Certified Organic Garbanzo Beans Bulk Foods

Garbanzo Beans as a Garden Plant

The Garbanzo plant is a bushy, annual legume that reaches a height of around 18 inches. Garbanzo beans" dark green compound leaves look similar to vetch. Garbanzo beans need to be planted in full sun for the best yield and, like other legumes, they need well-drained soil that isn't too compact. It is a good idea to supplement soil with phosphorous and potassium when planting garbanzo beans.

Sow garbanzo beans in your garden 2-3 weeks before the last frost for your zone. If you are opting for transplanting, make sure they are planted in biodegradable seedling pots, like coco coir or paper, as garbanzo beans do not do well when their root structures are disturbed. Plant garbanzo beans between 1-2 inches deep, with 5-6 inches in between each plant. Garbanzo bean plants take around 100 days to reach maturity from the date of planting.

Popular Uses

Garbanzo beans are incredibly versatile, thanks to their neutral, albeit slightly nutty, taste. When cooked, they can be used to thicken soups and stews, blended with tahini into a delicious and creamy hummus, or roasted in the oven with olive oil, salt, and pepper as a delightfully crunchy snack. Garbanzo beans are excellent for sprouting and can be eaten solo or added into a salad for some extra bite. ¾ cup of dried garbanzo beans will yield approximately 1 quart of sprouts, they are ready to eat after 3-5 days.

Garbanzo beans are used in numerous traditional dishes: In Myanmar, garbanzo bean flour is used to make Burmese tofu. Garbanzo bean flour is also used in southern France (Panisse), the Mediterranean (socca), and South Asian cuisine (pakoras). Chana masala, in India, and Rancho, in Portugal, are two other popular recipes to illustrate the range of cultures and dishes that this versatile bean can be incorporated in.

• Hummus and dips
• Soups and stews
• Salads
• Sprouting

History

"Garbanzo" comes from the Basque word for chickpea, "garbantzu". The direct translation means "dry seed". Garbanzo beans (Cicer arietinum) are one of the oldest cultivated legumes. Artifacts dating domesticated garbanzo beans can be found around 9,000 BC in Syria. Over twelve million pounds of garbanzo beans are planted each year. Garbanzo beans are referenced in Charlemagne's Capitulare de villis around 800 AD. In his writing, Charlemagne illustrates how garbanzo beans were grown in each manor overseen by a lord, apparently garbanzo beans have always been fit for nobility! Garbanzo beans were also used as a coffee substitute in Germany during WWI. Even today, they can be roasted and ground in place of coffee for those who are keen to avoid caffeine.

Health Benefits

In a 2007 study by Kerem, et al. domesticated garbanzo beans were found to have notably higher levels of tryptophan compared to their wild counterparts. Tryptophan, an amino acid, is an important precursor to the creation of serotonin. Serotonin has an important role as a neurotransmitter to carry signals between nerve cells. Additionally, garbanzo beans contain over 20% of an individual's daily protein needs and are rich in folate, vitamin B6, dietary fiber, folate, phosphorous, and iron.