hummus health benefits

Hummus health benefits – Is hummus good for you?

As you probably know, hummus is chickpea spread that originates from the Middle East but it is widely popular all over the world. Thanks to the health benefits of chickpeas, which is the main ingredient of hummus, it doesn’t come as a surprise that this is one of the healthiest spreads (dips) you can use. You can eat hummus with any type of bread, instead of mayonnaise or other unhealthy sauces and spreads. Hummus health benefits are numerous, so if you wonder if hummus is good for you, the answer is yes.

Apart from chickpeas, hummus is made of tahini which is sesame paste, then lemon juice, garlic and cumin. There are varieties of hummus because it goes so well with other vegetables. So, in addition to plain hummus, you can buy or make beetroot hummus, shitake hummus, hummus with chilli or paprika flavor, with pumpkin seeds and so on.

Is store bought hummus healthy?

If you like hummus so much and you want to eat it often, homemade hummus will be a healthier option because store bought hummus often has certain preservatives. That of course depends on the brand, some of them use soybean oil instead of olive oil. Moreover, store bought hummus contains potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate and other unhealthy ingredients, even sugar.

Eating too much of store bought hummus cannot be so healthy like homemade hummus, but it is still healthier than mayonnaise or other sauces and spreads. You just need to check for the labels and choose the best one.

Whatever hummus you use, homemade or store bought one, you should be careful with the amount you use, as only 100 gr of hummus has 332 calories. Of course, homemade hummus has less calories (about 166 per 100gr) because there is no added sugar, but it still very rich in fiber. Too much fiber can cause stomach problems.

Is hummus healthy? – It is healthy under one condition

Similar to sauerkraut and kimchi, hummus is very healthy if you don’t consume it more than you should. The problem with hummus is that it is very tasty and addictive. If you don’t predefine how much hummus you will eat for one meal, and you dip veggies or bread in it, you may not stop on time.

Don’t worry, even if that happens it doesn’t mean you will experience some stomach problems (that depends on your stomach health) but you should know that you will probably eat extra calories that day. Obviously,you shouldn’t practice that routine on a daily basis.

So, if consumed in normal amounts hummus has a lot of health benefits. As mentioned above, hummus is rich in fiber, one cup of hummus is almost 60% of the recommended daily intake. A cup of hummus has 10 grams of protein and it also very rich in magnesium, calcium, iron, potassium, folate, vitamin B, C, E.

Hummus nutrition facts

100 grams of plain homemade hummus has 166 calories. Below is a complete list of nutrients. Have in mind that this can vary if you eat hummus that is made with other veggies.

    Fat: 9.6 grams

    Protein: 7.9 grams

    Carbs: 14.3 grams

    Fiber: 6.0 grams

    Manganese: 39% of the RDI

    Copper: 26% of the RDI

    Folate: 21% of the RDI

    Magnesium: 18% of the RDI

    Phosphorus: 18% of the RDI

    Iron: 14% of the RDI

    Zinc: 12% of the RDI

    Thiamin: 12% of the RDI

    Vitamin B6: 10% of the RDI

    Potassium: 7% of the RDI

List of hummus health benefits

Thanks to chickpeas, sesame seeds, lemon and garlic, hummus is very healthy, especially homemade hummus. Chickpeas and tahini are rich in iron and calcium. Iron delivers oxygen to red blood cells and calcium is good for bones.

As we mentioned earlier, hummus is very high in fiber, thanks to the chickpeas, and food rich in fiber is good for the heart and digestive tract. When you eat food rich in fiber, you won’t overeat and gain weight. Chickpeas are the type of beans, also called garbanzo beans and the fiber in beans helps toxic waste and harmful bacteria move out of the body. Regular consumption of any type of beans can reduce the chances of a heart attack and keep LDL holesterol at balance.

Here is the complete list of hummus health benefits:

  • It balances blood sugar levels because it has a low glycemic index
  • High in antioxidants thanks to the olive oil
  • Reduces inflammation because of sesame seeds and chickpeas
  • Rich in vitamins and minerals
  • Boosts energy
  • Good for heart health
  • Plant-based source of protein
  • Good for bones because of sesame seeds
  • Helps digestion and supports intestinal health
  • Protects against type 2 diabetes
  • Prevents colon cancer because it is rich in folate
  • Great for vegetarians because it has plant-based protein
  • Fiber in hummus keeps your stool regular
  • It is gluten free, nut free and dairy free
  • Helps with anemia thanks to the iron in chickpeas and tahini

Interesting facts about health benefits of hummus

This study shows that people who eat hummus and chickpeas regularly are 53% less likely to be obese. They have better waist measurements than people who don’t eat hummus, and lower BMI.

In the same study, the researchers compared the blood sugar of participants who ate white bread to those who ate hummus with white bread. Participants who ate hummus with white bread had lower blood sugar levels.

How much hummus to eat?

