Hummus is considered a healthy spread despite being around 170 calories per 100g.
This is due to its high nutrition. However, the calorie content and nutritional value vary based on the type of recipe that is used or what brand is purchased.
Hummus is made from blended chickpeas with tahini, garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice.
It is a popular Middle Eastern food and is a staple part of many people’s diets. It is commonly garnished with olive oil and whole chickpeas.
It can be consumed as a dip or a spread. It is usually served with pita bread, crackers, or vegetables. It has become a common snack food and also an appetizer at parties.
While 170 calories in 100g may not seem like a lot, it is easy to consume a lot of a dip without realizing it. For hummus, their calories don’t particularly matter since it is very high in nutrients.
Hummus is also a fantastic way to get different vegetables into your diet. They can change the flavor profile of vegetables and can make eating them more enjoyable.
In this article, we cover what nutrients are in hummus and how they can benefit the body.
Nutrients In Hummus
In 100 grams of hummus there are:
- 10 grams of fat – 15% of the daily recommended amount
- 14 grams of carbohydrates – 4% of the daily recommended amount
- 6 grams of dietary fiber – 24% of the daily recommended amount
- 8 grams of protein – 16% of the daily recommended amount
It also has:
- 13% of the daily recommended amount of iron
- 10% of the daily recommended amount of vitamin B6
- 17% of the daily recommended amount of magnesium
- 3% of the daily recommended amount of calcium
What Do These Nutrients Do?
Iron is an essential mineral in the body that is needed for growth and development. Your body uses iron to create the proteins hemoglobin and myoglobin.
Hemoglobin carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. Whereas, myoglobin provides oxygen to the muscles.
An iron deficiency can lead to dizziness and extreme fatigue.
Vitamin B6 is needed for normal brain development. It is also used for keeping the immune system and nervous systems healthy.
Since it is needed to support transmissions around the brain, studies have found that vitamin B6 can also help to reduce some symptoms of depression and mood swings.
A deficiency in vitamin B6 can lead to a weakened immune system and skin rashes.
Magnesium is important for muscle function and energy production. It can also help to lower your blood pressure and keep your heart rhythm steady.
Low levels of magnesium don’t have clear signs. In extreme cases of low magnesium, you can suffer from high blood pressure and heart disease.
Calcium is needed to build and maintain strong and healthy bones. It is usually found in dairy products. Calcium also helps your muscles, nerves, and heart function properly.
A deficiency of calcium can lead to a condition called osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is where the bones get weaker and thus have a greater chance of breaking.
There aren’t many early signs of osteoporosis with the first sign usually being a broken bone.
How Else Is Hummus Healthy For You
Most of the fat in hummus is from the tahini which is monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These are considered to be heart-healthy fats as they can reduce the risk of heart disease.
Chickpeas in hummus are a great source of protein. This is much needed for people following a meat-free diet.
Hummus is a very good source of dietary fiber. Dietary fiber is mainly found in plant-derived foods. It can aid digestion and the production of good gut bacteria. It can also suppress the growth of harmful bacteria in the gut.
Hummus is low on the glycemic index, which means it can help to control blood sugar levels and is good for people with dietary restrictions.
Homemade Hummus
Making your hummus at home is better than store-bought as it will have less sodium and preservatives in it. You can also change or add ingredients as you please.
Most of the calories in hummus come from chickpeas, which is the main ingredient. This makes it hard to create a low-calorie version of it.
You can make it slightly healthier by replacing the oil with low-fat plain yogurt, or even a small amount of chicken stock.
Below we have a basic hummus recipe that you can make at home and then adapt.
Ingredients
- 2 cans of chickpeas, drained
- ⅓ cup of tahini
- ¼ cup of lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 2 crushed garlic cloves
- Salt to taste
Method
Put all your ingredients in a blender and blend until the desired consistency.
For a thinner consistency and a slightly whipped texture to your hummus, you can add a small amount of aquafaba to it.
Aquafaba is the liquid that is in cans of chickpeas and it is commonly used in vegan mousse recipes for its ability to be whipped.
This is a basic hummus recipe so you are able to experiment with it as you please. Try adding a variety of spices or vegetables to give it color or unique flavors.
Final Thoughts
Hummus is great for vegetarian and vegan diets because it is a good source of protein and dietary fiber, both are hard to come by in a meat-free diet.
It is also naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free which makes it perfect for people with allergies.
There are many different flavors of hummus such as cucumber, red pepper, and beetroot. This means that if someone doesn’t enjoy one flavor of hummus, they may enjoy another.
Hummus is a fantastic way to get extra nutrients into your diet and help with weight loss. Remember that while hummus is a relatively healthy food, it should be consumed in moderation.
One of the most common things I talk to my clients about is calories, but so few of them actually know anything about them.
Calories is not a dirty word. If you remove emotion from it, it is simply a unit of energy.
We need calories to live and thrive, and knowing how many to consume is important to ensure that you’re living a healthy lifestyle.
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