I love hummus and always have it on standby in my fridge with fresh raw veggies. I use it to mix tuna or egg salad instead of using mayo, I slather it on my toast in the morning to make a quick & healthy egg and cheese combo breakfast sandwich, you can use it to make sauces or mix with chopped tomatoes as an easy topping for white fish.

Hummus is full of fiber which helps to regulate blood sugar and lower LDL (bad cholesterol). The garbanzo bean fiber energizes cells along the intestinal wall coating the digestive tract which traps the cholesterol and removes it from the body. This helps lower colon problems and prevent colon cancer.

Garbanzo beans provide a great source of protein. A single serving of garbanzo beans can supply about 27% of your daily protein requirements.

Garbanzo beans are high in magnesium and folate which are important to maintain a healthy heart. As well as, manganese, folate, copper and phosphorus.

They are rich in iron, which is very important to any woman’s diet, especially those with gluten issues. Iron deficiency can cause Anemia as well as a slew of other problems like: restless leg syndrome, brittle nails, dizziness, cold hands & feet, headaches… just to name a few. So make sure women, especially during and after your menstrual cycles, you are getting enough daily iron for what your body needs.

**Here’s a recipe provided by Natural News:

Momma Z’s hummus recipe

Prep time: 10 Minutes
Ready In: 15 Minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients:

3 cloves of garlic, peeled and whole
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 (19 ounce) can of garbanzo beans, drained
3 tablespoons of tahini (sesame-seed paste)
3 tablespoons of lemon juice (fresh squeezed)
1 tablespoon of honey
2 tablespoons of purified water, or as needed
1/4 cup of Spanish olive oil, divided
1 tsp. of Herbes de Provence or Italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon of chopped, fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried

Directions:

Combine into food processor or blender: garlic, sea salt, garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, honey, purified water and two tablespoons of oil. Process until smooth. Spoon into a 16 ounce container.
Put herbs on top and drizzle two tablespoons of olive oil over the top.
Freezes or refrigerates well.

Sources:

*http://www.naturalnews.com/038438_Hummus_recipes_chickpeas.html#ixzz2XLsrIu83″>http://www.naturalnews.com/038438_Hummus_recipes_chickpeas.html#ixzz2XLsrIu83
*http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/ida/signs.html
*http://beans.organicxbenefits.com/garbanzo-beans-health-benefits/