With more and more containers popping up on supermarket shelves, you might be wondering, if it’s really as healthy as it’s made out to be. Sure it’s delicious, and endlessly versatile, but there are so many foods that haven’t quite earned the health halos they’re donning with pride, that it’s worth questioning.
To hit a goal of, say, 60 grams, you'd need 30 servings—or 60 tablespoons—of hummus. (Clearly, you wouldn't want to do this because you'd go seriously overboard on your carb and fat intake for the day.)
That's not to say hummus isn't a nutritious food, even if the answer to the original question of, “Is hummus good for weight loss?” is a, well, maybe. Filling fiber and healthy fats lend some staying power—just not as much as a full serving of protein. Try scooping it up with red bell peppers for even more nutrition benefits.
“Hummus boosts energy because it contains iron, and red bell pepper slices are high in vitamin C, which helps to utilize and absorb the iron from the hummus,” says holistic nutritionist Peggy Kotsopoulos, author of Must Have Been Something I Ate.
Want to make your hummus a little more filling? Up the protein content by mixing your hummus (either a whole batch or a 2-tablespoon serving) with one of these protein-rich foods: