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With its gooey goodness and rich flavor, no dip can beat a balanced, creamy hummus. While chickpeas impart their earthy flavors, lemon juice gives them a slight tartness. But for the hummus lovers who have switched to a keto diet, the niggling question is ‘is hummus keto’?
To understand the impact of hummus on your keto diet, let’s first get to know hummus a little deeper.
What is Hummus Anyway?
Table of Contents
Hummus is a Middle Eastern dip made with boiled and ground chickpeas, tahini sauce, some garlic, and lemon juice. These ingredients are blended to create a smooth, silky batter with a tangy, creamy flavor.
In case you’re wondering, the tahini sauce is made of ground sesame seeds that impart a smooth, silky texture to the spread.
While hummus originated in the Middle East, the dish is eaten all over the world with shared enthusiasm. You can find stores selling pre-made hummus in the US and many variations in almost all parts of the world.
Though traditionally eaten with pita bread and a drizzle of olive oil, this dip can be very versatile. From salad dressings to sandwich dips, you can eat hummus however you want. You can even eat it as a dessert.
Is Hummus Keto?
The answer to this question is not a simple yes or no. Hummus has a carbohydrate supply of 14 grams per 100-gram serving. This is equivalent to almost seven tablespoons. So, ideally, you can consume nearly 1.5 cups of hummus on a keto diet that allows 20 grams of carbohydrates in a day. However, after that 1.5 cups, you cannot eat or drink any other food that contains carbs.
In short, hummus is only keto if consumed in minimal quantities together with other keto-friendly foods. But if you eat it with other carbohydrate-rich foods, you’ll most likely exceed your daily recommended carb intake.
So, is it a good choice to eat hummus on a keto diet? Preferably, a few tablespoons are fine. However, it’s better not to go beyond 1.5 cups.
How Many Carbs are in Hummus?
If you’re taking two tablespoons of hummus, you’re getting 6 grams of total carbs and 4 grams of net carbs. These 4 grams of carbs constitute 20% of the total carb intake you can have in a day.
How Many Calories are in Hummus?
While the carb level of hummus is not high, the dish is calorie-dense. By consuming 100 grams of hummus, you’re taking up 168 calories, which makes up almost 15% of a 1500-1800 calorie diet.
However, these calories are not ‘bad calories‘ since there are no harmful ingredients or cooking styles involved in the preparation of hummus.
How Does Hummus Impact Ketosis?
The primary ingredient of hummus is chickpeas, which are loaded with carbs instead of proteins, contrary to popular belief. A 100 grams serving of chickpeas has 61 net carbs making the food option fall in the high carb category. With this much carbs, your body will eventually stop relying on fat for energy but will instead use the carbs in your diet. This, in turn, will disrupt your body’s ketogenesis.
Still, if you’re eating homemade hummus, it is far better than store-bought hummus for a keto diet.
The only thing you need to keep in mind is the serving size. Do not go overboard with your hummus consumption, and you can maintain your ketosis.
Benefits of Hummus
Although high in net carbs, hummus has a number of benefits as a healthy food choice:
1. It’s Plant-Based and Suitable for Vegans
Hummus is an excellent option for people who are following a vegetarian diet. All the ingredients included in hummus are sourced from plants and packed with nutrients.
2. Has Low Glycemic Index That Helps With Slow Sugar Absorption
Hummus has an incredibly low glycemic index. The glycemic index is a measure of how fast a food increases the blood glucose level.
A low GI shows that the food supplies sugar slowly to the bloodstream. Low GI foods are suitable for people with diabetes.
The GI of hummus is seven which is lower than most of the carb-based foods we eat. Therefore, hummus is a suitable choice for people who want to maintain their blood glucose levels.
3. Its Ingredients Are Packed With Good Fats
Both Tahini and olive oil used in hummus have good fats in them. Olive oil has Omega 6 and omega-6 fatty acids, which are good for heart health.
Moreover, Tahini is also packed with polyunsaturated fats like omega-6, which is highly beneficial for maintaining blood cholesterol levels.
4. Aids in Maintaining Healthy Body Weight
Studies have shown that including hummus in your diet suppresses hunger, and you’re likely to avoid munching after having hummus as an afternoon snack.
The low glycemic index and appetite suppressing capabilities of hummus make it a good choice for people trying to lose weight.
