Italian chickpeas: a story of health and biodiversity

While history documents their importance in monastic and peasant diets, science today confirms their role in prevention: the low glycemic index, the richness in bioactive compounds and antioxidant properties make chickpeas valuable allies against cholesterol and inflammation. Enhancing Italian chickpeas today means choosing conscious health and supporting a heritage of biodiversity that is unparalleled.

History and cultural tradition

The cultivation of chickpeas has origins in Fertile Crescent, with archaeological evidence documenting their domestication as early as 7500 BC. The spread through Mediterranean civilizations – from the Egyptians to the Greeks, from the Romans to medieval peasant traditions – has consolidated the central role of this legume in Italian gastronomic culture (Abbo et al., 2003).

In Italy chickpeas (cicer) were already widely cultivated in Roman times, as attested by Pliny the Elder in  Naturalis Historia, which describes several varieties and food uses. The Latin term  cicer has also remained famous in the history of the name of Marcus Tullius Cicero, whose family was traditionally associated with this legume, probably due to a wart shaped like a chickpea on an ancestor.

During the Middle Ages, chickpeas represented a fundamental food in the  monastic diets and peasant diets of southern and central Italy, where pedoclimatic conditions favored cultivation. Medieval agrarian documents attest to the presence of chickpeas in the crop rotations of Tuscan, Lazio, and Apulian farms, often combined with cereals to ensure soil fertility and dietary diversification.

The traditional preparations Italian reflect the deep cultural integration of the chickpea: Lazio-style pasta and chickpeas, Sicilian panelle (chickpea flour fritters), Ligurian farinata (also known as cecina in Tuscany), Apulian and Campanian soups testify to a centuries-old gastronomic tradition. Each region has developed local varieties adapted to its own terroir, today recognized as agrobiodiversity heritage to be valued and preserved.

Botanical characterization and varietal biodiversity

The chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) belongs to the family Fabaceae (Leguminosae) and is an annual herbaceous plant with white or violet flowers. The seeds, contained in short pods, are distinguished into two main types:  kabuli (large, light seeds, prevalent in Italy) and  desi (small, dark seeds, widespread in South Asia). Italian varietal biodiversity includes local ecotypes adapted to specific terroirs, with distinctive organoleptic characteristics (Varshney et al., 2013).

The  seasonality involves spring sowing (March-April) and summer harvesting (July-August), when the pods reach full maturity and natural drying.

Terroir and production areas

The Italian regions mainly dedicated to chickpea cultivation include Apulia, Basilicata, Sicily, Calabria and Sardinia, where well-drained clay soils and the warm-arid Mediterranean climate favor optimal crop development. The terroirs of the South confer peculiar organoleptic characteristics to the chickpeas, with thin skin and creamy texture after cooking.

Sustainable agronomic practices

Chickpeas are inserted in  crop rotations with cereals (wheat, barley), improving soil fertility through  biological nitrogen fixation from the atmosphere through root symbiosis with bacteria of the genus  Rhizobium (Peoples et al., 2009). This ability reduces the need for synthetic nitrogen fertilizers, lowering the carbon footprint of agricultural production.

The practices organic include natural pest control (in particular) Helicoverpa armigera e Ascochyta rabiei), use of green manure for organic matter, and integrated weed management. The crop's resilience to drought periods makes it particularly suitable for climate change scenarios (Siddique et al., 2000).

Production process and processing

I dry chickpeas commercial require prolonged soaking (8-12 hours) to reduce cooking times and improve digestibility by reducing antinutritional factors such as trypsin inhibitors and phytates.

Industrial processing produces:

• chickpea flour (for baked goods, pasta);

• precooked chickpeas (canned in glass/tinplate);

• protein isolates (functional ingredients for the food industry);

• traditional products (Sicilian panelle, Ligurian farinata).

Quality designations

Currently there are no PDO or PGI specific to chickpeas in the list of Italian agri-food products protected by the European Union. However, numerous local ecotypes – such as Cece di Cicerale, Black chickpea from Murgia, Trasimeno chickpea – are promoted through Slow Food presidia and territorial collective marks that certify origin and traditional production methods.

