Hummus

hannah_brown
hannah_brown Posts: 15
in Food and Nutrition
Hi everyone,
might be a strange thing to ask but i just dont know the answer....

Is Hummus healthy?

I know everything is okay in moderation, but iv always thought Hummus was healthy until i saw the little red 'high in fat' sticker on the pot when buying it. but then healthy eating websites say hummus is good for you instead of having other dips, anyone know the answer?

I love hummus so im hoping i can still enjoy it with pita bread or carrot sticks :)
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Replies

  • EngineerPrincess
    EngineerPrincess Posts: 306 Member
    The fat comes from beans and seeds (sesame and chickpeas to be exact) and olive oil, those are sorta "good" kinds of fats, as fats go, and you do need some in your diet. :) I always consider the stuff I make myself at home to be healthier than the store bought ones though...
  • brevislux
    brevislux Posts: 1,093 Member
    I has a lot of fat, but it's the good kind of fat (poly- and monosaturated fat). It's good, your body needs fat, but in moderation. :) The fat (in good hummus and not horrible industrial hummus) comes from olive oil and tahini.

    I've heard some types have margarine in them and are horrible, it's a good idea to look into the labels.
  • hannah_brown
    hannah_brown Posts: 15
    The fat comes from beans and seeds (sesame and chickpeas to be exact) and olive oil, those are sorta "good" kinds of fats, as fats go, and you do need some in your diet. :) I always consider the stuff I make myself at home to be healthier than the store bought ones though...

    you make your own? is that a recipe i can find online or do u mind sharing yours? :)
  • Chadomaniac
    Chadomaniac Posts: 1,785 Member
    its chickpeas , olive oil , lemon juice and garlic ... perfectly natural and healthy
  • TheConsciousFoody
    TheConsciousFoody Posts: 607 Member
    Its a good fat. Eat it. Nom nom nom
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    As well as the red "fat" label, you need to see how much of that is from staurated fat (that's the bad stuff)

    A recipe? Take one tin of chickpeas. Drain it, but reserve some of the liquid in the can. Blitz in a blender with whatever you choose - garlic, roast red peppers, for authenticity add a spoonful of tahini. Add some of the liquid if it's too thick.
  • hannah_brown
    hannah_brown Posts: 15
    Its a good fat. Eat it. Nom nom nom


    then nom nom nom i shall :P
  • EngineerPrincess
    EngineerPrincess Posts: 306 Member
    This one is similar to the kind I make http://www.mamaslebanesekitchen.com/mezza/hummus-recipe-from-scratch/ but I cheat and use canned chickpeas (shhh don't tell my grandma, she would be horrified!) and I add less water. add the garlic and salt and stuff to taste.
  • Shawty_Ro
    Shawty_Ro Posts: 135
    its chickpeas , olive oil , lemon juice and garlic ... perfectly natural and healthy

    Lovely on pita bread!
  • Terasome
    Terasome Posts: 3,808 Member
    oh you just reminded me I have chickpeas and tahini in the cupboard to make hummus. Thats what I shall do tomorrow :wink:
  • hannah_brown
    hannah_brown Posts: 15
    This one is similar to the kind I make http://www.mamaslebanesekitchen.com/mezza/hummus-recipe-from-scratch/ but I cheat and use canned chickpeas (shhh don't tell my grandma, she would be horrified!) and I add less water. add the garlic and salt and stuff to taste.

    awesome! thank you! :)

    knew i could rely on you lot :)
  • dfquigley
    dfquigley Posts: 186
    In my hummus i use a can of chickpeas, a tablespoon or two of olive or canola oil, touch of vinegar and lemon juice, lots of garlic, then add whatever else to taste.

    Sometimes I go for a dill flavor, other times I do a cayenne/chili.

    Super low glycemic index, lower fat when you make it yourself, cheap, and DELICIOUS.


    Throw it all in a food processor or blender.
    Add a touch of water for desired consistency. Taste lots to adjust flavors to your liking!
  • floshideaway
    floshideaway Posts: 101 Member
    Hummus can be really healthy but if you you purchase the ready made one it is high in fat. I love hummus and make my own low fat version. I make different version but always start with the same base.
    1 can chick peas, drained
    4 oz fat free cream cheese
    1 to 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
    then you can add anything else your heart desires.
    My favorite is a couple of roasted red peppers, lots of garlic (I put garlic in ALL my hummus, lol...). hot sauce to taste and just a little bit of olive oil if you want (personally I do not put oil).
    Put everything in a food processor and let it run until you get a very smooth spread.

    Artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes, beets are a few ingredients I use also but basically you can try with anything. The fatty part of hummus is the oil and tahini. My version is without and so far everyone loves my hummus. It is guilt free at bout 30 calories per ounce (no oil version)
  • nguk123
    nguk123 Posts: 223
    I buy reduced fat hummous.

