and bondi sweets, in Arab countries – hummus.

From India, chickpea flour came to Europe, where it fell in love and became one of the ingredients of national dishes in Italy (farinata), France (archi), Spain (tortillas de camarones).

Besan goes well with many ingredients and dishes that are popular in different cuisines around the world:

• rice and wheat flour;
• cocoa powder, sugar, molasses;
• spices and spices (pepper, nutmeg, coriander, cardamom, cumin, cinnamon, vanilla);
• fats (creamy, vegetable);
• fruits (orange, lemon, coconut (shavings), mango, apricots, plums, dried fruits and candied fruits);
• vegetables (pumpkin, carrots, tomatoes, cabbage, onions, garlic);
• green vegetables (lettuce, parsley, arugula);
• nuts and seeds (almonds, cashews, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, sesame);
• dairy products (hard cheeses, kefir, milk);
• fish and seafood;
• meat (lamb, beef);
• cereals (rice, oatmeal, corn);
• eggs.

There are a lot of recipes for chickpea flour dishes, and every housewife can choose for herself the recipe that will become a favorite in her family. Having once tried to cook a dish with besan, it is already difficult to imagine your diet without this spicy product.

Tortillas de Camarones

Ingredients: a glass of small shrimp, a glass of chickpea-wheat mixture in a ratio of 1: 3, 300 ml of water, 0,5 tsp. salt, chopped green onions and parsley, refined vegetable (olive) oil. All components of the dish, except for vegetable oil, are mixed. Pancakes are fried in a hot frying pan with vegetable oil until golden brown.

Conclusions

Chickpea flour (besan) is made from chickpeas (lamb or chickpeas). This product has a pleasant nutty taste, which is why it is very popular in the regions where it is grown (Asia, Australia).

Besan is a useful gluten-free protein product. It can easily replace cereal flour for people who suffer from celiac disease. Besan and dishes from it are useful for diseases of the liver, nervous and cardiovascular systems, bones and joints, metabolic pathologies, and eye diseases. Chickpea flour dishes are indicated for use by pregnant women, women who have given birth and women with menstrual irregularities. The use of this flour by men improves potency.

In addition to useful, chickpea flour sometimes exhibits negative properties. It contains a lot of purines, so it is harmful for people with gout. Due to its ability to cause gas in the intestines, besan is not recommended for people with a tendency to flatulence or diarrhea. Chickpea flour is prohibited in diseases of the kidneys and organs of the digestive system in the acute phase.

Mutton pea flour adds spice to food. This product is present in many Asian dishes and even in some European dishes.