Chick Peas, Kabuli, Split, Dried
Introduction
Split chickpeas, kabuli (Cicer arietinum var. kabuli), are the dehulled and often halved seeds of the kabuli chickpea, a legume rather than a fruit or animal product; they are widely used in South Asian, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines.
They should not be eaten raw—removing the outer coat and splitting helps them cook more evenly and reduces anti-nutrients, but they require soaking and cooking (or thorough pressure-cooking) to become digestible and palatable. Visually they are pale cream to yellow in colour, the hue resulting from the seed cotyledon once the darker brownish seed coat is removed; cooking can deepen the colour slightly.
Nutritionally, split kabuli chickpeas are a good source of plant protein and complex carbohydrates, provide dietary fibre, and contain micronutrients including folate, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc and B vitamins (notably B6), along with small amounts of vitamin C and potassium.
Nutrition Snapshot per 100g
Kcal nn kcal
Protein nn g | nn %
Fat nn g | nn %
Carbohydrates nn g | nn %
Percentages reflect this food’s Balance*
Fibre nn g
Total Sugars nn g
Saturated Fat nn g
Salt nn mg
Nutritional values are per 100g and sourced from UK CoFID data.
Carbohydrates value includes Fibre (AOAC method).
Carbohydrates value includes Total Sugars including naturally occurring sugars such as glucose, fructose, lactose or sucrose.
Balance*
The Balance value expresses how protein, carbohydrate and fat contribute to a food’s total energy.
Using CoFID data per 100g, each macronutrient is converted into energy using the standard Atwater convention (protein × 4 kcal, carbohydrate × 4 kcal, fat × 9 kcal). The energy from each macronutrient is then calculated as a percentage of the total macro energy.
This provides a simple way to see whether a food is predominantly carbohydrate-based, protein-based or fat-based.
It does not determine whether a food is “good” or “bad”, but helps visualise its macronutrient profile within a broader eating pattern.
When assessing a full meal or daily intake, portion sizes should be taken into account.
Why this matters
Understanding the structure of individual foods can help you make more confident decisions when adjusting to a health diagnosis or long-term condition.
If you are organising meals, tracking intake or reflecting on patterns, you may find the Aardelia digital journals helpful.