    I'm looking forward to being bigger and more muscular and having a larger TDEE,
    that will mean more hummous
  • majope
    majope Posts: 1,325 Member
    I love hummus! There are nights I'll declare it's hummus night for supper, and serve a bowl of it with a couple of Mediterranean-type salads on the side (like cucumber/yogurt, Moroccan carrot), and pita bread, which I brush lightly with olive oil and top with sesame and/or poppy seeds, then warm in the oven--sometimes until crispy, sometimes just warmed through and soft.

    My basic recipe:

    1 can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
    2 tablespoons tahini
    juice of half a lemon
    pinch of cayenne
    garlic to taste (I use the minced stuff that comes in a tube)
    salt to taste
    water

    Chuck all in food processor, adding water by the spoonful until you reach the consistency you like. You can up or down all the ingredients to taste, but keep track of how much tahini you use as that can change the calorie total quite a bit (tahini has 100 calories per tablespoon).

    I don't put olive oil in the hummus itself, but often drizzle it on top (although since I'm restricting calories right now, I'll probably skip that step for the time being).

    You can add all sorts of things: fresh parsley (or other herbs), black olives, roasted red peppers, pine nuts, sun-dried tomatoes, etc.
  • sharkweek
    sharkweek Posts: 165 Member
    Bumping because I love hummus and am totally incapable of making a decent one... hopefully these recipes will hold the magic secret. Hey, I can dream!
  • Liatush
    Liatush Posts: 627 Member
    its chickpeas , olive oil , lemon juice and garlic ... perfectly natural and healthy

    Lovely on pita bread!

    One of my faves!!!
  • CoraGregoryCPA
    CoraGregoryCPA Posts: 1,087 Member
    I used to think Sabra hummus must have been pricey because it was hard to make hummus. I came across this blog today. I decided to take a stab at it. I didn't want to use tahini or olive oil to save the calories.

    So I threw a can of Garbanzo beans ($.95) and some lemon juice, cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon of minced garlic ( I think I will use even more next time), pinch of salt and some cilantro. I neede to add some juice from the can of garbanzo beans to make it creamy! It's great!!!!!!!

    Now my hummus is 13 calorie a tablespoon instead of 35 and under $1.50. I used to spend $4 and double the calories a week on Hummus. Not anymore :) How exciting!
  • kayemme
    kayemme Posts: 1,782 Member
    a great way to offset any worry is to eat it liberally with carrots, celery or pepper strips.

    it's also better to make it at home for a variety of reasons, but if you can't, or don't want to, then look for the label with the least amount of ingredients. it should be simply:

    chickpeas (garbanzos)
    oil (most often olive, but could be others)
    salt
    lemon juice
    tahini (sesame seed paste)
  • jnchorn
    jnchorn Posts: 250 Member
    It's very tastey and a little goes a long way. I make mine with tahini (which is sort of a sesame paste) and its fantastic. I know Bob Harper's newest book had a recipe that involved little to no oil but I havent tried it yet. You can also add things like roasted peppers and garlic. Yummy. Give it a try. :)
  • teachincollege
    teachincollege Posts: 1
    Skip the bread and try it with cucumber sticks.
  • mbeuchert24
    mbeuchert24 Posts: 204 Member
    I'm bumping so that I can look back and try to make my own :)

    Has anyone used the Pampered Chef manual food processor to make it? Just wondering if it works well to do that.
  • drchimpanzee
    drchimpanzee Posts: 892 Member
    Hummus is yummus.
  • Missjulesdid
    Missjulesdid Posts: 1,444 Member
    I make my own and my trick is I don't put any oil in it when I make it, and I go very light on the tahini... then I drizzle some VERY HIGH QUALITY lebanese olive oil on the top.. K'pow! You can taste all the olive oily deliciousness because It's right on the top, but you're not getting as much as you would if you mixed it in.
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
    It is delicious, and healthy. I have some every day as a 'dip' for my veggies. I weigh out the amount that I want to eat, so that I know it fits my goals, and then I enjoy. It helps me get my fibre goals for the day, and it has some protein in it as well.
  • purplekty
    purplekty Posts: 57 Member
    bump
  • ogiesmom
    ogiesmom Posts: 25 Member
    bump
  • Jessymyn
    Jessymyn Posts: 19
    I always add cumin to my basic hummus, which I make with the basic garbanzo beans, tahini, olive oil, fresh garlic cloves, and fresh lemon juice. It adds a little something to it.

    You can also make a delicious black bean hummus by substituting black beans for the chickpeas and adding some chipotle pepper in addition to the cumin for a nice, smoky flavor.
  • NutellaAddict
    NutellaAddict Posts: 1,258 Member
    Falaffel mmmmmmmm
  • prettymorbidity
    prettymorbidity Posts: 138 Member
    girl eat dat humus! :) its good for ya healthy fats

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