Answer: Chickpeas are not considered keto-friendly due to their high carbohydrate content. The ketogenic diet, which focuses on low carbohydrate and high fat intake, doesn’t accommodate the considerable carbohydrate content in chickpeas.
To better understand why chickpeas aren’t suitable for a keto diet, let’s take a closer look at their nutritional profile:
- High Carbohydrate Content: Chickpeas contain 27.42g of carbohydrates per 100g, which is significantly high for a keto diet that typically limits daily carbohydrate intake to 20-50g.
- Dietary Fiber: Although chickpeas have a high fiber content at 7.6g, which usually subtract from total carbohydrates for net carbs, the remaining amount still exceeds the keto guideline.
- Protein and Fat: Chickpeas offer a moderate amount of protein at 8.86g, but a relatively low fat content at 2.59g, not aligning with the high-fat, moderate-protein composition of a keto diet.
- Calorie Count: At 164 kcal per 100g, chickpeas can contribute to the overall calorie intake but without the desired macros ratio needed for ketosis.
Thus, while chickpeas are nutritionally beneficial, they’re not a good fit for a keto diet due to their high carb and low fat content. However, they can be enjoyed in moderation in a balanced diet.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size100g
- Amount Per ServingCalories164
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat
2.59g
4%
- Saturated Fat 0.27g 2%
- Cholesterol 0mg 0%
- Sodium 7mg 1%
- Potassium 291mg 9%
- Total Carbohydrate
27.42g
10%
- Dietary Fiber 7.6g 31%
- Sugars 4.8g
- Protein 8.86g 18%
* The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
