Did You Know Hummus Had A Day?

Oh hummus, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways! Including the countless number of ways you can be prepared! See recipes below.

Also Mother’s Day this year, May 13th is International Hummus Day. International Hummus Day is a relatively new holiday. It was started in 2012 by a young entrepreneur named Ben Lang, with the goal of creating “a holiday around food that could bring people together from around the globe”.

Hummus comes from the Arabic word meaning “chickpeas” and the complete name of the prepared spread in Arabic is hummus bi tahina which means “chickpeas with tahini”.

Long enjoyed in Middle Eastern and North African countries, hummus has really grown in popularity in the US in recent years. In 2006 hummus was present in only 12 percent of American households and today it’s estimated that nearly 67 percent of US households consume hummus regularly.

We eat hummus around my house fairly often. My husband is Armenian (born in Lebanon) and pretty much grew up eating hummus.

So is hummus good for you? If you make homemade hummus with real ingredients or buy a quality store-bought hummus, then yes. Basic hummus recipes are made with 6 healthy ingredients: chickpeas, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, sea salt and tahini. Even with added ingredients like roasted red peppers, Kalamata olives, and cucumber, hummus is a good for you treat. And, hummus makes a delicious dip for so many healthy things like celery sticks, carrots, cauliflower, bell peppers, and the list goes on!

Here are the top 7 hummus benefits:

1. Good source of plant based protein – Chickpeas, also called garbanzo beans, are high in protein and help you to feel full longer and not overeat.
2. Decreases inflammation – Unfortunately inflammation has gotten out of hand in our modern culture. Largely due to our poor diets and the advent of processed foods. Inflammation is a known precursor to many health problems. Hummus has garlic, olive oil, and chickpeas, which are all known as anti-inflammatory foods.
3. Fights illness and disease – Chickpeas have been shown to balance cholesterol levels, reduce hypertension, protect against colon cancer, and protect against heart disease.
4. High in vitamins and minerals – In addition to protein and fiber, chickpeas are high in iron, folate, phosphorus, and B vitamins. Lemon juice contains immune-booting vitamin C and antioxidants. Tahini has high levels of copper, magnesium, zinc, iron, phosphorus, and calcium too. Garlic contains many trace minerals, antioxidants, and vitamins like vitamin B6, vitamin C, and selenium, to name a few.
5. Helps digestion and intestinal health – Chickpeas are an excellent source of fiber, which has multiple health benefits, including helping to foster a healthy digestive system, improving cardiovascular health, and more.  Consuming enough fiber daily is also correlated with a healthy body weight.
6. Supports bone health – Sesame seeds are an excellent source of important bone-building minerals like zinc, calcium, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, and selenium.
7. Protects your heart – Olive oil, specifically extra virgin, helps prevent cardiovascular disease. Regularly consuming good quality olive oil has been correlated with improving blood pressure levels, glucose metabolism, and reducing harmful cholesterol.

Are you ready to add some hummus to your day? Maybe make some for mom? Below I have rounded up some hummus recipes that sound super yummy! Homemade hummus is easy to make and you’ll know just how fresh all the ingredients are!

Lebanese Hummus 

Recipe via Mediterranean Living

Edamame Hummus 

Recipe via Cookie + Kate

Roasted Garlic Hummus

Recipe via Healthy Seasonal Recipes

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Recipe via Inspired Taste

Herby Avocado Hummus

Recipe via Bon Appetit

Roasted Beet Hummus

Recipe via Minimalist Baker

Last month when my friend Holly and I were in San Francisco we had the most delicious beet hummus on toast at a place called Mazarine Coffee. Doesn’t this look delish! It was!!

Beet Hummus on Toast

Bon Appetit!!