You might already know that hummus is a delicious spread of Middle Eastern origin made of chickpeas, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and tahini. But you probably don’t actually know how healthy it actually is for you. Even if you marginally supposed that it was a better health options than using other dips and spreads, the hummus provides amazing health benefits.
Get ready to pull up a bowl next time because we’re dishing out a few good reasons why you should definitely be eating more of it!
1. High in antioxidants
Chickpeas are chock full of antioxidants, and since chickpeas are one of the main ingredients in hummus, that means hummus is full of antioxidants too. Antioxidants reduce oxidant damage that has been done in our bodies, which contributes to better health overall.
2. Strengthens bones
Both chickpeas and tahini also contain calcium which helps contribute to good bone health. And that’s good for all age groups to keep bones strong your whole life long.
3. Aids in weight loss
It’s not just a healthier choice in that it has a much lower calorie count and fat content than other dips and spreads. Hummus is traditionally made with tahini, which is sesame seed butter. It contains a fair amount of monounsaturated fats. And one of the fabulous benefits of monounsaturated fats is that they promote weight loss and the reduction of belly fat.
4. Regulates your body
Thanks to its high fiber content, one of the benefits of eating plenty of hummus is that it can keep your digestive tract regular. It’s an effective, not to mention tasty way to get more fiber into your diet. Fiber is great because it’s known for preventing heart disease. Another win!
If you’ve never had hummus and want to give it a try, there are many wonderful ways to enjoy it. It’s great spread on sandwiches. Try spreading it on 2 slices of bread and then topping with sliced cheese, lettuce, onions, cucumbers, bean sprouts and avocado for a healthy yet satisfying lunch. Or use hummus as a dip. You can dunk pieces of pita bread into it or vegetables too.
What’s great about hummus is the variety of flavors that are available from the traditional to things like roasted garlic, sun-dried tomato, basil pesto, red pepper, lemon and so many more. In fact, you can make your own hummus. Here is a super easy and quick recipe by Chelsey.
Hummus recipe that only takes minutes…
Time: 5 minutes — 4 servings — 121 cals
Ingredients:
– 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained, liquid reserved
– 1 tablespoon lemon juice
– 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
– 1/2 teaspoon salt
– 2 drops sesame oil, or to taste (optional)
– 1 tablespoon olive oil
– 1 clove garlic, crushed
Directions: (preparation in 5 minutes, ready in 5 minutes)
Blend garbanzo beans, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, cumin, salt, and sesame oil in a food processor; stream reserved bean liquid into the mixture as it blends until desired consistency is achieved. You might also want to let the flavors blend several hours or overnight before serving it.
Another suggestion: there’s a restaurant – The Chickpea – on 400 Clematis St, Downtown West Palm Beach serving Mediterranean cuisine with a modern twist and a blend of Middle Eastern flavors. You can try their hummus which is prepared fresh and cooked in-house. One of their signature hummus dishes is the Just Hummus + Falafel Bowl that includes romaine, hummus, babaganoush, falafel, tomato, cucumber salad, kalamata olives, pickle sumac onions, pita croutons, crumbled feta, and dressed with olive oil, lemon juice, mint tahini sauce, sumac and pita bread.