If you are looking for a way to eat healthier and lose weight, then there’s a good chance that you have heard about the keto diet. It is true that the keto diet can put your body into a state of ketosis, helping you lose weight. I remember when I first started the keto diet, I was surprised to see all of the healthy foods that I was actually not allowed to eat on the keto diet. Unfortunately, a lot of healthy foods do have carbohydrates, making them difficult to consume on a low-carb diet. One target is chickpeas. I was wondering, are chickpeas keto? There were a few interesting points that I uncovered.

Short Answer: Chickpeas Are Not Compatible with the Keto Diet

Unfortunately, I discovered that chickpeas are actually not compatible with the keto diet. It turns out that even a half-cup serving of chickpeas contains a significant number of carbohydrates. Because a low-carb diet is typically going to limit someone to around 40 grams of carbohydrates per day, chickpeas simply do not fit. 

Long Answer: Looking at Chickpeas and the Alternatives

Chickpeas are a healthy food. Unfortunately, they simply do not fit with the keto diet. Fortunately, there are a few alternatives to chickpeas as well. 

What Are the Benefits of Eating Chickpeas?

When people think about healthy foods, chickpeas usually rise to the surface. There are several reasons why people love eating chickpeas. Some of the top reasons why include a colon 

• Even though it is true that chickpeas do contain a lot of carbohydrates, they are not necessarily that heavy in calories. Furthermore, they also contain a lot of important vitamins and minerals including phosphorus, copper, iron, and folate. Finally, chickpeas are also an outstanding source of fiber and protein, which is important for maintaining the health of your digestive tract and for building lean muscle. 
• In addition, the fiber and chickpea will also help you keep your appetite under control. Protein and fiber take longer to digest because they are larger molecules. Therefore, chickpeas are going to help you feel full for longer amounts of time. If you are tired of having your diet derailed by snacking, eating more protein and fiber is a good way to go. 
• Finally, chickpeas can also help you control your blood sugar. Chickpeas have a relatively low glycemic index. This means that your blood sugar is not going to rise as rapidly after eating chickpeas. 

These are just a few of the many reasons why so many people love eating chickpeas. Unfortunately, they are not going to be compatible with the ketogenic diet. 

Why Aren’t Chickpeas Friendly for the Keto Diet?

Chickpeas are not going to work with the ketogenic diet because they have too many carbohydrates. The exact number a carbohydrate people try to target when they are following the ketogenic diet can vary from person to person. The upper limit is 50. Even though it is possible for you to eat a couple of chickpeas, if you eat an entire serving, this is going to quickly approach your carbohydrate limit for the day, making it nearly impossible for you to fit in your other foods.

Therefore, it is a good idea for you to stay away from chickpeas if you are following the keto diet. The good news is that there are a few alternatives that you can follow when it comes to eating chickpeas on the ketogenic diet. One option you may want to consider is hummus.

Can Hummus Be an Alternative to Chickpeas?

Hummus is a common alternative to chickpeas on the keto diet. If you are wondering if you can have hummus on the keto diet, the answer is most definitely yes! Depending on how you make your hummus, the carbohydrate count is going to vary. At the same time, lots of types of hummus only have a couple of grams of carbohydrates per serving. Therefore, this is something that you can safely eat on the keto diet.

At the same time, you also need to think carefully about what you were going to put on top of your hummus. For example, if you drown your hummus in something that contains a lot of carbohydrates, this will defeat the purpose. Therefore, think about serving your hummus with keto chips, bell peppers, or cucumbers that are going to help you limit the number of carbohydrates that accompany your hummus. Furthermore, you may also want to pick something like roasted garlic to put on top of your hummus, adding that jolt of flavor without ruining your carbohydrate count. If you really want to add some flavor to your hummus, think about roasting the garlic ahead of time. Set the oven to 400 degrees and roast your garlic for a few minutes. Finally, consider drizzling your hummus with a little bit of avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil to top it off. This hummus will work great with celery or green beans.

Are There Other Alternatives To Chickpeas?

There are other alternatives to chickpeas that you may want to consider as well. In addition to regular hummus, you may want to reach for Macadamia nuts. Macadamia nuts look similar to chickpeas and their taste is pretty close. Furthermore, macademia nuts also have fewer carbohydrates compared to chickj peas. You might even be able to make hummus out of your macadamia nuts. 

In addition to being relatively low in carbohydrates, macadamia nuts are also a source of healthy fats. Therefore, this may be a benefit for your cardiovascular system as well. Even though you can turn macadamia nuts into hummus, there are plenty of other uses as well. For example, you may want to consider turning macadamia nuts into cookies that have been designed to be friendly to the ketogenic diet! Therefore, macadamia nuts can be a great option not only for a hummus appetizer but also for a delicious dessert! 

Why Can’t I Eat Beans on the Keto Diet?

Chickpeas technically fall under the category of beans or legumes. Unfortunately, there are a lot of beans that fall into the same family. This might include black beans, kidney beans, and pinto beans. The reality is that these beans simply contain too many carbohydrates in order to make them worthwhile on a ketogenic diet. You do not want to lose all of your daily carbohydrates purely to this bean category.

Sure, if you reach for just one spoonful of chick peas, you are not going to ruin your carbohydrate count immediately. At the same time, who is really going to be able to resist eating only one spoonful of these delicious beans? Therefore, it is simply better to stay away from them completely. 

Think Carefully About Chickpeas

Ultimately, there is a good chance that you have fallen in love with chickpeas because they are so delicious. Furthermore, they are also packed with a lot of vitamins and minerals. Unfortunately, chick peas are not friendly to the ketogenic diet. Instead, think about reaching for some hummus or a few macadamia nuts instead. That way, you do not have to sacrifice even an ounce of flavor when you are trying to stick to the ketogenic diet.