Chickpeas are a delicious food that provides the body with protein and dietary fiber, but you have to be careful not to eat them if they are spoiled. How do you know? What are its health risks?
We usually buy chickpeas in a plastic container, or they may be placed in a plate that we bring with us from home to the restaurant to put the chickpeas in and garnish with chickpeas, dressing, ground red pepper, paprika, and sumac.
But we need to know that once you open the lid and start eating from the can, the can of chickpeas becomes an open environment for airborne bacteria.
This applies not only to hummus, but to any package containing sauce, mayonnaise, labneh, or seasoning placed in a package.
Dr Primrose Freestone, a microbiologist at the University of Leicester, warns – in statements to the Daily Telegraph – that just two days is all it takes for sauces to become unsafe to eat, although this can happen faster.
These cans are often labeled with a warning stating that they must be consumed within two days of opening the can.
“The problem is that as soon as you open the lid, airborne bacteria begin to settle on the surface of the sauce,” says Dr. Friston.
“Then it becomes only a matter of time before contamination with germs occurs and food poisoning becomes a possibility,” she added.
Chickpea contamination
Bacteria, fungi, and viruses can be transmitted from our hands while eating hummus or from our mouths while breathing, talking, sneezing, or coughing near it.
However, in addition to the germs that get into the chickpeas, you must remember that the chickpeas will not be sterile when you buy them, as they already contain microorganisms and opening the lid provides a dose of oxygen to let them go and begin to grow quickly.
Temperature is also a factor. When bacteria can reach temperatures higher than a refrigerator (above 5°C), their population can double in less than 20 minutes.
While most infected people recover within a few days without needing any treatment, it may pose a life-threatening threat to the very young, the immunocompromised and the elderly, as well as pregnant women and their unborn children, she notes. “They should not eat sauces or any leftover food.” Others were not stored safely.”
When it comes to hummus and sauces in general, listeria is the most likely cause of food poisoning.
It is impossible to know whether chickpeas are contaminated or not, but the risk increases if you eat them more than 48 hours after opening them, or after their expiration date if they are canned chickpeas.
“If there are a few listeria when you eat sauces, you won’t get sick,” Dr. Primrose says. “If there are hundreds, you might get sick and if there are thousands, you will definitely get sick.”
What are signs that chickpeas have expired?
There are often no signs that chickpeas have expired or spoiled, but one sign is a bulging can of chickpeas, which is a sign of the presence of bacteria, as they produce gas as they grow, causing the package to swell.
Among the signs of spoilage of chickpeas:
- Changed color.
- Sour taste.
- The hummus components separate or clump together.
- Strange or unpleasant smell.
How can you reduce the risk of chickpeas spoiling?
- Once you buy the chickpeas, put them in the refrigerator quickly.
- Regardless of whether the chickpeas are from a restaurant or canned, don’t leave them for more than two days, then throw them away.
- If you’ve eaten some chickpeas and want to save the rest for tomorrow, wrap them in plastic wrap before putting them back in the fridge, as this keeps out air and slows bacterial growth.
- If you leave the hummus at room temperature for a few hours or have several people eat from the can, do not return it to the refrigerator because the level of germs has risen to a level that can actually cause illness.
Benefits of chickpeas
Chickpeas provide essential nutrients, including protein, and the ingredients in chickpeas may benefit your general health and reduce the risk of developing some health conditions.
Hummus is made by mixing chickpeas, tahini (ground sesame seeds), lemon juice, and garlic in a food processor, then garnished with parsley, seasoning, sumac, and paprika, and adding olive oil.
These are 6 scientifically proven benefits of chickpeas:
1- Chickpeas are rich in nutrients
Chickpeas contain a variety of vitamins and minerals, according to a report in Healthline.
A serving of chickpeas (2 tablespoons) or 30 grams (g) contains:
- Calories: 71
- Fat: 5 grams
- Protein: two grams
- Carbohydrates: 5 grams
- Fiber: 2 grams
- Manganese: 7% of the recommended daily value (DV)
- Copper: 7% of the daily value
- Magnesium: 3% of the daily value
- Phosphorus: 2% of the daily value
- Folic acid: 2% of the daily value
- Iron: 2% of the daily value
- Zinc: 2% of the daily value
- Thiamine: 2% of the daily value
2- Chickpeas may help reduce inflammation
Inflammation is the body’s way of protecting itself from infection, disease, or injury.
However, sometimes inflammation can last longer than necessary. This is called chronic inflammation, and it has been linked to many serious health problems.
Hummus is full of healthy ingredients that may help reduce chronic inflammation. Olive oil is one of them. It is rich in powerful antioxidants that have anti-inflammatory benefits.
In particular, extra virgin olive oil contains the antioxidant oleocanthal, which is thought to have anti-inflammatory properties similar to common anti-inflammatory drugs.
Likewise, sesame seeds, which make up tahini, may help reduce markers of inflammation in the body such as interleukin 6 (IL-6), which is elevated in inflammatory conditions such as arthritis.
Furthermore, several studies have shown that eating a diet rich in legumes such as chickpeas reduces markers of inflammation in the blood.
3- Chickpeas support digestive health
Chickpeas are a great source of dietary fiber, which can improve digestive health.
Two tablespoons (30 grams) of chickpeas provide approximately two grams of dietary fiber, which represents about 6% of the daily value of fiber.
Thanks to its fiber content, chickpeas may help you maintain regular bowel movements. This is because dietary fiber helps soften the stool and add bulk to it so that it is easier to pass.
4- Chickpeas may help manage blood sugar levels
Chickpeas have a low glycemic index, which is a measure of a food’s ability to raise blood sugar.
Foods with a high glycemic index are quickly digested and then absorbed, causing a sharp rise and fall in blood sugar levels. Conversely, low-GI foods are digested slowly and then absorbed, causing a slower, more balanced rise and fall in blood sugar levels.
Chickpeas are a source of soluble fiber and healthy fats, and are rich in protein and resistant starch, which slows the digestion of carbohydrates.
Fats also help slow the absorption of carbohydrates from the intestine, which in turn provides a slower and more steady release of sugar into the bloodstream.
5- Chickpeas promote heart health
Chickpeas contain several ingredients that may help reduce risk factors for heart disease.
In a 5-week study, 47 adults ate either a diet containing added chickpeas or a diet containing added wheat. After the study, those who ate extra chickpeas had 4.6% lower levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol than people who ate extra wheat.
Chickpeas are also a great source of heart-healthy fats from olive oil.
A research analysis found that the overall risk of heart disease and death was 4% lower for each 5-gram increase in daily olive oil intake.
6- Chickpeas support weight management
Many studies have examined how chickpeas affect weight loss, and interestingly, according to a study, people who regularly consumed chickpeas were 53% less likely to develop obesity.
However, it is not entirely clear whether these results are due to certain properties of chickpeas or simply that people who eat these foods live an overall healthy lifestyle.
Chickpeas are also rich in fiber, which may help promote weight loss.