Falafel | Simple, Healthy and Delicious Recipe | The Oven Light Dinner (2024)

FAQs

Are falafels healthy for weight loss? ›

With its high protein and fiber content, falafel may aid weight control by inducing feelings of fullness. Eating low-GI foods like chickpeas can also help manage blood sugar levels.

Go with the falafel. The gyro has more saturated fat, more calories, and (usually) more sodium than the falafel—or chicken or vegetable sandwich fillings—on most menus. Take Daphne's, a "California-fresh" West Coast chain with 56 restaurants that lists calories on its menus and Nutrition Facts on its Web site.

Turns out that dried chickpeas are essential to good falafel. See, canned chickpeas have already been cooked. Starch molecules within them have already burst and released their sticky contents, much of which get washed away in the cooking liquid, leaving the remaining chickpeas with very little clinging power.

In essence, the ingredient profile of falafel is in the least unhealthy. In fact, compared to other counterparts of the food, including chicken shawarma, falafel tops the list to contain the healthiest amount of all ingredients that are required by the body.

Falafel contains high amounts of protein and carbohydrates from chickpeas; it also has significant amounts of soluble fiber that helps to reduce the bad cholesterol from your body. Chickpeas are also rich in calcium, iron & potassium, making falafel a superb vegetarian food to replace meat.

Falafel can help improve support normal bowel function

A lack of fibre in the diet can cause constipation, which affects around 20% of people each year. The dietary fibre in falafel cannot be digested, but it helps to make stools bigger and softer. This allows them to pass through the gut more quickly and easily.

A binding ingredient can help keep it together, especially if you are using canned beans instead of dried. And the perfect binding ingredient for falafel is flour. Nothing fancy, just plain all-purpose flour. Add a few tablespoons at a time to your mixture, until you can press it easily into balls or patties.

“Where the traditional falafel is the basic fried falafel comprising a mix of chickpeas, onions, garlic, herbs and spices, baked falafels are made using fresh herbs in the chickpea mixture,” says Chef Sati from Ophelia. Spraying baked falafels with olive oil before baking makes them crispy.

Search for garlic shrimp souvlaki, gyro plate or even falafel plate; decide on food varieties with sound fats like olive oil, avocados, nuts and seeds; make sure to arrange bunches of products of the soil; and go for lean meat, turkey, chicken or fish.

Is falafel healthy even though it's fried? ›

Though it contains many healthy ingredients, it's typically deep-fried, which increases its fat and calorie content. However, baking falafel counters this issue and allows you to enjoy this dish without potentially affecting your waistline, if that's a concern for you.

If you're going to serve them, we recommend you try to doll them up as much as possible beforehand. These falafel aren't exactly healthy, either: three pieces contain 19 grams of fat, 320 calories, 490 mg of sodium, and 30 grams of carbohydrates.

What Is It? Aquafaba is the thick liquid that results from soaking or cooking legumes, such as chickpeas, in water for an extended period of time. It's the translucent viscous goop you probably rinse down the drain when you open a can of chickpeas.

It's called aquafaba, and it's (basically) free! When we refer to aquafaba (as we often do in our cookbook on vegan cooking, Vegan for Everybody), we're talking about the liquid in a can of chickpeas. (We're not talking about the liquid in a can of any other beans.

Quick soak: If you don't have time for an overnight soak, you can do a quick soak. Rinse the dry chickpeas and then place them in a pot with enough water to cover them. Bring the water to a boil and then turn off the heat. Let the chickpeas soak in the hot water for abo.

Falafel's Nutritional Profile

Zozos says that the health benefits of falafel are plenty. It tends to be relatively low in cholesterol, low on the glycemic index scale, and high in protein. Also, it's full of complex carbs and fiber, which are good for a healthy gut and regular bowel movements, adds Zozos.

Good For Blood Sugar Levels

Foods that are rich in fibre also help control your blood sugar levels. Fibre slows down digestion, and lets sugar transfer slowly from your digestive tract into your bloodstream. This means there is no sugar “high” after eating falafel, and no fatigue or irritation from a blood sugar crash.

An easy keto falafel recipe made without chickpeas is a delicious snack or appetizer. But it's also a perfect addition to a low carb salad or a paleo wrap for lunch.

Further, restaurant falafel, as well as store-bought packaged falafel, is often very high in sodium. Luckily, there are ways to make falafel healthier. The core ingredients in falafel are quite nutritious, so if it is not deep-fried, it can be a very healthy vegetarian option.