Chickpeas, sometimes called garbanzo beans, are a health food staple for many good reasons. These legumes provide us with a range of essential vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds.
One of those compounds is a phytoestrogen called Biochanin A, and it gives chickpeas a special role in supporting bone health. We'll look at studies that have revealed the potential of this compound for fighting osteoporosis.
Then you'll get a delicious recipe that will make it impossible to resist adding more chickpeas to your diet.
All About Chickpeas
Chickpeas are a type of edible seed known as an Old World pulse– part of the legume family. Their nutty flavor and culinary versatility have made them a favorite ingredient in dishes across the world.
Humans have cultivated chickpeas for thousands of years, starting in the temperate and semiarid regions of the Levant and ancient Egypt. Today, India is the world's leading producer.
You may have encountered chickpeas as a topping at a local salad shop, as an ingredient in Indian food, in snack mixes, or in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes. They can be ground into flour and used for baking, or smashed and shaped into herbed balls and fried to become falafel. Hummus is made from chickpeas, allowing the bean to transform into a dip or sandwich spread.
Chickpeas are an excellent source of a wide variety of vitamins and minerals, as well as unique plant compounds. While chickpeas are acidifying, they are listed on the Foundation Foods list because they are rich sources of zinc and boron, and other bone-building compounds.
Synopsis
Chickpeas are a legume that humans have cultivated for thousands of years. The versatile bean is common in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine, and forms the basis for falafel and humus. Chickpeas are acidifying, but are a Foundation Food due to their zinc and boron content.
Chickpeas, Biochanin A, And Bone Health
A systematic review published in 2024 in the journal Recent Progress in Nutrition analyzed the anti-osteoporotic activity of chickpeas.
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The study found that chickpea compounds called isoflavones affect bone metabolism by stimulating bone formation and inhibiting bone resorption. In animal studies, the review found that chickpeas might prevent osteoporosis caused by low estrogen levels.1
The study singles out a particular isoflavone, biochanin A,for its estrogenic action and for its ability to decrease osteoclastogenesis– the formation of bone-resorbing osteoclast cells.1
Biochanin A is a natural plant compound also found in red clover and soy. It is sometimes called a phytoestrogen because it binds to estrogen receptors. That makes it a useful tool for countering the effects of reduced estrogen levels.
Biochanin A has been found to combat cancer by inhibiting multiple signaling pathways associated with the growth and survival of specific breast cancer cells.2
Other studies have noted biochanin A's anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, and neuroprotective properties.3
While chickpeas contain lower levels of phytoestrogen than soy, chickpeas offer a variety of other bone-building compounds. They are an excellent source of carbohydrates and protein, with a protein composition considered superior to that of many other legumes.4
Protein is essential for bone health because it supports the growth of the muscle mass you need to stimulate bone growth. Chickpeas are also good sources of a variety of vitamins and minerals on the Foundation Supplements list, including Vitamin A, Vitamin C, magnesium, iron, zinc, boron, and potassium.
Synopsis
Chickpeas contain a phytoestrogen called biochanin A that has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, and neuroprotective properties in addition to anti-osteoporotic effects. This compound binds to estrogen receptors to combat osteoporosis caused by estrogen loss.
Other Benefits Of Chickpeas
One study found that participants who regularly consumed chickpeas had higher nutrient intakes of dietary fiber, polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamin A, Vitamin E, vitamin C, folate, magnesium, potassium, and iron compared to non-consumers.5
Research cited in that study suggests that chickpeas may play a beneficial role in weight management and glucose and insulin regulation, helping to prevent diabetes. They also positively impact some markers of cardiovascular disease, which protects heart health.5
Studies have shown that the compounds in chickpeas have unique biological activities that support the treatment of conditions including cancer, hyperlipidemia, nervous system development, and cardiovascular diseases.6
In particular, the isoflavones in chickpeas have diverse biological impacts, including antioxidative, estrogenic, insecticidal, antifungal, and antimicrobial properties.6
Synopsis
Studies have found that people who eat chickpeas tend to have more nutrient-dense diets. The legumes can help prevent diabetes, protect heart health, and support cancer treatment. Their compounds have antioxidative, antifungal, and antimicrobial effects.
