Is Hummus Good For Weight Loss? All You Need To Know!

Weight loss can be a tedious process where you will be compelled to restrict many of your favorite foods. Some of these foods can be dips or side dishes you once enjoyed most. But worry not! There is good news for all those dip lovers who want to lose weight.

Hummus is a great source of nutrients that you can consume for weight loss without guilt. So the next time you become confused as to what healthy alternative to use as a dip, go for hummus! Want to know more? Jump right into the article to know how hummus can be good for weight loss and its other myriad benefits!

What Is Hummus?

Hummus is a creamy puree made from cooked chickpeas, tahini paste, and lemon juice. It has been part of the traditional diet of Mediterranean, Middle East, and North African regions for a long time. Hummus is usually used as a dip, appetizer, or accompaniment to grilled chicken or falafel.

Chickpeas are the major ingredient in hummus and provide nutritional elements such as dietary fiber, vitamin B6, protein, manganese, etc. You can consume hummus in various ways. It can be used as a veggie dip with carrots, cucumber slices, broccoli, etc.

Also, hummus can be used as a dip for pita bread, pretzel chips, and crackers. Some make hummus sandwiches and roll-ups and even there are cuisines such as dessert hummus with fruits.

How To Prepare Hummus?

Home-made hummus can be better for your health than store-bought items. You only need some simple ingredients to make hummus and the process is relatively simple. Here is the list of ingredients you need to prepare hummus.

🟢 Cooked chickpeas– You can soak chickpeas overnight in water and cook them to consistency the next day. Make sure to cook them enough so that they leave their hardness and become soft and mushy. 

🟢Tahini– This is a Middle Eastern condiment made using sesame. Tahini is prepared using hulled sesame seeds, oil, and salt. All these three ingredients are ground to a smooth and creamy paste.

🟢Extra-virgin olive oil– Packed with vitamin E and vitamin K, extra-virgin olive oil provides many health benefits. These are a crucial part of the hummus-making process.

🟢Fresh lemon juice: It is added to create a zingy flavor for your hummus.

🟢Garlic– You can either use fresh garlic or roasted garlic to prepare the hummus.

🟢Water–  It is ideal to add 5 tablespoons of water to create a smooth and fluffy texture to your hummus.

🟢Sea salt– Add ½ teaspoon of sea salt to your hummus to make it tastier.

👉Preparing Method

Soak half a cup of dried chickpeas in water overnight. Take out these chickpeas the next day and put them in a pressure cooker. Add a pinch of salt and baking soda. Add 1 and ½ cups of water and cook on a medium flame for 12 minutes.

After the pressure settles down, remove the top of the cooker. Now mash the chickpeas using a spoon. In another pan, roast some sesame seeds. Let it cool down after they have become crisp.

Now take a blender and add roasted sesame seeds, garlic cloves, lemon juice, virgin olive oil, and finally the mashed chickpeas. Grind them together until it makes a perfect consistency. You can garnish this with a few chopped coriander leaves. 

Benefits Of Hummus

Hummus is packed with many nutrients that can provide a myriad of health benefits. Go through the benefits listed below:

✔️Improves your digestion: Hummus contains a larger amount of dietary fiber. This can regulate your digestion and resolve any issues with your digestive system. 

✔️Build your protein intake: If you are planning to enrich your protein intake, try hummus. It contains high amounts of proteins that can help build your bones, skin, blood, and muscles. Hummus can be especially helpful for vegetarians to improve their protein intake as a large share of protein is gained through meat products. 

✔️Manages blood sugar levels: Hummus contains omega-3 fatty acids that have proven benefits in balancing blood sugar levels. Also one of the ingredients in hummus, sesame seeds can help your body to control blood sugar levels.

✔️It is an antioxidant powerhouse: Most of the ingredients in hummus are a treasure house of antioxidants. These components can help alleviate the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, etc.

✔️Diminishes the chances of heart disease: A research paper published in the Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism found that dietary intake of chickpeas for at least 5 days a week can reduce the amount of lipoprotein cholesterol in your body. Chickpeas are an important ingredient in hummus. So consuming hummus can reduce heart disease risk.

✔️Reduces the chances of anemia: As hummus contains many components that are rich in iron, it can reduce the risk of anemia. Both chickpeas and tahini are abundant with iron content. Having enough iron in your diet can relieve you from the symptoms of anemia. 

✔️It can fight inflammation: Hummus can be a powerful food that fights against inflammation in your body. If your body has inflammation, there is a risk of getting conditions such as heart issues, gut problems, and arthritis. Hummus contains ingredients that can fight inflammation and save you from these conditions. 

Also read: Best Milk For Weight Loss: A Quick Guide

Hummus For Weight Loss

One of the major benefits of consuming hummus is it can aid in weight loss. Many studies have already shown a consistent intake of hummus leads to weight loss. This is mainly because of the nutritional properties of the ingredients included in hummus.

One of the important ingredients in hummus is chickpeas. A study published in the Advances in Nutrition journal elucidated that pulse consumption, such as chickpeas can improve satiety and aid in weight management. As hummus contains dietary fiber, it can improve certain hormones in your body.

Some of these hormones known as cholecystokinin, peptide YY, GLP-1, etc are called fullness hormones. They can keep you fuller for longer times and thereby curb unwanted hunger and cravings. Some studies have shown that the dietary fiber in hummus can control the levels of ghrelin in your body.

A study published in the European Journal of Endocrinology clarified this by conducting a study among overweight and obese postmenopausal women. When you feel fuller and satiated for longer times, you will limit what you eat. This can positively affect your weight management and help you to lose weight. 

The Bottom Line

Originating from the Middle East, hummus has become a staple diet of almost every country in the world now. It is an unavoidable part of Mediterranean cuisine. Used as a dip or side dish, hummus is made from boiled chickpeas and tahini.

There are many nutritional benefits to hummus. It can fight inflammation, reduce heart disease, improve digestion, prevent anemia, and even aid in weight loss. Being abundant in dietary fibers, hummus can keep you full for a longer time.

This can reduce hunger and unwanted cravings. So hummus can be said to be good for weight loss. 

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