Nutritional composition

According to the  CREA-Food database (Food and Nutrition Research Center), 100 g of dry cooked chickpeas provide:

• energy: 132 kcal

• protein: 7 g

• carbohydrates: 18.9 g

• total fiber: 5.8 g

• fat: 2.4 g

• phosphorus: 148 mg (21.14% of NRV equal to 700 mg)*

• zinc: 1.7 mg (17% of NRV equal to 10 mg)*

• iron: 2.2 mg (15.71% of NRV equal to 14 mg)*

• potassium: 302 mg (15.1% of NRV equal to 2,000 mg)*

• B-group vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folate).

(*) The Nutrient Reference Values, NRV, are indicated in Annex XIII of the Food Information Regulation (EU) No 1169/11.

Health properties: scientific evidence

Cardiovascular health

Epidemiological studies and clinical trials show that regular consumption of  Legumes, including chickpeas, significantly reduces levels of LDL cholesterol and cardiovascular risk. A meta-analysis by Bazzano et al. (2011) highlights that 130 g/day of legumes reduce total cholesterol by 11.8 mg/dL. The mechanisms include the action of soluble fibers, phytosterols, and saponins.

Glycemic control and type 2 diabetes

Chickpeas have a  low glycemic index (28-36) thanks to the high content of fiber, resistant starch, and proteins that slow carbohydrate absorption (Augustin et al., 2015). Research by Pittaway et al. (2007) showed that supplementation with 104 g/day of chickpeas for 12 weeks significantly improves postprandial glycemic control in overweight subjects.

Gut health and microbiota

The fermentable fibers of chickpeas (oligosaccharides, resistant starch) act as  prebiotics, stimulating the growth of beneficial bacteria (Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus) in the intestinal microbiota and the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) with anti-inflammatory effects (Fernando et al., 2010). These metabolites improve the intestinal barrier and modulate the immune system.

Body weight management

The high protein and fiber content increases  satiety and reduces overall caloric intake and the risk of metabolic syndrome. A study by Mollard et al. (2012) published in the British Medical Journal shows that legume consumption, including chickpeas, promotes body weight reduction and visceral fat in hypocaloric diets.

Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties

Chickpeas contain  polyphenols (phenolic acids, flavonoids), carotenoids and vitamin E with documented antioxidant activity. These bioactive compounds neutralize free radicals and modulate inflammatory pathways through inhibition of NF-κB and pro-inflammatory cytokines (Wood & Grusak, 2007).

Culinary uses in Italian tradition

I Italian chickpeas are used in traditional regional preparations:

• pasta and chickpeas (Tuscany, Lazio, Campania);

• farinata (Liguria) or cecina (Tuscany);

• panelle (Sicily);

• soups and broths (grass pea and chickpeas, pasta and Neapolitan chickpeas)

• cold salads with Mediterranean vegetables;

• Italian-style hummus with extra virgin olive oil.

Chickpea flour allows innovative applications in baked goods gluten-free, protein pasta and healthy snacks.

The added value of Italian origin: the glyphosate case

A determining factor in the choice of Italian chickpeas lies in food safety related to pesticide residues. While in Italy and other Mediterranean countries the favorable climate allows natural maturation and drying of the plant in the field, in large producing countries with colder and more humid climates (such as Canada, among the world's leading exporters) the practice of 'pre-harvest burning' is widespread.

This technique involves spraying glyphosate on the crop a few days before harvest, solely to artificially dry the plant and facilitate the passage of harvesters. This practice, banned in the European Union for this specific use, entails a greater risk of residues in the finished product. Prefer Italian chickpeas, even better if organic, therefore means reducing this type of risk (Dongo, 2019).

Informed choice: prefer organic

The purchase of  certified Italian organic chickpeas supports sustainable agricultural practices that preserve soil and ecosystem biodiversity, thanks to the non-use of synthetic pesticides; they reduce environmental impact (carbon footprint, eutrophication); they enhance local rural economies; they maintain traditional ecotypes and agrobiodiversity.

The organic choice represents an investment in the health of people and the environment, in line with the principles of agroecology and food sustainability.

Conclusions

I Italian chickpeas They constitute a virtuous model of functional food, combining millennia-old tradition, nutritional excellence, and agricultural sustainability. Scientific evidence consolidates their role in the prevention of chronic diseases and the promotion of metabolic health, while sustainable agronomic practices make them a pillar of the transition towards resilient food systems. The enhancement of local ecotypes and the preference for certified organic productions strengthen territorial identities and agricultural biodiversity, elementsfundamental to Italian food sovereignty.

Dario Dongo

Credit cover Dario Dongo 

References

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