Chickpeas vs Black Beans – Which is Healthier?

Our Verdict

When comparing chickpeas to black beans, we picked the black beans.

Why?

They’re both great! But we consider the nutritional profile of black beans to be better:

In terms of macros, black beans have a little more protein, while chickpeas have more carbohydrates. Generally speaking, people are not usually short of carbs in their diet, so we’ll go with the one with more protein. Black beans also have more fiber, which is important for heart health and more.

In the category of micronutrients, black beans have twice as much potassium and twice as much calcium, as well as twice as much magnesium. Chickpeas, meanwhile are better for manganese and slightly higher in B vitamins, but B vitamins are everywhere (especially vitamin B5, pantothenic acid; that’s literally where its name comes from, it means “from everywhere”), so we don’t consider that as much of a plus as the black beans doubling up on potassium, calcium, and magnesium.

So, do enjoy both, but if you’re going to pick, or lean more heavily on one, we recommend the black beans

Further reading

See also:

• Why You’re Probably Not Getting Enough Fiber (And How To Fix It)
• Easily Digestible Vegetarian Protein Sources
• What Matters Most For Your Heart? Eat More (Of This) For Lower Blood Pressure

Enjoy!