Gram flour: 20.7% protein, GI of only 8, €1.92 per kilo

rubadub · 24-05-2009 6:28pm #1

I mentioned gram flour a good while ago as being high in protein, others pointed out it is very low GI too at only 8. Just wondering if people know if it is a good protein to be taking?

Usually it comes in small bags and is not particularly cheap. There is an Indian/ethnic shop in blackrock market now selling 2kg bags for €3.85 which is cheaper than usual. It is normally used for onion bhajis
per 100g
312kcal
Protein 20.7g
Fat 1.34g
Carbs 54.33g
Fibre 9.6g

So 20.7g protein for €1.92, so the same amount as most meats. To compare it pricewise whey at a typical 80%, then 1kg of whey has 800g of protein, and 800g of protein from gram flour would cost €7.42. So is cheaper than most supps, and low in fat, high in fibre and is VERY low GI. Also says it has no gluten. The 2kg bag I got has ingredients listed as channadall & yellow split peas.

Another brand I got was
Mine per 100g is
359kcal
protein 21.6g
carbs 54.3g
of which sugar 2.4g
fat 6.1g
of which saturates 0.9g
fibre 6.3g
sodium 0.35g

http://www.mendosa.com/chanadal.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gram_flour

joepenguin · 24-05-2009 6:42pm

So you get 20 servings of 20g protein, 55g carbs, 1.4g fat and 9.6 fibre for 3.85.

Thats what, just shy of 20c per serving.

How would you go about taking it though? and im assuming the quality of the protein wouldnt be the best. Maybe a good supp for a vegan? Or non vegans to mix with whey?

rubadub · 24-05-2009 7:31pm

joepenguin wrote: »

How would you go about taking it though?

I wasn't really thinking of it like a supp, just comparing it pricewise. The low GI thing would not be good for PWO as you would be wanting quick acting carbs, and I think combining low GI with high GI results in medium GI, so even if you did take glucose this would affect it.

I was just thinking of having it in the diet in general. I already use it to coat chicken for frying, I also make sort of bhajis with it, I just fry up onions, then mix gram flour with water an egg and curry powder and pour it over them.

You could probably make a type of hummus from it to, since it is so similar to chickpeas

Hanley · 24-05-2009 7:33pm

The real benefit of whey supps is that you can get the extra protein in without having to take in excess carbs and fat too, so in that regard whey wins.

Buuuut since Gram flour's got such a low GI rating, realtively high in protein and dirt cheap, I don't see why it wouldn't be good to have around! Might wanna check the BV rating of chickpeas too tho, can't see it being all that high.

rubadub · 24-05-2009 7:51pm

It works well in pancakes, just polishing off some now with the onions in them with hot sauce :pac:

I tried a pinch of the flour on its own and it was rotten.

I doubt it could be subbed into many recipes which use wheat flour, like you might be able to sub in oat flour. But I expect you might be able to mix a small bit in which could lower the overall GI of the recipe. Maybe good for a breakfast dish.

Could be a good replacement for my old favourite chicken balls. You would fry up the chicken finely diced, then just mix the gram flour with egg and curry powder and pour over it to get a big chicken pancake. If you add whey to pancake mixtures and stick it in a blender it ends up really nice and fluffy and the whey goes a nice brown colour when frying.

assuming the quality of the protein wouldnt be the best.

BV rating of chickpeas too tho

Yes, that is my main query, though even if it is not great I will still use it since I always did like it, just never realised the low GI and high protein until a while ago.

parasite · 24-05-2009 7:57pm

Sesame Sticks (Bombay Mix) are made of gram flour, om nom nom

brianthebard · 24-05-2009 9:09pm

rubadub wrote: »

It works well in pancakes, just polishing off some now with the onions in them with hot sauce :pac:

I tried a pinch of the flour on its own and it was rotten.

I doubt it could be subbed into many recipes which use wheat flour, like you might be able to sub in oat flour. But I expect you might be able to mix a small bit in which could lower the overall GI of the recipe. Maybe good for a breakfast dish.

Could be a good replacement for my old favourite chicken balls. You would fry up the chicken finely diced, then just mix the gram flour with egg and curry powder and pour over it to get a big chicken pancake. If you add whey to pancake mixtures and stick it in a blender it ends up really nice and fluffy and the whey goes a nice brown colour when frying.

Yes, that is my main query, though even if it is not great I will still use it since I always did like it, just never realised the low GI and high protein until a while ago.

I think its mainly used for flat breads right? So I can't see it being useful in recipes that require rising. If you are putting it with other sources of protein then the completeness and BV of the gram protein may not be as big an issue as if it were the sole source of protein in a meal? Oh wonder if you could make wraps with it? Yeah you definitely could, you could just pick an indian bread recipe (or any basic bread recipe) and roll out the dough extra thin and make wraps that way, that would be excellent imo, far better than the prepackaged wraps you can buy.
so doing that next weekend....

Hanley · 24-05-2009 9:17pm

I'm seriously considering just living off Transforms Flapjacks and protein shakes.... nicest and easiest things to eat EVER.

Khannie · 24-05-2009 9:27pm

Hanley wrote: »

I'm seriously considering just living off Transforms Flapjacks and protein shakes.... nicest and easiest things to eat EVER.

Been making my own flapjacks recently. So have you a link? I might make some this evening.

edit: Sorry for the hijack rubadub.

brianthebard · 24-05-2009 9:33pm

We need a fitness forum recipe sticky. Get on it Khannie!!!

:pac:

Khannie · 24-05-2009 9:35pm

y'know, I was thinking about a fitness recipe's thread recently....

In fact....

/me gets his finger out

Hanley · 24-05-2009 9:51pm

Khannie wrote: »

Been making my own flapjacks recently. So have you a link? I might make some this evening.

edit: Sorry for the hijack rubadub.

It's his secret recipe so I dunno what's in em... off the topic of my head I remember;

butter, oats, raisians, dates (possibly?), although I guess any ones you make are gonna be pretty much the same... might give it a lash myself some stage this week.

I'd say they're cheap as chips to have as an MRP too

Edwardius · 25-05-2009 11:05am

Think there were some apricots in there too.

rubadub · 25-05-2009 11:39am

Transform wrote: »

homemade flapjacks (oats, seeds, nuts, dried fruit etc)

Transform wrote: »

i have been taking psyllium for years now!!!

Only joking - but i have been taking it daily for years along with flax seeds i put in when making my flapjacks (which i pretty much live off some days).

This is getting like the davinci code, have to figure it out!

d'Oracle · 25-05-2009 1:11pm

brianthebard wrote: »

I think its mainly used for flat breads right? So I can't see it being useful in recipes that require rising.

Nah.

It will rise as good as any normal flour.
Plus, Who needs raising anyway?
Roti 4Tw

Gram flour: 20.7% protein, GI of only 8, €1.92 per kilo

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