Cicer arietinum is a member of the legume family and is commonly known as chickpea or Egyptian pea. Originating in the Middle East, it is one of the earliest cultivated legumes, with records dating back to cultivation over 7,500 years ago. It is widely cultivated in many countries and used as a staple food crop. Chickpeas have a nutlike taste and creamy texture, and high protein content. One of the most popular dishes made from chickpeas is called ‘hummus’ from the Arabic word for chickpea. Hummus is made from mashed chickpeas blended with tahini (sesame paste), olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and garlic. Chickpeas are also eaten cold in salads, cooked in stews, or ground into flour.

Water-soluble extracts of chickpeas show radical scavenging activities, and various phenolic compounds have been identified from chickpea extracts, including shikimic acid, chlorogenic acid, and syringic acid.