| Author |
Topic: Hummus? |
cardinalfan7
Cool Runner |
 posted Aug-05-2006 04:56 PM
  
I'm still slowly working my way into eating better. So my stupid question was, Is hummus good for you? Is it like guacomole where it's fattening but healthy or is it neither? Running really increases my appetite so I'm trying to find more healthful things I can eat with my meal and last week I grabbed some pita bread and hummus and really liked it but wasn't sure where it stood on the healthful scale.
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veggierunner
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-05-2006 05:06 PM
It's very heathy. Good fat from the tahini, protein from the beans. If you want a lower fat/higher protein version here's my favorite recipe:hummus with tofu
Ingredients
12 oz light Silken tofu
15 oz canned cannellini beans
15 oz canned Garbanzo Beans
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
4 tbsp tahini
3 clove garlic clove(s) (or to taste)
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)
Instructions
Drain beans reserving 2 T liquid. With food processor running drop in the garlic cloves 1 at a time. Stop the processor, then throw in all of the other ingredients with the reserved liquid and process until pretty smooth.
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LisaPA
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-05-2006 05:09 PM
Hummus is made from pureed chickpeas with or without tahini (sesame seed paste), lemon and garlic. The only unhealthy thing about it is how much olive oil might be added to make it smooth--but olive oil is good for you!
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Kona27
Member |
posted Aug-05-2006 05:26 PM
I make the version below, which has no oil. I found it on http://www.fatfreevegan.com/ and it's quite good. Add a chipotle pepper in the blender for a little extra kick. Yum!(All comments are Susan's, not mine.) Hummus Recipe by: Susan Voisin
Hummus is a Middle Eastern dip or spread. There are lots of recipes for it, each with a different proportion of ingredients. Over the years I've worked on mine to make it much lower in fat than the original version. If you want to make it truly fat-free, omit the tahini and increase the seasonings. You may also add one of the optional ingredients noted at the end of the recipe. 1-2 cloves garlic
1 can (or 1 1/2 cups) cooked chickpeas, drained
1/8 cup lemon juice
cooking liquid from beans (or water)
1 tbsp. tahini (sesame paste)
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. paprika
dash cayenne
a few sprigs fresh parsley
sumac (optional) Chop the garlic in a food processor. Add the chickpeas and lemon juice and begin processing. If needed, add 1/4 cup bean cooking liquid or water, just enough so that the chickpeas become a smooth paste. Continue processing as you add the remaining ingredients. Put into a dish, sprinkle with extra paprika (or for a more authentic taste use powdered sumac), garnish with parsley, and serve. Or, for best flavor, allow the flavors to mingle for a while before serving. Now, I usually make about triple this amount, so this is just a guideline. You can add more spices as desired. I also have a lot of variations on this recipe that I use: black olive hummus, green olive hummus, hickory smoke hummus (add liquid smoke flavor), roasted red pepper hummus, and broccoli hummus (a great way of getting greens into kids). You can serve this as a dip for pita bread, as a sandwich filling (my daughter lives on it), or as a topping for a salad (my preferred way to eat it these days). It should last several days to a week in the refrigerator (mine has never lasted that long--it's gone by the third day!).
[This message has been edited by Kona27 (edited Aug-05-2006).]
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vhm1
Member |
posted Aug-05-2006 05:36 PM
Best hummus ever:In a blender or food processor mix: 1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
2 TB olive oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped (raw or roasted)
1 tsp coarse salt
dash of ground pepper
1/8 - 1/4 cup tahini
juice of one lime
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1/8 cup water hummus does have fat, but good fat (olive oil, tahini). the beans are full of protein. good on totilla chips, flat bread, pitas.
------------------
Here comes the sun. It's all
right.
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vhm1
Member |
posted Aug-05-2006 05:38 PM
Forgot for the recipe above:1/8 to 1/4 tsp ground red (hot) pepper
and 1/2 tsp cumin add to blender/processor with other ingredients. ------------------
Here comes the sun. It's all
right.
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reboot
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-05-2006 07:41 PM
No it is not "healthful". Approximately 50% of the calories are from fat and that does not make a "healthful" food regardless of what kind of fat it is. I am sure there are worse foods out there but since there is no "healthful" scale, it is impossible to categorize it in absolute terms. Generally, healthful foods would be regarded as those low in fat. While hummus can certainly be included in a "healthful" diet, it would not be appropriate as anything other than a "treat" similar to the way you might eat peanut butter. ------------------
gotta run...
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merigayle
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-05-2006 08:37 PM
quote:
Originally posted by reboot:
No it is not "healthful". Approximately 50% of the calories are from fat and that does not make a "healthful" food regardless of what kind of fat it is. I am sure there are worse foods out there but since there is no "healthful" scale, it is impossible to categorize it in absolute terms. Generally, healthful foods would be regarded as those low in fat. While hummus can certainly be included in a "healthful" diet, it would not be appropriate as anything other than a "treat" similar to the way you might eat peanut butter.
I beg to differ. I eat a primarily vegetarian/vegan diet. I get almost no fat in my diet. For people like me, some fat in foods like nuts, avocados and hummus is good.
