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Article: Chickpeas, garbanzos: the same nutritious food.(EN on Foods)
- Article from:
- Environmental Nutrition
- Article date:
- April 1, 2007
- Author:
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The Folklore. The ancient Mesopotamians may have cultivated chickpeas 11,000 years ago because they believed these legumes boosted performance under stress and enhanced ovulation. Spanish and Portuguese explorers eventually introduced chickpeas to other lands.
The Facts. Chickpeas, also known by their Spanish name garbanzos, get their Latin name, Cicer arietinum, from the word for "small ram," which some say describes the shape of the chickpea. Today, chickpeas are grown in India, Pakistan, Turkey, Ethiopia and Mexico, as well as the northwestern U.S. They are widely used as a source of protein in Mediterranean, Indian and some African cuisines, and are the main ...