You shouldn’t eat more than 200 grams of homemade hummus per day as that serving has around 320 calories. Store bought hummus has about 300 to 400 calories per 100 g, so in that case you shouldn’t eat more than 100g of hummus. Plus, store bought hummus has additional ingredients that may harm your health if taken in large amounts. The amount is not strict, it depends on how many calories you eat per day and do you want to watch the number of calories. But, even if you don’t count calories you eat on a daily basis, you shouldn’t take more fiber than recommended daily dose. Men, women and children don’t need the same amount of fiber, plus there is a difference depending on your age.

Is hummus keto?

Traditional hummus is not keto friendly because chickpeas has more carbs than you can take in your keto diet. However, you can calculate how much carbs you personally can take, depending on your age, weight, exercise routine and then decide if you won’t exceed the carb limit with a few spoons of hummus.

An alternative way to eat hummus on a keto diet without worrying about carbs, is to make hummus without chickpeas. Apparently, you can make hummus with avocado, artichokes, cauliflower, zucchini and all these hummus alternatives have less carb than a traditional hummus.

Is hummus gluten free?

Yes, all ingredients used for making traditional hummus are gluten free. Tahini and chickpeas are gluten free, as well as garlic, cumin, lemon. However, if you use store bought hummus, read the labels first. If you are on a gluten free diet, you need to watch how you eat hummus. In addition to gluten free bread or crackers, you can eat it with fresh or roasted vegetables, use it as a salad dressing or sauce.

Is hummus protein? 

Hummus itself is not a protein but its main ingredient chickpeas is a plant-based protein. The biggest difference between animal and plant-based protein is that animal protein contains all essential amino acids which are the building blocks of protein. Your body needs different amino acids and plant-based protein is usually incomplete, meaning that it doesn’t contain all essential  amino acids.

Can hummus give you gas?

Hummus is made of chickpeas (garbanzo beans) which is a type of beans. Like any other beans and legumes, it can cause some bloating and gas. The thing is gas is a normal and natural part of bowel function and although it may feel uncomfortable to have gas, beans are very healthy. As a matter of fact, many healthy vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower cause gas, but it’s not a reason to stop eating them. Plus, there are certain ways to get rid of gas after eating beans: eat fresh fruit two hours after you had beans meal (hummus), drink ginger tea; when you eat hummus, don’t mix it with meat or potatoes. It’s not recommended to mix meat with beans because they are different types of protein. 

Can hummus upset your stomach?

If you eat too much hummus, you will take more fiber than recommended. Too much fiber can cause constipation or diarrhea, stomach pain, the feeling that your stomach is too full or bloated.  

Can hummus trigger IBS?

People with IBS doesn’t always have the same symptoms and they can be intolerant to different foods. You should probably consult your doctor if hummus can trigger IBS in your case. Generally speaking, galactans (a type of carbohydrate) can be hard to digest for people with IBS and chickpeas contain galactans.

Can hummus cause constipation?

Eating too much hummus can cause constipation because hummus is rich in fiber. When you exceed the recommended dose of fiber, you may experience some stomach issues such as constipation. Have a cup of ginger tea with some cinnamon, eat prunes as a snack and you should feel better.

Can hummus make you sick or cause food poisoning?

To answer this question we might ask does hummus go bad? Hummus cannot make you sick unless it is spoiled. If you eat store bought hummus, check the label for the expiration date and read the notes about how many days hummus can stay open. Homemade hummus can stay in the fridge for up to 5 days. Don’t let hummus out of the fridge for too long, that’s how it can go bad. Usually, you cannot get food poisoning if you eat fresh products, watch for expiration date and follow the guidelines of keeping the food fresh.

Can hummus give you heartburn?

Hummus can cause heartburn only if you have problems with it. Many people tolerate fatty foods so they don’t experience heartburn. If the doctor diagnosed you with acid reflux you should avoid fatty foods. In hummus, the olive oil and tahini paste contain fat that may give you heartburn. However, you can check with your doctor, maybe you can still consume small amounts of hummus.

Can hummus make you fat?

Eating hummus cannot make you fat unless you eat it too much and you don’t calories. Even though hummus is very healthy, it has a lot of calories so you need to stop dipping it on time. Also, if you eat hummus with pita bread or any type of bread, you may eat too much carbs which can result in gaining some weight. Have in mind that every individual is different, but in general it’s not hummus what makes you fat. If you make homemade hummus you can put soybean oil instead of olive oil. Soybean oil has less fat that causes heartburn. Also, if spices cause you heartburn, you can skip on garlic and cumin when making hummus.

Can hummus cause acne?

No, hummus doesn’t cause acne, totally the opposite. Hummus has a low glycemic index and if you have troubles with acne, you should focus on low glycemic index foods. What causes acne are high glycemic foods that make your hormones produce more sebum than you need.

All health content on foodscene.net is for general information only, and you should not take it as medical advice. If you have any concerns about your health, you should contact your local healthcare provider. See our website terms and conditions for more information.

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