International Hummus Day- May 13

Hummus is an ancient Middle Eastern dish that in recent years has become well known in Western countries.

Hummus is a dip that can be eaten with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic.  

There are many ancient sources that link hummus to ancient periods and famous historical figures such as Saladin. Indeed, its ingredients: chickpeas, sesame, lemon and garlic were eaten in the area for a thousand years.  

The hummus can be eaten as a hot granule, or a cold granulated salad, but it is most popular to eat it as a cold spread, served on a plate or in a pita, with all kinds of additives such as beans, egg, tahini, chips, salad, and more...

 

In the United States you can buy chocolate-flavored hummus in food stores:

Simply Enjoy- Twisted Chocolate Hummus

Did you know? Hummus is a legume and is an excellent source of protein for vegans. You can make hummus at home, you don't have to buy it, and you can make healthy vegan hummus.

Hummus salad

In honor of the hummus day, you have a good reason to wipe hummus, at home or in one of the many good hummuses restaurants around.

Image courtesy of KEKO64 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

May 13 is also Apple Pie Day

National Pass Gas Day- January 7

Believe it or not, January 7th is the day of the bloat, or the day of the fart in the vernacular. No wonder it comes the day after January 6, which is Bean Day, and legumes are known to cause gas to accumulate in the colon and be released quietly or loudly. Other foods that cause gas to accumulate in the digestive tract are cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, eggs and dairy products. The pressure builds up as foods like these break down and are digested in the colon, and it is released by gas bloating.

In honor of National Pass Gas Day, get some interesting facts about farts:

First of all, what are they good for? They relieve the pressure created in our colon by the food in various digestive states. If not released, they create pressure on the walls of the intestine and this can cause swelling, discomfort and constipation. This is not a dangerous situation, but it is definitely not pleasant.

A 1995 study (yes, there were studies on the subject) found that we fart 13.6 times a day. It is possible that the remaining 0.4 are gases that we were unable to expel properly. The average person emits 0.5 to 1.5 liters of gas a day.

Everyone is farting. Both women and men, both the Queen of England and Prime Ministers.

The main composition of the gases is five odorless gases: nitrogen, hydrogen, carbon dioxide, methane and oxygen. The gases become foul-smelling when compounds such as scatul, indole and sulfur are added to them.

The sound that the swelling makes when it comes out of the body is created as a result of the vibration of the anus and it varies depending on the thickness of the sphincter muscle and the speed of the gas coming out.

While it is not pleasant to release gases from the digestive tract, most of the foods that cause them are actually very good for us. Legumes, cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, bananas and all kinds of vegetables and fruits contain lots of vitamins and minerals that are essential for the body. So it's a shame to give them up because of this unpleasant side effect.

In most cultures, bloating is actually considered shameful and rude, so much so that there is a taboo on the subject. When a person farts in public he makes sure that no one notices that he has done it. When someone "runs away" in public, a loud fart can be very embarrassing but also funny to those around them.

The Romans in ancient Rome believed that deliberate restraint and avoidance of gas release harmed health, and whoever preferred the manners over health was a fool.

Some people have turned bullying into a profession. Mr Methane, for example, made a musical career out of his special gas-releasing talent. Link to Mr. Methane's Facebook page 

How to celebrate National Pass Gas Day?

Fart. And if you want to fart today more than average then eat healthy foods that help increase the amount of gas in the digestive tract.

Tell jokes about farts.

Do a fart contest between friends.

Plan a trip to the world championships in farts. They were previously held in Finland in 2013 and 2018.

You can spend the day in pranks: Put a whoopi cushion on someone's seat so that when he sits on it he will hear the sound of a fart.

Fart pillow - link

January 7 is also Tempura Day and I Can't Take It Anymore Day

Bean Day - January 6th

Beans are a very common superfood around the world and for good reason: they are rich in fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals and are also delicious. The beans are a legume that is usually an addition to the main meal, such as in soup, or as a stew in tomato sauce, etc.

In Japan, however, red beans are commonly used as an ingredient in desserts.

In China there are sweets that incorporate red beans or mung beans.

Soy is also a type of bean that originated in China. Soybeans (red) can be used as a tasty and healthy snack and tofu is also made from soy.

The soy sauce, which many use in the kitchen for seasoning, is made from soy. Japanese miso is made from fermented rice and soy.

In Mexican cuisine, beans are the star of many dishes, and in the days of the Wild West in the United States, residents often liked to eat beans.

 

Bean Day was set for January 6 in memory of the geneticist, also known as the "father of genetics," Gregor Mendel, whose experiments with the pea plant were the basis of modern genetics. The bean day was created in his memory by Paula Bowen who wanted to celebrate a day in honor of Mr. Bean and besides, her father was a farmer who grew beans. The day she found for the celebration was in January, a month she found to be poor on holidays, so she decided it would be the day of Gregor Mendel's death which fell on January 6th 1884.

Why you should eat beans? 

Here are the nutritional benefits of beans:

Beans are an excellent plant source of protein - beans are a healthy substitute for meat, chicken and fish. It contains lots of protein and many nutritionists recommend preferring the protein from the plant over the protein from the animal.

Beans are good for the heart - they are full of soluble dietary fiber that helps lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, thus balancing blood fats.

The beans are good for the digestive system - the beans are rich in dietary fiber that helps regulate the digestive process and prevent constipation.

Beans are good for the diet - beans on any issue contain between 2% and 3% fat and do not contain cholesterol (as long as it is not processed or cooked with other components that contain fat).

Beans balance sugar levels - Beans have a low glycemic index and a good amount of complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber that slows down the digestive process, which helps maintain blood sugar levels. Maintaining a balance in the sugar level helps prevent fatigue and nervousness and reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Beans fight the accumulated fat in the abdominal area - the soluble dietary fiber in beans helps get rid of the layer of fat around the abdomen that increases the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease.

Convenient to use beans - beans are a legume that is easy to obtain and cook. It can be obtained at any grocery store in its dry, frozen form or in a can and it will not be expensive.

Beans are rich in nutritional values: Beans have protein, complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, B vitamins and minerals such as iron, folic acid, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium and zinc.

After all the benefits of the beans we have listed, there is no doubt that beans are a food that deserves a special day of its own. In honor of Bean Day, incorporate it into your daily menu. So Happy Bean Day!

January 6 is also the Epiphany