Chickpeas

Farmers grow chickpeas as a dry pulse crop. Harvested seeds are separated from their pods, cleaned and sold whole or milled. Kibble makers blend them with other ingredients before cooking the dough under heat and pressure.^1,2

1. 01 // Source Mature pods Chickpea plants are harvested when their pods have dried and turned yellow.
2. 02 // Process Seeds separated Threshing frees the seeds from the dried plants; cleaning removes chaff and other debris.
3. 03 // Process Whole or ground The cleaned seeds may stay whole or be milled so they mix evenly into kibble dough.
4. 04 // Output Dry chickpeas Whole seeds or ground chickpeas reach the kibble plant ready to be weighed into a recipe.

1. 01

   Supplies kibble starch

   Starch cooks during extrusion and helps the dough form a kibble. Chickpeas give makers a grain substitute while contributing protein and fiber to the same recipe.^2,7

2. 02

   Adds plant protein

   Chickpeas contribute to the crude protein figure. In a dog trial, the chickpea diet used less poultry meal and rice than the control while meeting adult maintenance targets.^1,2

3. 03

   Offers a price option

   The pet food industry cites the low price of pulses alongside their protein content. Chickpeas give formulators another crop to price against grains and animal protein.⁷

4. 04

   Changes gut fermentation

   Fiber and sugars left after digestion reach the colon. Dogs fed a chickpea-rich trial diet produced more fecal short-chain fatty acids than dogs fed its control diet.¹

How much A 10-dog crossover study fed a complete extruded diet containing 43.56% garbanzo beans for 14-day periods.¹

1. Critics say

   Chickpeas raise protein without adding meat

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   Kabuli chickpeas average about 22% protein on a dry basis. In a 10-dog trial, a diet containing 43.56% chickpeas used less poultry meal than its control. Chickpea protein counts toward the label figure, though it is relatively short on methionine.^1,2

2. Brands say

   Chickpeas prevent blood sugar spikes

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   A university dog study compared 7 starch sources and found a smaller rise in blood sugar after pulse diets than after corn or potato diets. It did not show that chickpeas improve health or treat diabetes.⁵

3. Brands say

   Chickpea fiber improves gut health

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   An industry-funded 10-dog crossover found more fecal short-chain fatty acids with its chickpea-rich diet. A separate university study also reported changes in stool markers. Neither measured a lasting health benefit for dogs.^1,5

4. Vets say

   Chickpeas cause heart disease in dogs

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   FDA reports often involve diets with pulses high on the ingredient list, but the agency has not identified a specific cause or found pulses inherently dangerous. The 14-day chickpea feeding trial measured digestion, not long-term heart health.^1,3

5. Critics say

   Chickpeas are just filler

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   Kabuli chickpeas average about 50% starch and 22% protein on a dry basis. Dogs digested a complete diet containing 43.56% chickpeas and passed formed stools. Protein balance is a fair limitation; absence of nutritional use is not.^1,2