Hummus For Health

Here's a health tip for those who love to snack but find it is putting pounds on their waistline or contributing to increased blood sugar or other problems.

Every year for Christmas I make up some Hummus to go with our Shepherd's Dinner on Christmas Eve. It goes great with crackers, pita bread or torn bread pieces. I'd always made my hummus with garbanzo beans and sesame seeds, but my oldest son introduced me to Tahini paste (basically ground sesame seeds in paste form) this past year, which results in a much smoother Hummus with great, rich flavor.

After I was diagnosed with diabetes several years ago, I found out that Hummus is also a wonderful food for diabetics as the garbanzo beans fall low on the glycemic index scale and it makes a healthful snack or meal that doesn't raise blood sugar like so many other foods can do. Since then, I've started purchasing Hummus from the store as well as making my own so that I usually have some around in the fridge for whenever I need a small pick me up or a quick lunch. One of my favorite brands is "SABRA". I especially like their Roasted Garlic Hummus and their Pine Nut Hummus. Yum! I even found it at the little market store in Yosemite Valley this past summer and enjoyed a hummus picnic lunch while watching the water cascade over Bridal Veil Falls.

So the next time you have a hankering for chips and dip, reach for a container of Hummus and some pita bread or pita chips instead. You just might form a new, healthier habit.