Hummus, one of my recent favorites

Lately, I have not been able to get enough of it. And, i.e. over the last couple weeks. I had organized a speech club social event and requested members to contribute a refreshment. We ended up with quite a bit of food. I enjoyed one in particular - home made hummus. I had never tasted hummus that good before.

The following week I was at another party and a couple there told me that hummus is a magic food that helps them keep their blood pressure low and their diabetes in check. Of course, the next step for me was to go crazy and start reading about hummus wherever I could find any information.

Here's what I have found. The Tahini which is the main ingredient in hummus besides chick peas is where the secret lies. Here are some nutrition facts on Tahini.

Tahini is basically sesame butter and sesame is loaded with magnesium, manganese and copper, but they are also a good source of calcium,iron, phosphorus, vitamin B1, zinc and dietary fiber. In addition to these important nutrients, sesame seeds contain two unique substances: sesamin and sesamolin. Both of these substances belong to a group of special beneficial fibers called lignans, and have been shown to have a cholesterol-lowering effect in humans, and to prevent high blood pressure and increase vitamin E supplies in animals. Sesamin has also been found to protect the liver from oxidative damage. (the nutrition information is from a health site)

I am heading to the store this evening because I ran out of hummus. The next step of course is to find a good recipe and when I do, will post it on vidyaswamyskitchen.com.