Metabolizable Energy Value of Chickpeas and Lentils in the Human Diet: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Accurate knowledge of the energy (calorie) value of foods is important for food labeling, food policy, and diet planning to support health. Virtually no data are available on the energy values of chickpeas and lentils,-two pulses that help control blood glucose and body weight. The objective of this study was to measure the metabolizable energy value of chickpeas and lentils when fed as part of a diet and compare those values to Atwater values.

A randomized controlled crossover intervention was conducted to measure the energy value of chickpeas and lentils in humans (n = 18). Total 7-day fecal and urine collections were conducted after a 10-day adaptation to the controlled diet.

The metabolizable energy (ME) of the chickpeas is 515 ± 17 kJ/serving (123 ± 4 kcal/serving) (serving mass = 85.5 g), which is 10.4% lower (p = 0.002) and 8.0% lower (p = 0.02) than the ME calculated using Atwater General or Specific Factors, respectively. The metabolizable energy of the lentils is 498 ± 17 kJ/serving (119 ± 4 kcal/serving) (serving mass = 98.5 g), which is 16.0% lower (p < 0.0001) and 13.6% lower (p = 0.003) than the ME calculated using Atwater General or Specific Factors, respectively.

Using Atwater Factors to calculate the metabolizable energy value of chickpeas and lentils overestimates their available calories.