Hummus is a Mediterranean food that has spread (pun intended) to the rest of the world in recent years. It is a paste or dip based on chickpeas and sesame seeds. Both are high in protein, fiber, and other essential nutrients. Sesame seeds are a great source of healthy fats as well.
Hummus can be enjoyed as a spread on bread or in sandwiches, instead of cream cheese or mayonnaise. It’s also great as a dip for vegetables, crackers and chips.
Making hummus at home is easy. Cooked chickpeas are mixed with Tahini, a sesame seed paste. Water and lemon juice are added. A bit of crushed garlic and a pinch of salt are mixed in and your hummus is ready! Some recipes call for olive oil as well, but purists leave it out of the recipe, drizzling olive oil on top only when serving the hummus.
Like fresh baked bread, homemade hummus has a short lifespan. Within a few days of preparation it is not as tasty anymore. After a week, it starts to go bad, even when refrigerated.
That’s where industrial hummus come in. Supermarket shelves are lined with an ever growing assortment of brands and varieties of hummus products. The additives and preservatives ensure a prolonged shelf-life. Some are better than others.
Here are some ingredients to avoid:
- Sodium benzoate / benzoic acid – when used in foods that contain ascorbic acid (vitamin C), a chemical reaction creates small amount of benzene, a carcinogen.
- Corn starch, modified corn starch – unnecessary fillers
- Soybean oil – not as healthy olive oil, used because it is much cheaper. Most likely genetically modified.
Ingredients that are OK to see:
- Lemon Juice
- Potassium Sorbate, citric acid – natural preservatives
- Olive oil
A good quality hummus will not use a substantial amount of oil. If a serving of hummus is 70 calories and you see that 60 of those calories are from fat, stay away! Most of the fat will be from added oils. In a quality hummus, the calories from fat should be no more than half of the total calories.
- Opt for hummus with a low fat content to avoid added low quality oils.
- Avoid unnecessary additives.
Hummus is a Mediterranean food that has spread (pun intended) to the rest of the world in recent years. It is a paste or dip based on chickpeas and sesame seeds. Both are high in protein, fiber, and other essential nutrients. Sesame seeds are a great source of healthy fats as well.
Hummus can be enjoyed as a spread on bread or in sandwiches, instead of cream cheese or mayonnaise. It’s also great as a dip for vegetables, crackers and chips.
Making hummus at home is easy. Cooked chickpeas are mixed with Tahini, a sesame seed paste. Water and lemon juice are added. A bit of crushed garlic and a pinch of salt are mixed in and your hummus is ready! Some recipes call for olive oil as well, but purists leave it out of the recipe, drizzling olive oil on top only when serving the hummus.
Like fresh baked bread, homemade hummus has a short lifespan. Within a few days of preparation it is not as tasty anymore. After a week, it starts to go bad, even when refrigerated.
That’s where industrial hummus come in. Supermarket shelves are lined with an ever growing assortment of brands and varieties of hummus products. The additives and preservatives ensure a prolonged shelf-life. Some are better than others.
Here are some ingredients to avoid:
- Sodium benzoate / benzoic acid – when used in foods that contain ascorbic acid (vitamin C), a chemical reaction creates small amount of benzene, a carcinogen.
- Corn starch, modified corn starch – unnecessary fillers
- Soybean oil – not as healthy olive oil, used because it is much cheaper. Most likely genetically modified.
Ingredients that are OK to see:
- Lemon Juice
- Potassium Sorbate, citric acid – natural preservatives
- Olive oil
A good quality hummus will not use a substantial amount of oil. If a serving of hummus is 70 calories and you see that 60 of those calories are from fat, stay away! Most of the fat will be from added oils. In a quality hummus, the calories from fat should be no more than half of the total calories.
- Opt for hummus with a low fat content to avoid added low quality oils.
- Avoid unnecessary additives.