Hummus is to much of the world as French fries are to us. It is a staple of the Mediterranean, Near East, and Middle East. And now because of its popularity, versions of it are consumed all over the world. Personally, I expressed in my article titled 4 High-Fat, Low-Carb Kid-Friendly Snacks Your kids Should Be Eating Right Now that I initially despised hummus as a youth. Now I consume it practically daily. In honor of this delicacy I’ve decided to do a quickie not-so Definitive Guide To Hummus.
Thought it is prepared differently in various locales in the world, traditional hummus is essentially garbanzo beans (or chickpeas), mixed with tahini, olive oil, and a variety of herbs and spices. Tahini is a sauce extracted from the sesame seed. All these ingredients are blended together and traditionally served with a dollop of olive oil, pita, and assorted vegetables. When prepared right, hummus is an absolute delight, either at a Mediterranean restaurant or at home.
Due to its rocketing popularity, various food companies have entered the “hummus market.” (There is money to be made of course.) The few mentioned upcoming in this post are national brands, but most regional supermarkets have their own varieties, which are often less expensive than the higher-end brands. As with all food, companies want to maximize their profits by substituting quality ingredients with inferior ones. Hummus, alas, is no different.
So let’s begin the quickie not-so Definitive Guide To Hummus.
Common Pitfalls
As mentioned I will only cover a few brands but the following guidelines will serve you well. For more information on hummus, check out our article on Low Carb snacks mentioned earlier.
When looking at the macronutrients (carbs, protein, fat) of hummus, most brands are close in proximity. As a whole hummus is low-carb, but a moderate source of protein and fat, especially for a side-dish. Aside from vegetables, most side dishes are grain-based (e.g. rice, potatoes, couscous, etc), so it is nice to have a low-carb, relatively nutrient-dense side dish
While looking at the ingredient lists of various hummuses (or is it hummi?) here are the key things you need to be discerning.
Oils
Make sure the oil is not soybean, corn, sunflower, or canola oil! This is the biggest change between traditional and commercial hummus. As mentioned in the podcast episode and article on cooking oils and fat, industrial-grade vegetable oil is one of the biggest culprits for the explosion of obesity, cancer, heart-disease, and diabetes. Vegetable oil is highly inflammatory to the body, partly because the Omega 6 polyunsaturated fats in it oxidize (breakdown) very quickly, especially when exposed to heat or light.
Vegetable oils are insanely cheap vis-à-vis olive oil, that is the main reason they are substituted in for olive oil. Unfortunately, most mainstream nutritionist and even doctors still believe the lies propagated by Ancel Keyes back in the 1950’s about its benefit. Its best to avoid vegetable oils at all cost. The unfortunate thing is that they are in ALL packaged, processed foods. The only way to avoid them is to embrace a whole foods Paleo-esque diet.
Read our article on the deadly effects of vegetable oils.
Water Should Not be an ingredient.
In many of the inferior “hummi,” water is listed as the 2nd ingredient behind chickpeas. Though I am not a fan of soybean or canola oil, many hummus makers put water before the oil in an effort to save money. This literally “waters” down the product and takes away from the taste.
Watch for Preservatives
Since it is not fresh, and it must be packaged, commercial hummus is loaded with food preservatives, many of which are deleterious to your health. Common culprits include Sodium Citrate, Potassium Sorbate, BHTA, and others. Many of these preservatives are probable carcinogens (as classified by the IARC cancer-scale and/or affect your endocrine system. Check out are article on Whole Foods’ pledge to remove food additives from their food for more information.
Flavor Watch
Due to the popularity of hummus rising, hummus makers have created hybrid flavor styles. Green Chile, Sun Dried Tomatoes, Barbecue, Chocolate, and alike. Check the nutritional profile to see how these flavors have altered the macronutrient profile, namely the addition of refined sugar and salt. Also, peruse the ingredient list for Monosodium Glutamate and Food Dyes, two items you will not find in traditional hummus.
To have a better uniform analysis, we will analyze the Original Flavors.
