Did you know that you could give your child hummus to improve their immunity? Hummus is a tasty table spread that you must include in your child’s daily diet. Read on to know the many health benefits that your child can reap from consuming hummus.
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Hummus is a dip or table spread made with olive oil, chickpeas and sesame paste or tahini. It is popular in Mediterranean countries like Greece and Turkey for its flavour and health benefits. In fact, it is known to have several health benefits for kids. So, let’s take a look at its many benefits for kids:
Nutritional value
Hummus is abundant in essential minerals like phosphorus, potassium, zinc, iron calcium and magnesium. It is also rich in Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B6 and folate. Being rich in protein makes it helps kids feel satiated for longer, due to its high fibre content. Additionally, its essential fatty acids work to reduce cholesterol levels.
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Health Benefits of Hummus for Kids
The benefits of hummus for kids are given below:
1. Improves muscle, bone and skin health
Hummus is rich in protein, which serves as the building block of healthy bone, skin and muscles in a growing child.
2. Regulates blood sugar levels and treats diabetes
Chickpeas have a low glycemic index. This enables hummus to normalize blood sugar levels and so treat diabetes. It is also rich in fibre. Since this is a complex carbohydrate, it is slow to be digested and hence sugar is released into the body very slowly.
3. Maintains a healthy digestive system
Hummus is a rich source of fibre which helps have a clear and healthy digestive system. This also helps regulate bowel movements and relieves constipation. It also adds bulk to a child’s diet and keeps him satiated, which prevents him from eating junk food and having food cravings.
4. It strengthens muscles
Amino acids, contained in large measure in chickpeas, are pivotal in building healthy tissues and muscles. They also build proteins to help the body for its many bodily processes such as tissue repair, muscular strength, brain functioning and producing energy.
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5. Essential proteins and nutrients for babies
When babies need to be weaned from age nine months onwards, hummus is a good food choice. It contains the necessary proteins and body nutrients that infants need.
6. Eases anaemia
Both chickpeas and tahini contain an abundance of iron which plays a stellar role in sending oxygen to the red blood cells. When the body has a shortfall of iron, the child suffers from anaemia. At this time, eating iron-rich foods will help to overcome this deficiency.
7. Prevents cancer
Hummus thwarts the progress of cancer cells, due chiefly to its content of phytic acid and saponins. The fibre content of hummus prevents toxins from hooking up with the colon lining and ejects them from the body. By this, the risk of colon cancer is vastly reduced. Isoflavones and phytoestrogens contained in chickpeas also help reduce the chances of lung cancer.
8. Gives a feeling of satiation
The combination of fibre and protein in hummus helps children feel full longer than usual.
9. Balances cholesterol levels
Children can reach healthy cholesterol levels, due to its olive oil content. By balancing cholesterol levels, hummus reduces hypertension and protects kids against heart disease. This has a long-term effect on kids of longevity and a low incidence of cardiovascular disease, due to the high fibre content of chickpeas which prevent overeating that leads to obesity.
Additionally, by eating a bean-rich diet reduces hyperglycaemia and balances blood sugar levels in diabetic kids. This lowers the chances of developing insulin resistance and diabetes.
10. It is allergy-proof
Hummus is free of nuts, gluten and is not made with dairy ingredients. A child with any of these allergies can eat hummus confidently.
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11. It makes kids energetic
Hummus is rich in vitamins and folate, so it helps in making new cells, DNA and red blood cells. It also helps prevent neural tube birth defects.
Conclusion
Overall, hummus is both a healthy food and a convenient one too, which can be added to any meal. It is a natural source of proteins, particularly for vegans. Besides, its amino acid content helps improve a child’s mood and he sleeps better too. Being rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, a child’s skin and hair growth are stimulated. And lastly, it’s a good way of getting kids to eat all the veggies they dislike.
Resources:
http://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/hummus-health-benefits_n_4834315
http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/benefits-hummus-4608.html
