Hummus: 9 Benefits and how to make it (with recipes)

Hummus is a creamy spread made with chickpeas, which can promote muscle mass gain, help with intestinal function, contribute to bone health and prevent cardiovascular diseases and anemia.

These benefits are possible because chickpeas are a legume with great amounts of protein, fiber, phosphorus, iron, vitamin B9 and vitamin E.

Hummus can be made in the traditional way, with chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice and salt, or with additional ingredients, such as beetroot or sweet potato, to add color, flavor and other health benefits.

9 Health Benefits of Hummus

The main benefits of hummus are:

1. Provide energy

Hummus is rich in carbohydrates and consuming 100g of chickpea hummus provides 275 calories, providing energy and increasing the willingness to carry out physical activities.

2. Promote muscle mass gain

Hummus is a good source of protein, which can help you gain muscle mass. In addition, although it does not contain all the essential amino acids, hummus can be recommended to supplement your daily protein intake.

3. Help the intestines function

Because it is rich in fiber, hummus helps the intestines to function, making it a good food option for people with constipation, for example.

4. Contribute to bone health

Traditional hummus contains minerals such as calcium, phosphorus and manganese, which are essential for the formation and strengthening of bones. Therefore, its consumption can contribute to maintaining bone health.

5. Help prevent anemia

Chickpea hummus is a great source of folate and iron, which are important nutrients for preventing the development of anemias, such as megaloblastic anemia and iron deficiency anemia.

6. Keep your skin healthy

Because it contains vitamin E, a nutrient that has antioxidant properties, hummus helps maintain healthy skin by fighting free radicals and preventing premature aging. Check out other benefits of vitamin E. Check out other benefits of vitamin E.

7. Control blood glucose levels

Traditional hummus has a low glycemic index, which means that its sugars are absorbed slowly by the digestive system. Therefore, eating hummus can help control blood glucose levels.

8. Reduce circulating cholesterol

Hummus made with chickpeas contains soluble fibers that appear to help control cholesterol levels in the bloodstream, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, for example.

9. Help prevent cancer

The composition of chickpea hummus also contains substances that appear to have anti-cancer effects, such as lycopene, saponins and biochanin A. Therefore, its consumption can help reduce the risk of some types of cancer.

Nutritional information table

The table below provides nutritional information for 100g of hummus (about heaped tablespoons) made with chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, parsley, lemon juice and black pepper:

To obtain the benefits of hummus, it is important that it is included in a healthy and balanced diet, in addition to doing physical activity regularly.

Make an appointment with your nearest nutritionist to find out how to include hummus in your diet in a healthy way:

How to make

Traditional hummus is a dip or spread made with cooked chickpeas, ground and mixed with other ingredients such as olive oil, lemon juice and seasonings, but there are variations that can be made with beets, sweet potatoes or beans, for example.

Healthy Hummus Recipes

Here are some hummus recipe options:

1. Chickpea hummus

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/3 cup (tea) of chickpeas;
• 8 cups (tea) of water;
• 1/4 cup (tea) of lemon juice;
• 2 cloves of minced garlic;
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil;
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper;
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika;
• 4 tablespoons of tahini;
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley.

Method of preparation:

Place the chickpeas and 4 cups of water in a large bowl and let them soak for 8 to 12 hours. Drain the water from the chickpeas and transfer the beans to a saucepan with 4 cups of water, cooking over medium heat until soft. Drain the beans and, after letting them cool for 10 minutes, place the chickpeas and the remaining ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend for 3 minutes or until you have a smooth paste.

2. Beetroot hummus

Ingredients:

• 250 g cooked chickpeas;
• 1 cooked beetroot;
• Juice of 1/2 lemon;
• 1 teaspoon tahini;
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil;
• 50 ml of water;
• Salt and pepper to taste;
• 1 clove of minced garlic.

Method of preparation:

Place all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. You can add a little more water or olive oil to taste to create a thick paste.