Hummus Calories, Recipes, and More What You Should Know About This Versatile Dish

You may not know it, but the hummus you see in you grocery store is actually one of the most versatile ingredients in the supermarket. Hummus is a dish traditionally made from chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, and tahini, which is a paste made from sesame seeds. Spices, vegetables, and other ingredients can all be added to hummus in order to enhance its flavor and create new and interesting varieties.

If you haven’t tried hummus yet, or if you’re new to it, here are three things to know about this heart healthy food.

• Hummus goes with just about anything. Recipes with hummus are some of the simplest to make because this food can be added to anything. Hummus spreads are fantastic on sandwiches and in pita bread. Using hummus as a dip, however, you can also eat it with anything from pitas and crackers to carrot sticks and celery for a low-calorie snack. Hummus can also be a great addition to dinners like couscous or atop different types of meat.
• Hummus can be made with any additional ingredients. Whether you’re making hummus yourself or buying it in the store, you can add just about anything to hummus to enhance its flavor. A plain hummus dip, for instance, won’t have much flavor to it, but it makes a great base for wraps, sandwiches, paninis, and more. But a little bit of chipotle pepper can turn a basic hummus dish into a spicy hummus dip. Other popular ingredients include roasted red pepper, sun dried tomatoes, roasted garlic, and other vegetables, herbs, and spices.
• Hummus calories are low and hummus nutrition is high. One of the reasons that hummus is so popular is that there are very few hummus calories in each serving. Hummus contains an adequate amount of protein, thanks to the chickpeas and tahini, and it is low in fat. Hummus could easily be considered a heart healthy food due to its lack of cholesterol, and it’s also appropriate for vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, and low carb diets.

Have more questions about hummus calories, ingredients, or other uses? Want to tell us your favorite type of hummus? Leave a comment below.