Adding Chickpeas To Your Diet
Chickpeas are incredibly versatile, making them easy to add to your diet.
You can buy them canned and ready to eat, or you can buy them dried and then follow the provided instructions for how to rehydrate them before cooking. When grown conventionally, chickpeas are sprayed with the toxic herbicide glyphosate. However, you can avoid this acidifying and likely carcinogenic chemical by always buying organic chickpeas.
Add chickpeas to a salad for additional protein and texture variation. They are an excellent bean for soups or chili, and roasted in the oven, they make a delicious crunchy snack or topping.
Chickpeas are the principal ingredient in hummus, which is easy to make at home in a food processor. Or smashed and combined with herbs, they can be fried into falafel balls that are delicious in a pita, on a salad, or served with rice and vegetables.
Try this delicious recipe for a chickpea curry dish!
Bone-Nourishing Curry
pH-Balanced
4-6 Servings
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons coconut or avocado oil
- ½ small yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large green or yellow bell pepper
- 2 cups eggplant, peeled and cubed
- 2 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed
- 2 cups water
- 1 ¾ cups tomato sauce
- 15 ounces organic chickpeas, canned, drained and rinsed
- 1 ½ cups coconut milk
- 1 ½ tablespoons curry powder
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ cups greens (kale or Spinach), roughly chopped
Directions:
- Prepare all vegetables and set aside.
- Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the coconut oil, then the onion and bell pepper. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onion softens.
- Add the eggplant and garlic. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring often, until the eggplant begins to soften.
- Pour in the water to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits.
- Add the butternut squash, tomato sauce, coconut milk, curry powder, ginger, and black pepper. Stir well and reduce heat to medium.
- Simmer uncovered for 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the butternut squash is nearly tender.
- Stir in the chickpeas and cook for 5–10 minutes, until heated through.
- Serve over rice, if desired,
Remove from heat and fold in the greens until just wilted.
What This Means To You
Consider including chickpeas regularly in your diet. This bone-building legume contains bountiful vitamins and minerals, as well as plant compounds that have been shown to protect bone, prevent cancer, and improve overall health.
A diet rich in bone-healthy foods can be a diet full of delicious foods, so I assembled a cookbook with hundreds of irresistible bone-building recipes. Bone Appétit has recipes designed to help you maintain your 80/20 pH-balanced diet without denying yourself any of the foods and flavors you love. The included meal planner helps to make cooking at home easy and fun. Let Bone Appétit take the guesswork out of preparing bone-healthy meals.
Chickpeas are another excellent addition to your bone-building ingredient list. Keep expanding your palate and expanding your possibilities by making bone-healthy choices.
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References
1 https://www.lidsen.com/journals/rpn/rpn-04-03-012#5.Conclusion
4 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0963996921006906
6 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0963996921006906
Thank you Vivian! Excited to try the recipe!
My pleasure, Linda!
This estrogenic compound may be not so useful for men?
Estrogen isn’t just a “female” hormone; it’s a necessary hormone for men too, and maintaining the correct balance between testosterone and estrogen is key for male health, just as it is for female health. And, as it’s written in the above article, “…studies have noted biochanin A’s anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, and neuroprotective properties.”
Thk u Vivian, beautiful recipe, will definitely make it – full of just the right healthy vegs,
I will hav 2 soak & boil up the chickpeas, as I don’t think we hav organic chickpeas in a tin – however, u hav 2 b careful of tined food, as the aluminum seeps out in2 the food, which is dangerous!
You’re welcome! 😊 So glad you like the recipe. Soaking and cooking dried chickpeas is a great option—and just to note, most food cans are actually made of steel, not aluminum (aluminum is used mainly for beverages). Enjoy the curry!