Chickpeas are a great source of zinc. Zinc contains antioxidants that are used to prevent accelerated aging of skin and muscles. Also, zinc is known for its ability to speed up healing after an injury. Zinc is also important for the immune system. Zinc deficiency affects nearly two billion people worldwide and is mostly in developing countries.
Interestingly, zinc stimulates 100 enzymes that act together to give us our sense of smell. Although controversial, it is believed that zinc is helpful against the severity of a cold according to a 2011 study. Another interesting health benefit of zinc is that it protects against sunburns in the summer and windburn in the winter.