Pita Pal Original
- Serving Size: 2 Tablespoons
- Calories: 70
- Fat: 3.5 grams
- Carbs: 8 grams
- Fiber: 2 grams
- Sugars: 1 gram
- Protein: 3 grams
Ingredients: Organic chickpeas, Organic Tahini, Organic Lemon Juice, Organic Garlic, Organic Sunflower Oil, Organic Olive Oil, Organic Vinegar, Water, and Lots of Love.
Pita Pal tends to be the most expensive of the three compared. To its benefit, it boasts the most fiber and protein compared to the others, though its carb amount is slightly higher. In regards to the ingredients, it is pretty top notch aside from the Sunflower Oil. The organic designation guarantees the safer pesticides have been used. Chickpeas are not GMO in America. Notice it has no preservatives unless “Lots of Love” is a new code word for Potassium Sorbate! Overall Grade: B+
Click Here to buy on Amazon!
Sabra Original
- Serving Size: 2 Tablespoons
- Calories: 70
- Fat: 5 grams
- Carbs: 4 grams
- Fiber: 1 gram
- Sugar: 0 grams
- Protein: 2 grams
Ingredients: Cooked Chickpeas, Tahini, Soybean Oil, Water, Garlic, Salt, Non-GMO Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate Added to Maintain Freshness
Sabra’s nutrient profile is not bad. It does boast a lower amount of carbs and no sugar. Its protein is slightly lower, but to be fair with such a slight difference 1 gram here or there isn’t going to make much of a difference. The ingredient profile is the standard commercial hummus. Soybean Oil with no Olive Oil, Citric Acid and Potassium Sorbate as preservatives. I love how they euphemistically state that Sorbate is in the hummus to “maintain freshness.” No need to scare the children if you don’t have to. It’s all about how you spin things. By adding the freshness thing, you see Sorbate as a positive. Overall Grade: C-
Click Here To Buy On Amazon!
Cedar’s Original
- Serving Size: 2 Tablespoons
- Calories: 60
- Fat: 4.5 grams
- Transfats: 0 grams
- Carbs: 4 grams
- Fiber: 1 gram
- Sugar: 1 gram
- Protein: 2 grams
Ingredients: Fresh Steamed Chickpeas, Sunflower Oil, Olive Oil, Sesame Tahini, Water, Sea Salt, Citric Acid, Roasted Garlic, Guar Gum, Cumin
Cedar’s is pretty standard on the macronutrient profile though it is interesting it gives a designation for Transfats. Food manufacturers are allowed to state that their food has 0 trans fats, but are allowed to add up to 0.5 of it under the “0 transfats” label. So this item likely has trans fats.
Ingredient-wise, pretty standard with the vegetable oil and preservatives. Notice Guar Gum is in it. Guar gum is typically put in milks and other foods as an emulsifier. Nothing impressive about this hummus. Overall Grade: C
Whole Foods has their own variety of hummus. As does Target, who typically does boast water as the 2nd ingredient ahead of the oil. As a whole the least expensive the hummus, the more fillers like water will be in it. It also compromises the taste.
Store-bought hummus can be expensive if you consume it as voraciously as I. The overall biggest takeaway to this Definitive Guide to Hummus is endeavor to make your own hummus. It isn’t hard. Buy your own chickpeas and tahini and spice it up “your way.” Play around with the ingredients, for many people who try to make their own get disheartened when theirs doesn’t come out as well as restaurant hummus. The key is not to be afraid to put more olive oil or tahini.
For those who are hesitant to make their own, hummus flavoring packets exists. For example, Bush, the maker of beans, has one. Just be careful of the ingredients. Search them for harmful additives. No doubt you will find the vegetable oils and preservatives there.
Click Here to buy Bush’s hummus flavoring on Amazon!
Hummus is a delightful food. Even with its additives, it is more nutrient-dense dense than the typical snack foods and/or side dishes. Just be careful not to overeat. The serving size is only 2 tablepoons so akin to peanut butter it is very easy for those 80 calorie servings to add up. Also opt for eating hummus with carrots, bell peppers, celery, and other vegetables over Pita Chips, for the latter is just nutrient-deprived enriched flour.
We would love to hear from you. Post a comment below to tell us your fave hummus recipe or give us your take on the quickie Definitive Guide to Hummus.
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