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Iontach
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-05-2006 09:08 PM
quote:
Originally posted by reboot:
Approximately 50% of the calories are from fat
First, that depends on the recipe. Which one are you referring to? Second, we need some fat in our diet.
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Colormepink
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-05-2006 09:42 PM
I love hummus. I've found some very lowfat, highfiber ones in my grocery stores. I like to put 2 T. of it on a whole wheat wrap w/ lettuce and salsa. Yummy. It is good w/ some lowfat Trisquit crackers too. My favorite hummus is a three pepper blend one. It is very spicy. It was very low in fat and calories.
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cardinalfan7
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-05-2006 10:35 PM
Thank you all for the replies, recipes and comments! I will try them all. I hadn't even thought about making my own but it seems pretty easy. You've all again reminded me why I come to this board. Thanks!!
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reboot
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-05-2006 11:19 PM
quote:
Originally posted by merigayle:
I beg to differ. I eat a primarily vegetarian/vegan diet. I get almost no fat in my diet. For people like me, some fat in foods like nuts, avocados and hummus is good.
What you do personally is irrelevant. The vast majority of North Americans have too much fat in their diet and do not have to take any special measures to get sufficient. For the general population, a high fat food would not be termed "healthful". The question was a general one and was not in reference to what might be healthful to you. As for those who are suggesting a low fat version is more "healthful", I agree. But again, the question was in general terms and must be assumed to refer to the generally recognized product and the common preparation has about 50% of its calories from fats. Suggesting hummus is healthful is approximately like suggesting cheese cake is healthful simply because there is an obscure low fat recipe available. ------------------
gotta run...
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Iontach
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-05-2006 11:24 PM
Ah, reboot, your sanctimony is so refreshing, so piquant. 
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shamrockfroggie
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-06-2006 02:18 AM
i disagree with the logic of comparing hummus to cheesecake. cheesecake has very little nutritional value (even the fat free sort although i suppose some sort of calcium arguement could be made). regular hummus also contains healthy fat as opposed to saturated fat in normal cheesecake. i think the key point here is that just like with many other perhaps high "healthy" foods is that you can't go overboard with them and can't expect to reap healthful or optimum weight benefits by adding them to an unhealthful diet. its about replacement, not addition. if you eat hummus on whole wheat pitas or peppers instead of say chips and dip then it's "healthy", if you instead add them as a side to your burger and fries you're only increasing the fat of a meal that's already too high in it. i try to explain this logic to my friend who insists that eating nuts (good for you but high in fat and calories) in large quantities as an addition to a terrible diet will help her lose weight and be "healthy" but to no avail. so enjoy your hummus people, just eat smart in general! quote:
Originally posted by reboot:
What you do personally is irrelevant. The vast majority of North Americans have too much fat in their diet and do not have to take any special measures to get sufficient. For the general population, a high fat food would not be termed "healthful". The question was a general one and was not in reference to what might be healthful to you.As for those who are suggesting a low fat version is more "healthful", I agree. But again, the question was in general terms and must be assumed to refer to the generally recognized product and the common preparation has about 50% of its calories from fats. Suggesting hummus is healthful is approximately like suggesting cheese cake is healthful simply because there is an obscure low fat recipe available.
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merigayle
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-06-2006 05:26 AM
Yeah i am sure everyone pulls out of the McDonald's drive thru and throws some hummus on their double cheeseburgers 
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reboot
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-06-2006 08:09 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Iontach:
Ah, reboot, your sanctimony is so refreshing, so piquant.
I'm not at all sure why you think I am hypocritical or what part of my post is hypocritical. It appears you are more interested in throwing around baseless personal insults than engaging in any meaningful discourse. A characteristic, I think, of very small people. ------------------
gotta run...
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reboot
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-06-2006 08:46 AM
quote:
Originally posted by shamrockfroggie:
i disagree with the logic of comparing hummus to cheesecake. cheesecake has very little nutritional value (even the fat free sort although i suppose some sort of calcium arguement could be made). regular hummus also contains healthy fat as opposed to saturated fat in normal cheesecake. i think the key point here is that just like with many other perhaps high "healthy" foods is that you can't go overboard with them and can't expect to reap healthful or optimum weight benefits by adding them to an unhealthful diet. its about replacement, not addition. if you eat hummus on whole wheat pitas or peppers instead of say chips and dip then it's "healthy", if you instead add them as a side to your burger and fries you're only increasing the fat of a meal that's already too high in it. i try to explain this logic to my friend who insists that eating nuts (good for you but high in fat and calories) in large quantities as an addition to a terrible diet will help her lose weight and be "healthy" but to no avail. so enjoy your hummus people, just eat smart in general!
I didn't compare cheesecake to hummus. I compared cheesecake to healthful food. Like you, I readily acknowledged hummus can be part of a healthful diet. Like nuts, it is healthful only when used as part of an otherwise healthful diet and in moderation. A point I also made in my original post. It is not a healthful staple that can be considered unconditionally "healthful". Both nuts and hummus are high in fats and both have a significant saturated fat content. In view of these characteristics, both foods would only be considered "healthful" as (as I said originally) "a "treat" similar to the way you might eat peanut butter." ------------------
gotta run...
