Chickpea facts for kids
The chickpea (scientific name: Cicer arietinum) is a type of legume. Legumes are plants that grow their seeds in pods, like beans or peas. Chickpeas are also known as garbanzo beans. They are a popular food around the world. You can buy them dried or already cooked in cans.
Chickpeas have been eaten for a very long time. They were first grown in the Middle East about 7,500 years ago. This makes them one of the oldest plants grown by humans for food.
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Where Do Chickpeas Grow?
Today, chickpeas are grown in many places. The country that grows the most chickpeas is Pakistan. In 2008, Pakistan produced almost 6 million tonnes of chickpeas. Because so many chickpeas are grown there, they are sometimes called the Indian pea.
Why Are Chickpeas Good For You?
Chickpeas are very healthy! They contain a lot of protein, which helps your body build and repair tissues. They also have important nutrients like zinc and folic acid.
Because chickpeas come from a plant, they are a great food for people who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet. They provide many of the nutrients found in meat.
Popular Chickpea Dishes
Chickpeas are used in many different dishes around the world. One very popular dish made from chickpeas is hummus. Hummus is a creamy dip often eaten with pita bread or vegetables.
Images for kids
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Flowering and fruiting chickpea plant
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Chana Dal, which are split Bengal gram chickpeas
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Hummus with olive oil
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Dhokla, a steamed snack made from chickpea flour
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Doubles, a popular street food in Trinidad and Tobago
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A chickpea and Silene vulgaris stew from Manchego cuisine
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Farinata di ceci, a traditional Italian chickpea snack
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Chakhchoukha in Algerian cuisine; freshly cooked marqa before mixing with rougag
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Chana masala, a dish from India
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Halua made from chickpeas, from Bangladesh
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Fried chickpea
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A farm growing chickpeas
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Lime green chickpeas
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Black chickpeas
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See also
In Spanish: Garbanzo para niños
