Have you seen or tried hummus before? Wait, in the first place, do you know what this is? Well, hummus is a thick, creamy spread, which is mainly made from crushed chickpeas and some other healthy condiments, which has now become famous all over the world for the past years. Furthermore, hummus has also been long enjoyed in various North Africans countries and in the Middle East. Today, people from Europe as well as North America commonly eat it too. This spread is no ordinary spread. As a matter of fact, it has a lot of essential nutrients in it. All of which make up the unique and beneficial health benefits of hummus. If you want to learn more about hummus, give this article a read.
Hummus: What is this?
The hummus has a rich tradition in it. Some people even refer to it as one of the ancient foods, which has a great history of being eaten by various important historical figures, especially in the Middle East. According to some ancient scriptures, it was first consumed in the country of Egypt approximately in the 13th century. Even though the recipe, which is used at this point in time is far way different from that of today, they are both beneficial for the health.
In today’s day and time, the hummus still plays an important role in many healthy populations’ diet plan. Especially those who are living in the Middle East, and all over the world. As a matter of fact, Hummus is usually consumed in each of the meals in Israel. In Syria and Turkey, they often include it in their mezze table. And most of the days, in Jordan and in Palestine, they eat of it in the most of the days for breakfast together with bread. Various Arabic nations also enjoy hummus even up to this day.
Here are some types of the hummus:
- Eggplant
- Black bean
- Roasted red pepper
- Sweet potato
- Curry
- Jalapeno
- Cilantro
Hummus: What is it made of?
Hummus is actually made of different ingredients, they are as follows:
- This is made up of ground sesame seeds and is touted as one of the oldest condiments in the world.
- Sea salt. They use sea salt in adding more flavor to the hummus. It also contributes to the health benefits of hummus as it has ample amounts of necessary nutrients and compounds.
- Lemon juice. This kind of juice has an alkalizing effect on the body. This is essential in combating high levels of acidity, which is common in most of the modern diets.
- Raw garlic in hummus is beneficial in offering an impressive amount of nutrients, like sulfur, selenium, flavonoids, and many more.
- Olive oil. The olive oil in the hummus is made with extra virgin olive oil, which is beneficial for the overall health.
- Chickpeas are rich in plant-based protein. They can make you feel full longer and improve digestion as well as aid the heart health too.
Nutritional Facts of Hummus
If you are going to look for the nutritional value of hummus, you can see that it has an ample amount of vital nutrients.
100 grams-serving of the hummus may contain approximately:
| Principles | Amount | % Daily Value |
| Calories | 177 | – |
| Carbohydrates | 20.1 grams | – |
| Protein | 4.9 grams | – |
| Fiber | 4 grams | – |
| Manganese | 0.6 milligrams | 28% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0..4 milligrams | 20% |
| Folate | 56 micrograms | 15% |
| Vitamin C | 7.9 milligrams | 13% |
| Phosphorus | 110 milligrams | 11% |
| Copper | 0.2 milligrams | 11% |
| Iron | 1.6 milligrams | 9% |
| Magnesium | 29 milligrams | 7% |
| Thiamin | 0.1 milligram | 6% |
| Calcium | 49 milligrams | 5% |
| Potassium | 173 milligrams | 5% |
What makes it a great choice to include in the diet are the unprocessed, plant-based, whole-food ingredients.
Health Benefits of Hummus
Here are some of the most surprising health benefits of hummus:
- Helps in boosting energy. The chickpeas in the hummus are beneficial in providing steady energy for the body. Not just that, it is also beneficial in averting the risk of spiking blood sugar.
- Helps in protecting heart health. Studies show that diets that are rich in extra virgin olive oil may help in preventing cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, the regular consumption of the olive oil is also beneficial in improving the blood pressure levels in the bloodstream.
- Helps in supporting bone health. The sesame seeds in the hummus are beneficial in supporting the bone health. This is all thanks to the bone-building minerals in it like selenium, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, copper, and zinc.
- Rich vitamins and minerals content. There is an ample amount of micronutrients that the hummus’ ingredients have. These are all essential for the betterment of the overall health.
- Helps in digestion and in the intestinal health. Hummus has good amounts of fiber in it. This alone is beneficial for the health –including a boost in digestive health. This can improve the digestion and overall health.
- Helps in fighting off various illnesses. This is one of the best health benefits of hummus –especially its effect on cancer treatment. Not just that, the hummus is also beneficial in treating some other conditions.
