Are you looking for a healthy and protein-rich food option? If so, falafels might just be a perfect choice! Falafels are a pita-based dish made from ground chickpeas and spices. They’re usually crispy and slightly sweet, and they make an excellent protein-rich snack or meal. So which one is better-falafel or chicken?
How many falafels protein? To find out, we put them head-to-head in a protein showdown! Turns out, falafels came out on top—they contain more protein than chicken by weight! So if you’re looking for a healthy and protein-rich food option, falafels should definitely be at the top of your list. Enjoy!
Falafels Protein
In Middle Eastern cooking, falafel is a deep-fried ball or patty-shaped fritter composed of ground chickpeas, broad beans, or both (particularly in Levantine and Egyptian cuisines).
Numerous essential nutrients are included in falafel. According to Amy Shapiro, R.D., the founder and director of Real Nutrition, falafel is a terrific meal to encourage people to follow a more plant-based diet, which is good for both their health and the environment.
Due to the chickpeas’ high protein and fiber content (one cup of which has 15 grams of protein and 14 grams of fiber).
Falafels are a great source of protein, and chickpeas are a great option if you’re looking to lower your calorie intake. Both chickpeas and chicken offer up substantial amounts of protein—so which one should you choose?
The Falafels Protein Showdown: Chicken vs Chickpeas
It’s time for the falafel protein showdown! Let’s see which meaty falafel will come out on top: chicken or chickpeas.
Which Food Has More Protein, Chicken or Chickpeas?
There’s a reason why the majority of athletes believe being vegan would be challenging, if not impossible.
Yes, obtaining protein from plants is more difficult than obtaining it from animal sources.
On a weight-for-weight comparison, cooked chicken breast contains more protein than cooked chickpeas by more than 600%. You may find several comparisons while browsing the internet, but do not be fooled. The amount of water in chickpeas has a significant impact on their weight-based nutritional benefits.
Wet chickpeas (soaked or newly selected raw chickpeas) only comprise 7 grams of protein per 100g, however, dried chickpeas (cooked or uncooked) offer more than 20g of protein per 100g. 5g of protein per 100g of wet-cooked chickpeas.
On the other hand, cooked chicken breast offers 31 grams of protein per 100g, compared to 22 grams in raw chicken breast. In other words, you would need to consume more than six times as much chickpea as chicken to obtain the same amount of protein.
Let’s look at the calorie count if you’re wondering.
Chickpeas VS Chicken Calories
Chickpeas that have been cooked have an easy-to-calculate 1 calorie (4.184kJ) per gram, making 100g of them equal 100 calories (418kJ). 100 grams of cooked chicken breast have 167 calories, or 700 kilojoules.
In comparison to soaked chickpeas, which have 136 calories per 100g, dry chickpeas have 356 calories per 100g. 100g of raw chicken breast contains 104 calories or 438kJ. As a general rule, cooked chickpeas and chicken breast have about the same number of calories when compared to 1.7 chickpeas to 1 chicken breast.
In order to obtain the same quantity of protein, you would therefore need to consume three and a half times as many calories from chickpeas as from chicken. Without getting into the debate between plant-based and animal-based proteins, we can state categorically that chicken is a much superior source of protein to chickpeas.
High Variability in Chickpea Nutrition
Chickpeas have a high nutritional density. They are rich in folate, iron, and magnesium, as well as a variety of vitamins and minerals. Per 100 grams of cooked chickpea, there are 10g of carbohydrates, 5g of fat, 5g of protein, 8g of dietary fiber, and 1g of sugar. There isn’t a single micronutrient that stands out, however, the iron level in chickpeas (2.89mg/100g) is notably high.
Additionally, chicken is a very healthy food. It has less important micronutrients overall than chickpeas. Chicken breast has fewer micronutrients than chickpeas, with the exception of vitamin A (44 versus 1 uG). Per 100 grams, cooked chicken breast includes no carbohydrates, 5g fat, 31g protein, no dietary fiber, and no sugar. With 1.16mg/100g, chicken has slightly less iron than chickpeas.
Understanding that the amounts of vegetable micronutrients (such as those in chickpeas) depend on a variety of circumstances is crucial. Average micronutrient values might vary according to growing conditions, soil components, harvesting intervals, processing, and seed variety.
The quantity of both macro and micronutrients in chickpeas is affected by the kind of cooking, the length of the heating process, and the length of the soaking period.
Conclusion
Falafels are a delicious and nutritious protein-rich snack, and they’re a great option for vegetarians and meat-free eaters alike. In this falafel protein showdown, we compare the protein content of chicken and chickpeas to see which is the winner.
Chickpeas are a nutritious food, but they cannot be compared to chicken in terms of calories and protein. Chickpea nutrition is highly variable, so it’s important to consider the specific circumstances of harvest, cooking, and soaking before consuming them.
