So, you’ve heard about aquafaba and what it is. Let’s now discuss aquafaba nutrition.
Is chickpea juice healthy? Are you really better off using aquafaba as an egg replacement?
When the recipe calls for egg but you would rather skip it, should you use aquafaba instead of other options?
This is what we’ll talk about today. You’ll learn all about garbanzo bean water or aquafaba and what it really offers your health. Let’s get started!
Aquafaba Nutrition Facts
It is not a big secret – aquafaba is an excellent substitute for eggs. Whether you are planning on skipping eggs for health or dietary reasons, your option may include chickpea juice.
As it is, aquafaba calories are rather low. In fact, it is pretty much like water but with some micronutrients, a little bit of carbs, protein, and fat in it.
So at first glance, aquafaba seems to have a decent amount of nutrients in it. But is aquafaba healthy? Let’s investigate further.
Nutrients In Chickpea Liquid Or Aquafaba
Aquafaba is the liquid found in canned or cooked chickpeas.
Basically, pulses are healthy since there is starch in it. Two polysaccharides are in it such as amylopectin and amylose. When you cook pulses, the starch component absorbs water. This causes the amylopectin and amylose to leach into the liquid, as well as some of the sugars and protein content in the pulses.
The result? A thick and viscous liquid that we call aquafaba.
With this viscosity, you can use aquafaba as an egg replacement because of the similar texture it has. You can also whip it to obtain the same quality of an egg white… But plant-based version, of course!
Aquafaba calories are quite low. For instance, a tablespoon only has 3 to 5 calories. Less than 1 percent of that is from protein.
There are also minimal amounts of iron and calcium, as well as other minerals in aquafaba. Yet, the value is so small that it does serve as a notable source of these nutrients.
Aquafaba Health Benefits
The primary benefit of aquafaba is to support the health needs of people with phenylketonuria or PKU. This is a type of genetic disorder where the body has massive amounts of amino acid in the blood.
When the amino acid level in the body gets too high, this leads to intellectual disabilities and brain damage. This is why people with this disorder are not advised to consume large amounts of meat and eggs.
With this in mind, aquafaba is a suitable replacement for eggs used in cooking and baking. Thus, people with PKU will be spared from the harsh effects on their health when the amino acid levels go too high.
Read more: Can You Freeze Aquafaba? Freezing Tips And Tricks
What You Should Know About Aquafaba Nutrition
As we have already established earlier, aquafaba does have some minerals in it.
However, it is not exactly an entirely healthy ingredient since the nutrients are only minimal.
For instance, people who are okay with eating eggs can benefit more from it than from aquafaba. Eggs are also low in calories, yet high in protein and fats. There are also potent antioxidants found in eggs.
Hence, if you miss out on aquafaba, it is not as though you are missing out on key nutrients. What it simply does is to give you an option for an egg alternative in case poultry products are not suitable for you.
Moreover, it is a key ingredient in many vegan baked recipes where egg is not used. So, you can definitely opt for aquafaba in such situations.
Final Thoughts
Aquafaba nutrition may not be quite impressive knowing that it only has very minimal nutrients.
But for people who are not supposed to be eating eggs for ethical or health reasons, aquafaba is indeed a viable choice. It is widely available, easy to make, and can be stored for a long time.
Thus, you can rely on it for your recipes and get the same texture that you want – yet, completely plant-based!