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11 Amazing Health Benefits Of Hummus You Probably Did Not Know About

Hummus is the staple dish of every Arab household. This delicious integration of chickpeas, olive oil, and tahini makes a globally popular dip that can be eaten in one of many ways.

Some like to have it as a sauce for their burgers/ sandwiches, others eat it with pita bread, and some also take it as a hummus salad. Either way, hummus never fails to deliver that rich Mediterranean taste, and in bonus, significant nutritional benefits.

Is Hummus Good For You?

Hummus is a healthy and popular Middle Eastern dish that is also often referred to as by the name, houmous. The traditional Arabic hummus is made of chickpeas, tahini, lemon, garlic, and herbs. Served with a sprinkle of paprika, parsley, olive oil, and boiled chickpeas, the dip presents a global appeal. From Arab to Europe and the Americas, people have adopted this dish with much love, making it a regular on their menus.

As the buzz for its yummy taste grows, so does the awareness of its benefits. Lots of people use hummus in keto diet and other diet plans to stay healthy while eating their favorite foods.

This means that this daily food choice of yours might just be a major nutrient booster. In this blog, we’ve put together a list of all the health benefits of hummus for you to better understand its benefits profile.

What Are The Benefits Of Hummus?

Here’s a detailed overview of how hummus can be healthy for you. Have a look at the points below to understand how the nutritional compounds in hummus can help improve your overall health.

1. Rich In Vitamins & Minerals:

Hummus contains some of the most important vitamins and minerals. Daily consumption of hummus provides you with significant quantities of minerals like iron and magnesium. It also contains some essential vitamins like folate, and important B vitamins. The presence of zinc in hummus ingredients makes it beneficial for metabolism and healthy immune system.

In addition to that, tahini in hummus is a great source of vitamin E, which helps reduce the risk of cancer by maintaining epithelial tissue growth and destroying free radicals within the body. (1)

2. Excellent Source Of Plant-Based Protein:

Hummus is rich in several nutrients, one of which is protein. With 7.9 grams of protein in every 100 gram serving, hummus takes on the position of one of the most protein-rich vegetarian foods.

This means that it is a great option for people following a vegetarian and vegan diet. Since protein plays a critical role in cell growth and recovery, it is an essential part of everyday diet. In addition to that, B vitamins, folate, iron, protein, and zinc in hummus deliver those nutrients to vegetarians, which are often lacking in a standard vegetarian diet.

3. Has Anti-inflammatory Properties:

Inflammation in body is a sign that there is something wrong. It typically occurs as a result of an infection, injury, or illness, and may turn into a chronic condition if not tended to on time. If you are suffering from inflammatory diseases, daily consumption of hummus may be helpful.

Hummus contains olive oil, which is a great antioxidant, with anti-inflammatory characteristics. It is often garnished with a gracious drizzle of virgin olive oil that has been proven to have similar properties to anti-inflammatory meds due to the presence of oleocanthal in it. (2)

Tahini is another component of this popular Middle Eastern dip that contributes to various health benefits of hummus. The sesame seeds in tahini suppress inflammatory markers such as IL-6 and CRP to combat further expansion of inflammation. (3)

4. Helps In Weight Loss:

Hummus is good for weight loss because it contains unsaturated fats that come from tahini sauce. The traditional preparation of this dish utilizes sesame seeds butter, also called tahini, which offers a number of health benefits on its own.

Aside from being rich in healthy fats, humus is also plentiful in chickpeas, which is a class of legumes. It is a fiber-rich food that maintains satiety for long periods. This keeps you away from unwanted snacking and consequently avoids unhealthy weight gain. (4)

Furthermore, the abundant amount of dietary fiber in hummus is known to stimulate fullness hormones like peptide YY, cholecystokinin, and GLP-1, while suppressing hunger hormones like ghrelin. (5)

5. Prevents Cholesterol Spikes:

Aside from being a great diet food, hummus is also known to reduce LDL cholesterol, which is a bad type of cholesterol. In a comparative study, two study groups were tested, with one consuming a chickpeas-rich diet and the other taking a wheat-rich diet. Within five weeks, the results showed a 4.6 percent decrease in LDL cholesterol in the chickpea study group. (6)

The key ingredient of hummus is chickpeas (legumes) and several studies have claimed have linked the consumption of legume-based foods with lower LDL cholesterol. (7)

6. Supports Heart Health:

Heart diseases are widely found in older age groups, and have been considered responsible for 1 out of every 4 deaths globally. Hummus contains some of the power ingredients that may help suppress the risks of heart issues. Daily consumption of a healthy hummus dip delivers enough healthy fats, vitamins, and other factors to help maintain cardiovascular health.

