Hummus, an age-old Middle Eastern dip, has the Western world in its grip. It’s no longer the go-to healthy snack or spread only the health-conscious people know about. These days, supermarket shelves are packed with this yummy appetizer for some good reason. The health benefits of hummus are just wow!
Hummus is one of the easiest dips made with chickpeas, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and tahini (sesame seed paste). It is packed with protein, healthy fats, complex carbs, antioxidants, and a wide range of essential vitamins and minerals.
A study in the Journal of Nutrition & Food Sciences found that people who eat hummus or chickpeas regularly tend to have a smaller waistline and live an overall healthier lifestyle.And on top of that, hummus is gluten-, nuts, and dairy-free, which are all known to cause allergies.
Here are 10 amazing health benefits of hummus which are going to make you want to eat this healthy dip every single day.
10 Health Benefits of Hummus
1. Good Source of Plant-Protein
Hummus is an excellent source of complete plant protein for vegetarians, vegans, or flexitarians. Chickpeas, the main ingredient of hummus, isn’t a complete protein by itself, but when combined with tahini it provides all essential amino acids our body needs.
ALSO READ: The Top Plant Protein Sources
2. Loaded with Vitamins And Minerals
Not only is hummus a good source of protein, but it is also loaded with iron, folate, phosphorus, and B vitamins. All essential nutrients vegans or vegetarians often lack.
ALSO READ: 3 Key Nutrients That Vegetarians Must Be Mindful Of To Avoid Nutrient Deficiency
3. Promotes Health Heart
Chickpeas, lentils, sesame seeds, and olive oil help reduce plaque formation, blood pressure, the risk of cardiovascular issues, and balance cholesterol levels to prevent a heart attack or other cardiovascular diseases.
4. Aids Digestion
Hummus is an excellent way to add more fibers to your diet. Getting your daily dose of fiber helps to keep you regular and keeps your digestive tract healthy and clean.
5. Boost Energy
Chickpeas contain complex carbohydrates which are used for energy and, unlike simple carbs, doesn’t spike blood sugar levels.
6. Weight Management
Hummus is rich in belly-filling fibers and proteins. It helps you to stay satisfied longer and keeps hunger cravings at bay. It makes you eat less at main meals and prevents snacking in between. But bear in mind, although hummus can aid your weight loss, too much of it will have to opposite effect due to its high-calorie content.
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Scroll down for more health benefits and a yummy hummus recipe.
7. Healthy Bones
Tahini is an excellent source of many of the bone-building and strengthening nutrients such as zinc, copper, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, and selenium.
ALSO READ: Discover the Best Foods for Strong Bones
8. Reduce Risk Cancer
Chickpeas are packed with fibers which keep our colon clean and toxin-free. Chickpeas’ ability to remove waste materials from our digestive tract has been linked to a reduced risk of colon cancer. Next to it cleansing properties, chickpeas are also loaded with a broad range of free-radical-fighting antioxidants which reduce the risk of several types of cancer.
9. Anti-inflammatory
Humus contains garlic, olive oil, and chickpeas, which are all known anti-inflammatory foods. Inflammation is the culprit of many of our modern diseases.
ALSO READ: 16 Foods That Fight Chronic Inflammation And Taste Great
10. Balance Blood Sugar Levels
People who often eat chickpeas and beans experience fewer issues with blood sugar levels. This decreases the chance of developing insulin resistance or diabetes.
Although hummus is a great and healthy addition to your diet, eat in moderation to avoid consuming too many calories a day.
Delicious Hummus Recipe
While the original recipe only contains chickpeas, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and tahini, hummus is a great dish to experiment with. You can add parsley, coriander, cumin, mint, red pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, or onions, to name a few.
Here’s a recipe I made recently and absolutely enjoyed. I remade it for friends… Conclusion: recipe approved!!!
- 1 cup dried chickpeas (soaked overnight)
- 2 cloves of garlic, peeled
- About 10 oz sun-dried tomatoes
- 3 tablespoon tahini
- 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons water
- Drizzle of olive oil
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika powder (or more to taste)
- Black Pepper and salt to taste
Mince garlic in the food processor. Add all other ingredients and blend until smooth. Taste, add more salt and pepper if needed
Note: you can also use canned chickpeas (1 cup dried equals 2 cans), but make sure to read the labels and opt for the ones which are the least processed. Opt for dried chickpeas whenever you can.
ALSO READ: Chickpea 101: How To Soak, Sprout, Cook, and Freeze Chickpeas
Oh and BTW, have you ever tried to make sun-dried tomatoes? It’s actually super easy, even when there is no sun ;-). I’ll make a blog post with pictures about that shortly. So make sure to connect with me on social media or subscribe to the newsletter if you want to know how easy it is to make sun-dried tomatoes.
Thanks for reading. I hope this information was helpful. Until next time!
Amy Goodrich
Crazy cat lady, life and food lover, certified biologist, and holistic health coach.
