legume pasta – Metabolic Balance Blog

Chickpeas are becoming more and more popular. The beige-yellow legumes – in India they are also red, brown and black varieties – taste slightly nutty and are available either dried or pre-cooked in cans. Hummus is not the only way they can be used, chickpea flour can be used in many ways. It is, for example, the basis for falafel or chickpea pasta, which you can enjoy with Metabolic Balance from phase 3 onwards. The tasty legumes have a particularly high proportion of essential amino acids. Their content of potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium and iron is above average and they contain a lot of vitamin A and B – a real superfood!

Tip: Did you know that aquafaba, the liquid from the can of beans, can be whipped just like egg whites? It can be used in baking to make meringues or baked goods such as muffins.

We are often asked why we recommend lentil or bean pasta only in Phase 3, even if legumes are on the plan for Phase 2.

We want to explain the reason: in order to make pasta from any legume, lentils or beans, the legumes have to be highly processed (soaked, boiled, dried and processed into flour). The lentil or bean pasta is cooked again when we prepare our meals. Because of this long and relatively complex process, a large part of the vitamins and minerals contained in the “alternative” pasta is naturally going to be lost. This is not ideal for Phase 2 (Strict Conversion). For the metabolic change and reaching health goals it is important – especially in the beginning – to eat and combine foods with optimal nutrients. Starting Phase 3 though, when the metabolism is stable and nicely balanced, we can have more leeway. With the Relaxed Conversion (Phase 3) lentil or bean pasta may be enjoyed.

MB 01-xx - Linsen gelb vs. pasta