Make your humus super anti-inflammatory!
Humus can be a fantastic addition to an autoimmune diet.
It contains the perfect blend of protein, fibre and healthy fats. It is anti-inflammatory, full of micronutrients and much easier to digest because it has been blended. It also contains ingredients that stimulate stomach acid to digest the protein.
No wonder it is a staple of Middle Eastern cuisine!
Here are some reasons why making your own version can be a good idea:
Use your own olive oil: olive oil is anti-inflammatory. Try to use extra virgin as it is much higher in polyphenols which will help with repair. Some shop-bought humus brands will say ‘olive oil’ on the packet, but if you read the ingredients, they tend to contain mainly sunflower or rapeseed oil, with only a small amount of olive oil. Sunflower and rapeseed oils can be inflammatory in large amounts.
Avoid the plastic packaging: when foods contain fats it is best to avoid them coming into contact with plastic, as the fats make it easier for the unwanted chemicals from the plastic to leach into your food. These can cause all sorts of inflammatory responses in the body and upset hormonal function in particular. Make sure your olive oil is in a glass rather than a plastic bottle.
It is cheaper: you will get a tastier and more nutritious humus for less money. It’s quick to make - see the recipe below. You can make it even cheaper by buying dried chick peas and cooking them yourself. Soak for 8-12 hours (overnight overnight) in cold water - add a little baking soda to improve digestibility - then cook for around 45 minutes until soft. If you have a pressure cooker they only need around 12-15 minutes cooking time if they have been pre-soaked.
You can make it more digestible: if you struggle to digest chickpeas, removing the shells before blending them can make a big difference as it’s usually the shells that irritate the gut. Pop them in a large bowl and cover with water. Rub them between your hands, the shells will float up to the top of the water and you can drain them off. Make sure you blend the humus thoroughly as well to make them even easier to digest.
Add ingredients that stimulate stomach acid for protein digestion: increase the lemon juice, or add a little paprika or cayenne, or some parsley or coriander to stimulate stomach acid. We often forget that just because we eat protein, it doesn’t necessarily mean we are digesting and absorbing it well. Partially undigested protein triggers the immune system, food intolerances and gut microbiome dysfunction.
Elevate your humus!: as well as using better quality oil, you can choose chickpeas with a creamier texture. Jarred chickpeas from brands such as Bold Beans, Belazu and Monjardin are some good examples.
Recipe
Making your humus is quick and easy, but you do need some sort of blender. Nutribullets can work well, although depending on your model, you may need to increase the liquid content a little.
Ingredients
One jar or tin of chickpeas (drained weight 290g)
Juice of half a lemon
One tsp tahini (optional - adds extra protein and nutrients)
Half clove garlic (optional - aids digestion if you can tolerate it)
3-4 tbsps of extra virgin olive oil
A dash of water to help it blend
A pinch of salt and pepper
Optional extras for flavour and as digestive aids
Cayenne or paprika (high in B6 for detoxification and reproductive hormone function)
A little parsley or coriander
Ground cumin
Method
Blend well! Depending on your blender, you may need to add a little more liquid (lemon juice, olive oil and / or water).
Serving suggestions
Have with toast to increase protein intake at breakfast. Add to a (gluten-free) pita for lunch with falafel or chicken. Serve as part of a mezze alongside tabouleh - find the recipe here (scroll to the bottom) and Mejadra - find the recipe here.
Find out how to work me with here