Hummus is a delicious and healthy dip or spread made from mashed chickpeas, olive oil, lemon juice, tahini sauce, and spices. It can also be used as a topping for roasted vegetables or on flatbread pizzas.
This snack is popular in the Middle East because of its simple ingredients and because it can be stored for long periods without refrigeration due to its high oleic content. Hummus originated in Egypt but has become one of the most popular snacks throughout the Middle East. It’s even served at some Israeli restaurants.
The History of Hummus
Some historians believed that hummus was first mentioned by Ibn Sayyar Al-Warraq who wrote Kitab Al-Tabikh, an Arabic cookbook, in the tenth century. Al-Tabikh means The Book of Dishes, and experts regard it as one of the earliest cookbooks. It mentioned hummus as a dip that could, interestingly, treat cracked heels.
Hummus became popular in Israel during the 1940s because it is cheap and simple for new immigrants to make. In fact, the Israeli military had hummus on their official menu.
Today, Israel provides billions of dollars worth of exports every year and has become a major producer of hummus (and other chickpeas!). It’s now common throughout Europe due to immigration from Turkey, Syria, and Lebanon and can be found in many grocery stores around the world.
In New York, hummus is available in many grocery stores from the traditional brands like Sabra and Tribe to some organic and vegetarian versions. It’s always an interesting experience when one goes into Whole Foods or another health food store because of the rows and rows of different types of hummus usually for sale.
Globally, the hummus market remains undeterred even by the coronavirus pandemic. Report Linker forecasts that its value could achieve 7.67 percent of compound annual growth rate (CAGR) until 2028. By the end of the forecast period, its worth would have already around doubled than in 2020 to $8.2 billion.
This makes hummus a simple but profitable business even for new entrepreneurs and food processing plants. Special pieces of equipment such as a small liquid filling machine are easy to integrate into any assembly line or don’t occupy a lot of space. They are also cost-effective by minimizing wastage due to spillage or overflow.
Hummus will keep for up to three months if stored in an airtight container at room temperature because the chickpeas have been dehulled, which removes their natural defenses against bacteria (the outer shell). Those who want to eat it can warm any refrigerated hummus before consumption.
Benefits of Eating Hummus
Hummus is a great snack that can be eaten with vegetables, flatbread or crackers, or rice. This makes the product a versatile dish and fast and easy to incorporate into any cuisine.
Even better, hummus is easier to sell because of its many health benefits:
1. It Can Aid in Digestion
Chickpeas, its main ingredient, are high in fiber. Eating 5 servings of legumes per week can reduce the risk of bowel cancer. The high-fiber content helps nutrients to be digested slowly over hours, which will keep someone fuller for longer.
2. It May Improve the Absorption of Some Minerals
Eating hummus makes the body absorb more iron since chickpeas have an amino acid called L-feruloyl oligosaccharide (which boosts the absorption rate).
Although a trace mineral, iron remains the primary component in producing hemoglobin, a red blood cell protein that helps the cells deliver oxygen. Low levels of hemoglobin are a risk factor for anemia, which currently affects about 16 billion people.
The minerals in the sesame seeds and the calcium from the tahini sauce both help absorb more calcium. Calcium is necessary to maintain bones.
3. Hummus May Reduce Food Cravings and Lower Cholesterol
The fiber in hummus can help decrease the levels of bad cholesterol or low-density lipoprotein by binding itself with bile acids, so the body doesn’t reabsorb them. Instead, it gets rid of it as a waste product.
Some nutrition fact sheets even suggest that consuming two additional servings of legumes per day could decrease LDL by at least 6 percent.
4. It Is a Good Source of Protein
Chickpeas are a great source of plant-based proteins. They contain many essential amino acids, which means that they can be used directly by the body to build new tissue or repair damaged cells. Proteins are anabolic, so they can stimulate muscle growth when already in the body.
The creamy and savory taste, popularity, ease of manufacturing, and its many benefits are some of the growing reasons running a hummus business makes sense.