Hummus: The nutritional secrets of the most popular dish

Dr. Maya Rozman, on her radio show on 103FM, explains nutrition and answers a listener's question about the nutritional value of one of the tastiest and most popular legumes in Israel – hummus. Before answering, let's first check the nutritional value of chickpeas, and compare it to hummus salad.

Legumes such as lentils, peas, chickpeas, white/red/black beans, fava beans, mung beans, and soybeans contain 60% carbohydrates and 20% high-quality protein.

All legumes score well on the biological value of their protein, meaning they are suitable for building our body and muscles. Therefore, we can treat them as a vegan protein substitute – in place of meat or fish, and also in place of eggs or dairy products.

A serving of legumes is one cup after cooking – of chickpeas, lentils, beans, etc., and it contains about 100-150 calories. It is important to note that in one cup of legumes, the amount of protein is on average 9-10 grams, similar to a portion of egg protein or 3 tablespoons of cheese. However, this is less than what is found in chicken breast or fish at the same caloric amount (which is 25-30 grams of protein in meats and fish).

When combining legumes with grains, the biological value of the protein improves slightly, making it more suitable for the body to use and build muscles.

Hummus salad is the most popular salad in Israel. It contains the benefits of chickpeas, the benefits of tahini, which is a superfood, and their combination gives us high-quality plant protein, many vitamins, iron, dietary fiber that contributes to satiety and reduces diabetes... and even substances that increase serotonin and improve mood.

Is there a difference between store-bought and homemade? Of course, it's better to prepare it at home for its nutritional value, but note the reason: It’s only because of the preservatives found in almost all store-bought hummus. The preservatives are intended to extend the shelf life of the salads – so they don’t spoil after 3 days but last at least 3 weeks on store shelves. These are chemicals, most of which are harmful to our health.

Preservatives have side effects – headaches, rashes, nausea, some are carcinogenic, and even a preservative (E282) has been found to cause insulin resistance and an increased risk of obesity. Personally, I believe it’s better to consume as many natural foods as possible, with as few chemicals as possible.

Aside from that, there is no significant difference between store-bought and homemade hummus in terms of salt – salt is added to both. The amount of protein, iron, calcium, and other minerals is about the same – they don’t degrade during storage and are present in the same amounts in store-bought hummus as in homemade. A large amount of antioxidants, like vitamin A or lycopene, are also found in store-bought hummus in relatively large amounts.

And how do you make it fluffy or prepare it at home? Baking soda won't harm your health, but it might not help either. You can try, but I have another tip: Let the chickpeas rise for 12 hours and change the water a few times during the rising process. For cooking the chickpeas, add to the pot before heating: One teaspoon of cumin, one teaspoon of turmeric, one teaspoon of coarse salt, black pepper, and a bit of paprika.

These spices can reduce gas and help with digestion of the hummus, but they also add amazing flavor and are absorbed into the chickpeas during cooking. The color won’t disappoint either! It’s definitely worth trying.