All About Hummus

This creamy paste made from chickpeas, i.e. ‘Hummus’, is commonly known as an Israeli’s eating habit. Here are some interesting statistics about hummus. Almost 70% of Israelis have hummus in their refrigerator and above 90% Israelis eat it on a weekly basis.

May 13 is the International Hummus Day. Hummus is not only eaten in Israel but everywhere in the world. Today, hummus is a widely consumed food.

The food is typically prepared after blending tahini (ground sesame seeds), chickpeas, olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice in a food processor. The main ingredients of the basic recipe are chickpeas, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, tahini, and sea salt.

Flavored hummus is made by adding other ingredients after these six common ingredients are mixed. Hummus is very healthy and this is the main reason for its popularity.

Benefits of Hummus

If you are looking for an alternative to your current cream vegetable dip, consider this amazing dish. It is a powerhouse of nutritional values. Hence, along with nutrition, it helps to fight certain diseases given below:

• Decreases inflammation
• Supports the health of bones
• Helps to improve intestinal health and digestion
• Improves the heart health
• Boosts up the energy level

How is Hummus Nutritional?

Healthy Fat

Most of the hummus diet contains unsaturated fat. The tahini and olive oil provide fat. It is also recommended that a diet should contain unsaturated fats at it helps in lowering blood cholesterol levels.

Fiber and Carbs

A 1/3^rd serving of this dish contains 16 grams of carbohydrates and 4 grams of fiber. Fiber intake is important in a diet and this is one of the food that can increase your intake. On the other hand, carbs are essential to provide energy and maintain the functions of the body.

Nutrient-Rich Calories

There are 140 calories per 1/3^rd serving of this paste. Moreover, these calories are nutrient-dense, so they are a little high. However, the calories are also nutrient-rich, so no worries.

Protein

There is a good amount of protein in hummus. Per 1/3^rd serving of hummus, you are going to get 4 grams of protein. We all know that protein is essential to maintain and boost our overall body energy levels. It is a good source of protein but not a complete source though. Insufficient presence of amino acids can also be fulfilled through the intake of other foods such as dairy, lean meats, whole grain, etc.

Rich source of minerals and vitamins

This paste is especially rich in iron and folate. Folate is actually a Vitamin B that helps in the formation of RNA and DNA. Hence, iron is a mineral source that helps make hemoglobin and organizes the delivery of oxygen throughout the body.

Hummus is not bad at all to include in your diet. While preventing many diseases, it is a rich source of nutrition. There are mainly six ingredients that make up the hummus. Moreover, these ingredients are good enough to make it a healthy food.