Besan
Cicer arietinum
Also known as: Chickpea Flour · Gram Flour · Chana Flour · Kadalai Maavu
India's lowest-GI flour (35) — with 20–22g protein per 100g and 437µg of folate. The flour behind the subcontinent's greatest street food.
Glycemic Index
35 (lowest of all Indian flours)
Protein
20–22 g/100g
Folate (B9)
437 µg/100g
Fiber
10–12 g/100g
About
What is Besan?
Besan (chickpea flour) has the lowest glycemic index of any Indian flour at 35 — lower than oats, lower than all millets, lower than any grain flour. This exceptional GI is driven by a triple mechanism: very high protein (20–22g), very high fiber (10–12g including resistant starch), and a legume-specific carbohydrate composition that is inherently slow-digesting. Its folate content of 437µg per 100g — near the entire daily recommended intake in a single serving — makes it one of the most important pregnancy foods in Indian cuisine. Kadhi, Chilla, Pakora, Dhokla, Sev, Boondi, Boondi Raita — the breadth of Indian culture built on Besan is unmatched by any other flour.
Key Compound
Folate (B9) — 437µg/100g
Near the full daily requirement in 100g. Folate is critical for DNA synthesis, neural tube formation, and red blood cell production. Traditional pregnancy diets heavy in Besan Chilla, Kadhi, and Dal are inadvertently folate-optimised.
Nutritional Profile
What’s inside?
Health Applications
Why it matters
Diabetes management
Lowest GI of any Indian flour (35). Legume carbohydrates digest very slowly, producing minimal blood glucose response.
Pregnancy nutrition
437µg folate per 100g — near the complete daily requirement. Folate prevents neural tube defects (spina bifida) when consumed in early pregnancy.
Weight management
High protein (20–22g) + high fiber (10–12g) together create strong satiety. Besan snacks are more filling per calorie than grain-flour alternatives.
Ancient Wisdom
In Ayurveda
Dosha Effect
Kapha-pacifying, Pitta-balancing
Guna (Quality)
Laghu (light), Ruksha (dry)
Best Season
Vasant and Grishma (spring and summer)
Classical Note
Chanaka (chickpea) is classified as Ruksha (dry) in Ayurveda — recommended for Kapha and overweight conditions. Besan Ubtan (chickpea flour + turmeric + milk paste) is a classical Ayurvedic skin cleanser and brightener, used pre-wedding and in postpartum care.
Origin Story
From the field
Pan-India · Rajasthan, MP, UP, Maharashtra
Rajasthan's Bikaner is the heartland of Indian Besan — Bikaneri Bhujia's distinctive crunch comes from a specific chickpea variety (moth bean blended with chickpea) and precise tempering technique. The Halwai (sweet-maker) families of Bikaner have passed down exact Besan-roasting temperatures and spice blends through apprenticeship for generations. In Gujarat, Dhokla fermentation is a household science — the controlled fermentation of Besan with yogurt overnight produces a steamed cake that is both lighter and more nutritious than its raw ingredients.
— Health Applications —
What Besan is good for.
— Try It In Your Kitchen —
Recipes using Besan.
There are 23 ingredients in the Field Guide.