A detailed review of 10 studies highlighted how a diet containing ample amounts of legumes like chickpeas reduces bad LDL cholesterol by 5% on average. (8)

Hummus mostly derives its fat content from olive oil, which is also good for regulating heart health.

An overview of multiple studies with 840,000 people concluded that people who take healthy oils, like olive oil regularly have a 12% lower chance of death by heart disease, and 11% lower risk of death by other causes. (9)

7. Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, And Dairy-Free

Nut allergies and gluten intolerance are food complications that are rapidly becoming common in people around the globe. People suffering from such complications often find it difficult to find food options that do not rile up their immune response. Hummus is one of the safest options for such people.

With zero contents of dairy, nuts and flour, it makes an excellent choice for people with nut allergies, celiac disorders, and lactose intolerance.

While the standard recipe does not contain any potentially allergic compounds, it is wise to verify before consumption. Check the package label, or confirm with your server if the hummus contains any ingredients that may be harmful for you. Additionally, be mindful of the high raffinose content of hummus. Raffinose is not good for people with irritable bowel syndrome or other similar disorders. (10)

8. Rich In Antioxidants:

One of the prime health benefits of hummus lies in its antioxidant properties. Most people are unaware of how the humble hummus dip can protect them against various acute and chronic health conditions.

Chickpeas and sesame seeds are two ingredients of hummus that contain antioxidants. This means that regular consumption may help fight free radicals, and prevent diseases like cancer, asthma, dementia, inflammatory joint diseases, etc.

9. Can Be Eaten With Almost Everything:

It is incredibly easy to incorporate hummus in your daily diet. You can eat it with almost everything, and this delicious dish will instantly elevate your overall meal. A yummy combination of chickpeas, olive oil, and tahini, hummus can be spread into a sandwich, a pita pocket, or a shawarma wrap. This intensely creamy, and highly nutritious dip is a great alternative for high-fat spreads like mayonnaise and cream cheese.

You can also use it as a dip to go with your choice of vegetables, like carrots, sweet peppers, celery, and cucumbers. If you are craving a snack, hummus also goes great with crunchy potato chips.

While hummus is largely available in stores, homemade or restaurant versions have a richer taste due to the absence of preservatives.

10. Keeps Your Bones Strong:

Bone growth and strength significantly rely on the amount of calcium in your diet. The two key ingredients of hummus, chickpeas, and tahini both contain significant amounts of calcium, enough to supply 66 mg in each tablespoon serving. (11)

Calcium is important for everyone, including kids, adolescents, and adults. Hummus offers a great way to turn in your daily calcium intake, especially for people following vegan or dairy-free diets.

11. Helps Curb The Symptoms Of Anemia:

When a person’s body is unable to produce an appropriate number of red blood cells, they are diagnosed with anemia. This health condition comes with several symptoms like fatigue, headaches, dizziness, pale skin, weak nails, inflammation, etc.

For such patients, doctors recommended taking an iron-rich diet to curb the effects of the lower RBC count. The chickpeas and tahini in hummus are reliable sources of iron, and daily intake may help overcome RBC deficiency to relieve anemia symptoms.

Takeaway:

To sum it up, hummus is not merely a delicious Arabic food, but also a great source of viable vitamins, minerals, fibers, and healthy fats. Besides being a high-nutrient food, it is also suitable for people with bowel complications, or those following dietary limitations.

The creamy texture and rich taste of hummus have made it a globally popular food, and you can easily find it in any Arabic restaurant near you. Hummus is healthy, and extremely versatile food, ready to be eaten with your choice of sandwiches, breads, and snacks.

Whip up your own at home, or order from your favorite restaurant. Enjoy all the health benefits of hummus by making it a part of your daily diet.

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