Hummus: nutritional facts
Hummus is a nutritional treasure. It’s not only delicious to eat, but also contain lots of vitamins, minerals, amino acids.
See Also: Hummus, is it good for your Diet?
It’s hard to be decisive when talking about hummus in general. There are different kinds of hummus, in which the exact quantities of each ingredient vary. So it’s a little hard to be precise, but I can tell you: hummus is certainly good for you!
By the way: we are talking solely about homemade – or at list handmade – hummus (recipe). Industrial packaged hummus is not that healthy.
So what does hummus contain?
First of all, about 60-70% water. And though Tahini, the second most important ingredient, is basically a faty extract (of sesame seeds), only 10% of the final “product” is fat. And we’re talking about good fat, with lots of Omega 3 in it (200-300mg in an average serving of about 1 cup). The rest is mostly Carbohydrates and protein.
Overall, hummus contain up to 200 calories for 100g, and a large hummus portion may contain up to 300 grams. True, not really dietary in the regular sense. On the other hand, it makes you really satiated, without increasing glucose levels in your blood that much (Gthe lycemic Index, GI, is 10-15). So for most people hummus is a healthy, calorie-worthy choice.
Hummus also contains lots of crucial nutrients, most of which come from the tahini BTW. It has a high content of important minerals like Manganese, Copper and Sodium, and also some Calcium, Iron, Magnesium and Zinc. It is relatively rich in Vitamin C and B6 and also contain vitamin E, K, Folate and Thiamin.
Hummus also contain about 20 essential Amino Acids, including large dosages of Tryptophan,
Phenylalanine and Tyrosine, a threesome that makes it, surprisingly, a potential substitute for Prozac and the such. Omega 3 too was found to be effective in treatment for minor mood disorders, such as depression and anxiety.
So what am I saying? If you love hummus you can eat a lot of eat, and not feel bad about it. You are going to be healthier and happyier.
Disclaimer: I’m no expert, not in the acasemic sense. Only a guy who LOVES hummus and reads a lot.
Try it with Srirachs for a spicy good treat!!
I’m looking at the packaging on Tribe Classic hummus and am SHOCKED that a serving contains ZERO calcium. Hummus is lauded for its calcium content but this popular brand has NONE. It also has ZERO vitamin C ( no lemon, seriously?!) and only 2 grams of protein 2% DV or iron.
I’m so disappointed, I contacted the company.
This is the LAST time our family consumes packaged hummus. Convenience does not trump nutrition.
Best food for those on a controlled diet and also for people trying to lose weight . Tasty too!!!
it is made from chick peas
There are only 9 essential amino acids for human life, therefore, your claim that hummus contains 20 essential amino acids is incorrect. Furthermore, one should refrain from making assertions that are not backed by peer-reviewed research, especially ones about simple foods being an adequate substitute for a life-saving drug on which many people afflicted with serious medical conditions depend for survival. (The blog post you link to with false claims about Prozac references an article published by a set of Israeli agriculturists (not medical doctors), and at no point did these authors assert that chickpea could or should be used as an antidepressant, let alone replace a potent selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitor such as Prozac.)
Tastes okay but not good for anything,