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shamrockfroggie
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-06-2006 12:47 PM
i suppose i still disagree with relegating hummus to "treat" status. to me apple pie ala mode is a treat to eat once a month, hummus (or peanut butter) is something a person can enjoy with a lot more regularity as part of a healthy diet. quote:
Originally posted by reboot:
I didn't compare cheesecake to hummus. I compared cheesecake to healthful food.Like you, I readily acknowledged hummus can be part of a healthful diet. Like nuts, it is healthful only when used as part of an otherwise healthful diet and in moderation. A point I also made in my original post. It is not a healthful staple that can be considered unconditionally "healthful". Both nuts and hummus are high in fats and both have a significant saturated fat content. In view of these characteristics, both foods would only be considered "healthful" as (as I said originally) "a "treat" similar to the way you might eat peanut butter."
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merigayle
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-06-2006 12:53 PM
quote:
Originally posted by shamrockfroggie:
i suppose i still disagree with relegating hummus to "treat" status. to me apple pie ala mode is a treat to eat once a month, hummus (or peanut butter) is something a person can enjoy with a lot more regularity as part of a healthy diet.
i totally agree with you.
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Iontach
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-06-2006 01:04 PM
quote:
Originally posted by reboot:
I'm not at all sure why you think I am hypocritical or what part of my post is hypocritical.
I don't think you're hypocritical, nor did I suggest it. Sanctimony is something different. If you're concerned about the fat content of store-bought hummus, make your own. It's not hard.
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Ariann
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-06-2006 07:16 PM
I had an awesome hummus for lunch today. The basic ingredients were: chickpeas, tahina, avocado, and lemon juice.
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Ariann
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-06-2006 07:27 PM
I would think "healthful" means: contains (perhaps only) ingredients that have been shown to have health-protecting properties. Hummus does incredibly well by that measure - beans and monounsaturated fats are considered extremely health-protecting. Not all low-fat foods are healthful, so that seems like an odd thing by which to measure healthfulness. Calling something "healthful" doesn't say anything about what part in the diet it should play. Arguably, the USDA thinks everything in the food pyramid is healthful, but they also make suggestions about the percentage of the diet each food should comprise and they only consider the foods on the very top (added fats, sugars) to be occasional treats. Peanut butter, by the way, is in the "meat" category - not considered a "treat" by any means.
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teetime
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-07-2006 12:14 AM
Reboot,Consider the following data concerning a 'general' brand PB versus a 'general' brand hummus (fitday): 1T PB: 95cal, 8g fat, 3g carb, 4g protein
1T Hummus: 26cal, 1g fat, 3g carb, 1g protein Note, note quite the same: 1/4c hummus on your sandwich leaves much more room in the diet for other foods than does 1/4c PB ; 2.6:1 fat to carb ratio is not quite the same as 1:3 ratio. Two additional things that are not the same follow: Sanctimonious = self-righteous, holier-than-thou, smug
Hypocritical = acting in contradiction previously stated beliefs or feelings I have no idea if you practice what you preach but you sure are smug (and what happened to those stellar google skills you've got?)
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kipK
Member |
posted Aug-07-2006 07:07 AM
OMG how can you get in an argument about.....hummus???? this is too too funny!!!!
as others mentioned who kindly posted great recipes, it IS healthy depending on how much oil you put in....but even using a lot of olive oil is still better than anything partially hydrogenated or saturated...
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reboot
Cool Runner |
posted Aug-07-2006 08:12 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Ariann:
I would think "healthful" means: contains (perhaps only) ingredients that have been shown to have health-protecting properties. Hummus does incredibly well by that measure - beans and monounsaturated fats are considered extremely health-protecting. Not all low-fat foods are healthful, so that seems like an odd thing by which to measure healthfulness. Calling something "healthful" doesn't say anything about what part in the diet it should play. Arguably, the USDA thinks everything in the food pyramid is healthful, but they also make suggestions about the percentage of the diet each food should comprise and they only consider the foods on the very top (added fats, sugars) to be occasional treats. Peanut butter, by the way, is in the "meat" category - not considered a "treat" by any means.
If the USDA considers everything that has health protecting properties to be "healthful", there must be nearly nothing that would be considered a normal food to be not healthful. In that sense, the OP question is meaningless and there is no correct answer beyond saying it is healthful the same as just about all other foods such as nuts, peanut butter, and cheesecake.
If your interpretation of the USDA definition of a "treat" is correct, then that would put hummus squarely in the category of a "treat". The OP question was with reference to how hummus would score on a fictitious "healthful" scale. I suggested it would score near the bottom because of the high fat content. Others seem to feel it would score near the top because of the high fat content. I think they are wrong. As I indicated in my initial post, "Generally, healthful foods would be regarded as those low in fat." I have seen no arguments that any responsible authority thinks otherwise. ------------------
gotta run...
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