New favorite for weight loss! Eating hummus can lower blood sugar and reduce weight

Have you heard of hummus? This food, which is common in the Middle East, is now very popular in the United States. It can be found on 20% of American family tables. It is almost as common as peanut butter! Hummus is rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It is very helpful in preventing cardiovascular disease and high cholesterol. It can also be used as a snack when losing weight. After giving birth to her second baby in 2014, American socialite Kristin Cavallari successfully lost 9 kilograms by eating hummus!

Hummus can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, and its high satiety can help with weight loss. (Photo from Medical Daily)

According to a report by Medical Daily, the USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council pointed out that the hummus business opportunity in the United States reached 250 million US dollars in 2013, and more and more American families are starting to eat this healthy food. What is Hummus? It is a paste made of mashed chickpeas (also known as chicken beans or snow lotus seeds), tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and oil. It can be added to sandwiches or used as a condiment for fish fillets, chicken, and baked potatoes. Kristin Cavallari eats it with potato chips as a dip as an afternoon snack for postpartum weight loss.

California nutritionist Sharon Palmer pointed out that chickpeas are beans with high nutritional value. They are rich in protein and fiber, can lower cholesterol, the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, and its high satiety can also help lose weight. You must know the following 6 benefits of chickpeas!

[6 magical benefits of hummus]

1. Improve anemia

You don’t have to eat only pork liver or beef to replenish your blood. Chickpeas are an excellent source of plant-based iron! Canadian nutrition and body shaping expert Shara Vickers also said that chickpeas contain some vitamin C, which helps the absorption of plant-based iron and is helpful in improving anemia. Hummus contains tahini, which can help transport oxygen to red blood cells, enhancing the blood-replenishing effect.

If you want to get plant-based iron and improve anemia, eat chickpeas! (Photo from Daily Mail)

2. Reduce blood clots

A study published in Acta Poloniae Pharmaceutica found that chickpeas can reduce inflammatory markers in the blood. Because chickpeas are rich in vitamin E and vitamin K, they have anticoagulant properties and can reduce the risk of thrombosis.

3. Lowers Blood Sugar

Chickpeas are a complex carbohydrate that releases energy gradually without causing a sudden spike in blood sugar. In addition, chickpeas are rich in protein, which makes you feel full after eating them. Moreover, the human body digests and utilizes glucose in beans relatively slowly, so eating chickpeas helps stabilize blood sugar.

A study published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine found that diabetic patients who ate at least one cup (equivalent to 250 grams) of beans such as chickpeas every day for three consecutive months helped improve their glucose tolerance and reduced the risk of coronary heart disease.

4. Reduces the risk of cancer

One cup (250 grams) of chickpeas contains 36 percent of the recommended daily intake of folate, which can reduce the risk of colorectal cancer and heart disease. A study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that folic acid has a protective effect against the early stages of cancer.

Hummus can prevent high blood sugar and lower cholesterol, and is a very healthy legume. (Photo from Daily Mail)

5. Lowers Cholesterol

Chickpeas contain soy isoflavones, an antioxidant that can lower bad cholesterol. A study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that a group of healthy adults aged 30 to 70 who ate chickpeas every day for three years had a more significant cholesterol-lowering effect than those who used wheat products such as bread and cereal as a daily source of fiber.

6. Assists in weight control

Chickpeas are a good source of fiber, which is not only beneficial to the digestive system, but also provides a high sense of fullness, making them a good helper for people who want to lose weight. A study published in the Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences found that compared with those who did not eat hummus at all, those who ate hummus as a snack had a 53% lower risk of obesity and a 51% lower risk of high blood sugar. They also reduced their waist circumference by an average of 2 inches!

In addition, every 100 grams of chickpeas contains 4 grams of protein. If you add cooked egg whites to it, the protein content will double. Not only will it suppress hunger better, it will also help you retain muscle while losing weight, resulting in better weight loss results.

Taiwanese people may be unfamiliar with chickpeas. In fact, this kind of bean can be purchased in traditional markets or grain stores. People may want to try making hummus as a cooking condiment or snack to change the taste. Eating hummus in moderation can not only prevent and reduce cardiovascular disease, but also enjoy a high-fiber diet and healthy weight loss!