My diet:

Chickpea flour

No E-numberFlour treatment agentsOrigin: Plant
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Every diet

VeganYes

Chickpea flour is ground chickpeas.

Gluten-freeYes
HalalYes
KosherYes
KetoNo

Chickpea flour is a starchy legume flour.

Low-FODMAPNo

Chickpea flour is high in GOS.

The short answer
Chickpea flour is ground chickpeas. Chickpea flour is vegan, and the legume has no gluten. It is not keto and it is not low-FODMAP. A batter made from it sets as it cooks, which is why farinata and pakoras hold together without wheat.
Generally safe

Fine for most people at normal amounts.

E-numberNone
Comes fromPlant
What it doesFlour treatment agents
Glycemic index—
Daily limitNot set
Also calledChickpea flour, Garbanzo flour

Rules by country

🇺🇸 US FDANot evaluated as an additive
🇪🇺 European UnionNot evaluated as an additive
🇨🇦 Health CanadaNot evaluated as an additive
CaliforniaNo extra rules

Chickpea flour is a food, not an E-number. It is gluten-free if no wheat was milled into it. It is high in GOS, a FODMAP, so an elimination diet leaves it out.

Daily limit: Experts haven’t set a number because normal food amounts are far below any level of concern.

What is it?

The peas are milled to a yellow powder. Some brands roast them first. The flour thickens sauces and stands in for egg in a few vegan recipes because the protein sets with heat.

Where it comes from: Chickpea flour is dried chickpeas, ground. In Indian cooking it is besan, usually milled from brown chickpeas. Italian farinata uses the same kind of flour. It smells like legumes and binds when heated.

Why it’s in food

  • Sets a farinata
  • Binds a fritter
  • Thickens a curry
  • Replaces egg in a batter

Often found in

SoccaPakorasGluten-free pastaFlatbreadsFrittersSeasoned flour blends

Also listed as: Chickpea flour, Garbanzo flour, Besan, Gram flour, Farinata flour

Health & gut impact

GOSConcern

Chickpeas are high in galacto-oligosaccharides. Grinding them into flour does not remove those carbohydrates, and a batter uses a lot of the flour.

Monash FODMAP classification of chickpeas

A gluten-free legumeBenefit

The flour is a bean, not a grain. Cross-contact is the only wheat risk, and a gluten-free mark covers that.

Identity of besan and chickpea flour

What can I use instead?

Rice flour

Ratio: A milder gluten-free flour

Best for: Light batters

Oat flour

Ratio: A grain flour when beans are the problem

Best for: Pancakes

Related

More flour treatment agents:

Almond flourAlmond flour is ground almonds. Almond flour is vegan, and the nut itself contains no gluten. It is one of the few baking flours that fits a keto pattern. Large servings are high FODMAP because almonds are.Generally safeAlpha-amylaseAlpha-amylase is the enzyme that clips starch so bread can rise and brown. Baked goods often list it only as enzymes. Fungal amylase is gluten-free. Amylase from barley malt is not.Generally safeAzodicarbonamide (ADA) E927aAzodicarbonamide (ADA, E927a) is a dough conditioner that's banned in the EU but still legal in US bread. Baking turns some of it into semicarbazide, a possible carcinogen, so it's one to avoid.Best to avoidBarleyBarley is a gluten grain with a low glycemic index when it is eaten as the whole or pearled berry. The barley berry fails a gluten-free diet, a keto diet and a low-FODMAP diet. It is vegan. Sprouted barley is the start of malt, which is a different ingredient line.Generally safe

Common questions

Is besan the same as chickpea flour?

Yes. Besan is the name used in South Asian cooking. Check that the bag is only chickpeas if you need it gluten-free.

Can chickpea flour replace eggs?

In some fritters, the flour gels as it cooks and holds the batter. It does not scramble, and it will not work in every egg recipe.

Is Chickpea flour safe?

Generally safe (87/100). Chickpea flour is a food, not an E-number. It is gluten-free if no wheat was milled into it. It is high in GOS, a FODMAP, so an elimination diet leaves it out.

Is Chickpea flour vegan?

Yes. Chickpea flour is ground chickpeas.

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Scientific sources & regulatory citations
  • Monash FODMAP classification of chickpeas
  • Identity of besan and chickpea flour