Garbanzo Bean Flour

[blissful]

Having read about dried legumes and that uncooked legumes can be poisonous but the poison is dissipated upon cooking in boiling water for 10-20 minutes.

My question is which legumes? Are garbanzo beans (chick peas) also dangerous to eat raw? Are they considered a legume?

I noodled around on the internet and couldn't find a good answer. I did find that the cooking of legumes must be in boiling water and cannot be 'toasted' or 'dry heated' to make them safe.

Now garbanzo bean flour is sold, and no mention of this on the package, which leaves me wondering about it. Does anyone know any answers to this? Thanks in advance, Bliss

[CraigC]

Is what you read stating that cooking in boiling water destroys the toxin? I can't imagine that if they are cooked in water that the toxin wouldn't still be present in the cooking liquid, unless it was drained off and the legumes were rinsed.

[blissful]

Eating Raw Or Undercooked Beans Is Dangerous - Wild Oats

Beans contain a compound called lectin. Lectins are glycoproteins that are present in a wide variety of commonly-consumed plant foods. Some are not harmful, but the lectins found in undercooked and raw beans are toxic.

[blissful]

There must be someone here that has some knowledge of legumes and the potential hazards of cooking with them? Am I missing some basic knowledge here?

Garbanzo beans (legumes?) flour, is to my knowledge, uncooked. Is there any hazard with that?

[GotGarlic]

Originally Posted by blissful

There must be someone here that has some knowledge of legumes and the potential hazards of cooking with them? Am I missing some basic knowledge here?

Garbanzo beans (legumes?) flour, is to my knowledge, uncooked. Is there any hazard with that?

I think the fact that you haven't received an answer shows that you're not missing any common knowledge Eating raw chickpeas or chickpea flour is not very common in the United States, as far as I know.

I found this here http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?t...dspice&dbid=58

"If purchasing chickpea (garbanzo bean) flour, more generally available in ethnic food stores, make sure that it is made from beans that have been cooked since in their raw form, they contain a substance that is hard to digest and can produce flatulence."

From the same page, yes, chickpeas are legumes. You could call the manufacturer to find out whether the flour is made from raw or cooked chickpeas.

[blissful]

Hey GG, yeah, the package (Bob's Red Mill) doesn't specify if the flour is made from raw or cooked garbanzo beans. I wrote them asking that particular question. I'm sure they'll get right back to me. (as they are a good company from all I hear)

Did you ever notice people making falafels use cooked beans, or sometimes just soaked beans, then the falafels are fried for a fairly short time. This leaves me believing that there isn't a risk in using uncooked garbanzo beans. This is the opposite (almost) of there being a toxic risk.

I still feel like 'I don't know."

[GotGarlic]

I have never watched anybody make falafel

Let me ask you this: Are you going to eat the chickpea flour raw? If you cook whatever you make with it, I would think that would make it safe, if it wasn't made from already cooked beans.

[blissful]

Well the information on toxicity in beans is fixed with 10-20 minutes cooking in boiling water. Dry cooking or heating doesn't do the same thing.

Am I eating it raw, no. But let's say you want to use it in a pancake, is cooking it dry 3 to 4 minutes enough to change it sufficiently? I really don't know.

[blissful]

Here is their reply, and prompt too!

Thanks for contacting us about this. The Garbanzo Beans used in our flour are raw.

If you have any other questions please feel free to reach out.
Thanks and have a wonderful day!
- Whitney
Customer Service
Bob's Red Mill Natural Foods

[GotGarlic]

Originally Posted by blissful

Well the information on toxicity in beans is fixed with 10-20 minutes cooking in boiling water. Dry cooking or heating doesn't do the same thing.

Am I eating it raw, no. But let's say you want to use it in a pancake, is cooking it dry 3 to 4 minutes enough to change it sufficiently? I really don't know.

I don't know either. Glad you got your answer from Bob's, though.