Legumes such as beans, dried peas, lentils and chickpeas have enjoyed a surge in popularity in recent years as more Americans seek healthy alternatives to potato snacks, according to a report from Packaged Facts. Many companies are investing in better-for-you snacks and, accornature made magnesium 250 mg softgelsding to Research and Markets, the global chickpeas market reached a volume of 15.4 million tons in 2016, with a CAGR of 6% between 2009 and last year.###While chickpeas and other pulses have exploded in the savory snacks segment, they have been slower to forge a path into the sweet snack category. However, the latest Biena Foods lincalcium citrate vitamin d3 zinc and magnesium tabletse is less risky than it may appear, joining a plethora of other chocolate-covered foods like almonds, raisins and coffee beans in the snack aisle.###Chickpeas’ popularity is unlikely to be a fad. Their flour has been used for centuries as a wheat alternative in Asia and the Middle East. The legumes are turning up in a range of manufactured foods, from cookies and bread to chips and snacks. Sweet legume-based snacks is an area to keep ankirkland magnesium tablets eye on over the coming years, as the alternative ingredient snack market is expected to remain strong through 2019, with a CAGR of 6.2% to reach sales of $1.7 million. ###What’s more, in an effort to boost domestic sales, the USDA has urged food manufacturers to use chickpeas and other pulses in value-added foods, citing biscuits, cookies, beverages, tortillas, nutrition bars, dry starch mixes, flatbreads, pizza crusts, vegetarian spreads, and sauces. Consumers have been quick to snap up such products, with chickpea-containing products leading market growth.###The fast-growing gluten-free market has also been a driver for legumes, and food manufacturers are taking note of chickpea flour as a favorable, nutritious substitute for wheat flour. This may have paved the way for a wider range of chickpea-containing products, as the pulse has shown its appeal beyond gluten-free applications, parferrous gluconate 240ticularly for its impressive nutritional profile. Chickpeas are high in protein and fiber, as well as micronutrients such as magnesium, potassium and iron.###Apart from their relatively recent appearance in sweet snacks, chickpeas’ cooking water – known as aquafaba – is currently making waves among vegans as an alternative to egg whites. It even has an official website, which praises aquafaba’s emulsifying, foaming, binding, gelatinizing and thickening properties, making it a promising vegan ingredient for products like meringues, mayo anamazon magnesium citrated baked goods.