The health benefits of houmous

Don’t believe us? Some of the benefits include:

Houmous can help improve bone, muscle and blood health

Houmous is rich in protein, an essential building block in bone, muscle and blood health. Our bodies would normally get this from meat, but if you are a vegetarian looking for an extra way to get your recommended protein intake, houmous is a good option.

It can help lower your cholesterol

The tasty dip’s main ingredient is chickpeas and these hold an essential nutrient that keeps our cholesterol low. The shop-bought products often have added salt, so for an extra low sodium version, make your own.

Houmous can help keep your bowels regular

With a high fibre content, it isn’t surprising that one of the benefits includes keeping your digestive system healthy and regular. It is an effective, tasty way to get your fibre intake.

It can help your bones grow strong

Houmous is traditionally made with sesame seed butter (tahini). Both tahini and chickpeas are high in calcium, a contributor to bone health. This is handy advice for women in particular, as the risk of developing osteoporosis is increased if the body is going through hormonal changes.

It is a good snack alternative

Houmous is a great alternative to many unhealthier foods. For example, houmous can be used as an alternative to mayonnaise. You can also water it down to be made into a light salad dressing, or even keep it simple and enjoy it as a dip for your veggies!

It can help reduce anaemia symptoms

As well as a good source of calcium and protein, chickpeas and tahini are good sources of iron.

Houmous is high in antioxidants

Do chickpeas need any more benefits? They are rich in antioxidants, getting plenty of these help reduce the oxidant damage done in our bodies and promotes overall well-being.

Perfect for allergies

Those of you with allergies will be happy to know that houmous is gluten-free, nut free and dairy free. As it is such a versatile dish, you can change the flavours to suit any meal and replace any of the foods you cannot have.

If you are still not convinced, try it for yourself! There are so many varieties of the dip that you can adapt the recipe to your taste.