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Snack (In the Middle East section)

Nuts
A staple of snacks in the Middle East is varieties of nuts. Among the many varieties available within the region, the most popular are almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pine nuts, and pistachios. According to archeological evidence, nuts have been part of the Middle Eastern diet for centuries with ancient civilizations taking advantage of them for their health benefits. The health benefits of nuts comes from them being good sources of protein, healthy fats, fibers, vitamins and minerals. Nuts have now become a regular snack with a 119 billion dollar market as of 2022 that is projected to continue growing into 2023. Nuts can be prepared in a variety of ways, such as by roasting them with spices and lemon juice or incorporating them into food and deserts such as baklava, knafeh, and kibbeh.

Spreads and dips
Spreads and dips are eaten with pita bread. The most popular dip in the middle east is hummus. Hummus is a blend of chickpeas, tahini, lemon, and garlic usually served with olive oil and paprika on top. Hummus's origins can be traced back to a Syrian cookbook from the 13th century. Other dips are also popularly served such as mouhammara and baba ganoush. Mouhammara is a walnut, tahini, and roasted red pepper dip served with olive oil on top originating from the Syrian city of Aleppo. Baba ganoush is a spread made from roasted eggplants, olive oil, and other vegetables. The origins of baba ganoush are not clear with many conflicting pieces of evidence pointing to multiple countries of origin. A sweet dip is Ashta, a cream made from milk, rose or orange blossom water, and ghee, which is usually accompanied with honey.

Street Food
Many popular snacks in the Middle East are obtained from street vendors due to low cost and convenience of eating on the go. Many of these snacks consist of a protein with bread. Falafel consists of many little fried balls of ground chickpeas or fava beans with herbs, spices served in pita bread with tahini sauce and a choice of vegetables. Falafel is believed to originate from Egypt around 1000 years ago by Egyptian Copts. Shawarma is served in a similar fashion to falafel, pita bread with sauce and vegetables, but instead prepared by slowly cooking layers of meat on a spit before thinly slicing it.