Types of Hummus
Hummus is typically made with chickpeas, olive oil, tahini, garlic, and lemon juice. However, this isn’t necessarily the case for all hummus. Many other types of hummus use various ingredients like sweet potato, cauliflower, and other legumes like garbanzo beans and fruit variants such as avocado hummus.
Some of the more keto-friendly types of hummus will be discussed later. But, before that, here’s how to store hummus:
Storing and Freezing Hummus
There are two basic ways to store hummus. You can either keep them in the fridge or the freezer. Besides that, any type of hummus, including keto hummus, follows the same storage pattern. You need to keep the hummus in an airtight container and refrigerate or freeze it.
Refrigerated hummus, once taken out, needs to be consumed within a week. On the other hand, frozen hummus can stay in the freezer for over a month.
Keto Hummus Options
Since chickpeas are what gives hummus its high carb content, many people are foregoing it in favor of less traditional ingredients to make their hummus keto-friendly. Keto-friendly hummus has been gaining steady popularity in recent years. Here are some of the most common types of keto hummus:
1. Cauliflower Hummus
Cauliflower hummus is a hummus recipe that’s keto-friendly in nature. You can have the variant just like normal hummus and have a low carb intake. It means that you satisfy your cravings without disturbing your diet. Here’s what you need for a keto hummus made of cauliflower:
The Ingredients:
- Cauliflower florets 2 cups
- Olive oil 3 tbsps
- Garlic cloves (5-6)
- Tahini sauce 1 tbsp
- Paprika as per taste
Instructions:
- Start by roasting the cauliflower florets in an oven preheated at 250 degrees for 20 minutes.
- Drizzle two tablespoons of olive oil on the roasted cauliflower florets before putting them in the oven.
- When the florets are roasted, put all the other ingredients in a blender or food processor except for the remaining olive oil and paprika.
- Turn on the blender.
- When the hummus comes to a suitable consistency, remove it from the blender and add the remaining olive oil and paprika as garnish.
- You’re ready to serve the delicious keto-friendly hummus made of roasted cauliflower.
This recipe has a net carb value of 5.4 grams per cup serving.
2. Avocado Hummus
Another ingredient that makes hummus keto-friendly is avocado. These delicious creamy fruits yield buttery smooth hummus, one of the best homemade keto hummus you can have. Here’s what you need:
The Ingredients:
- 1 large ripe avocado
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoon olive oil divided
- Paprika or pepper as per taste
- Salt as per taste
- 2 tablespoons tahini paste
Instructions:
- Peel and dice the avocado
- Add all the ingredients except paprika and one tablespoon of olive oil to a food processor or blender.
- Blend all the ingredients to a thick, smooth, plain consistency.
- Drizzle the remaining olive oil and paprika and serve keto hummus as a dip.
This recipe has a net carb value of 2.4 grams per 55-gram serving.
3. Artichoke Hummus
Artichoke hummus is also a low-carb alternative to chickpeas hummus. Here’s what you need:
The Ingredients:
- 8 Artichoke hearts
- Half a bulb of garlic
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt and seasoning as per taste
Instructions:
- Roast the garlic on a baking sheet in a preheated oven, drizzling some olive oil for 20 minutes (maintain the oven temperature at 400 degrees)
- Take out the garlic and put all the ingredients in a blender or food processor.
- Garnish with olive oil and pepper.
- You are ready to serve your low-carb homemade hummus.
This recipe has a net carb value of 4 grams per 28-gram serving.
4. Zucchini Hummus
Another keto-friendly dip is an alteration of the classic hummus, where we replace chickpeas with zucchini. Here’s what you need:
The Ingredients
- 2 zucchinis
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- Salt as per taste
- 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil
- Smoked paprika powder.
The Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit.
- Thinly slice the zucchini and place them on a baking sheet with sliced garlic cloves.
- Drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil on the zucchini and garlic
- Bake both for 20 minutes.
- Take them out and blend with the rest of the ingredients (keep paprika and a tablespoon of olive oil for garnish)
- Garnish with smoked paprika powder and olive oil to get your yummy homemade hummus
This recipe has a net carb value of 2.7 grams per 57-gram serving.
Final Thoughts
While chickpea hummus has a high net carb count, there are many hummus alternatives that won’t negatively impact your ketogenic diet. You can try one of the above recipes to satisfy your hummus cravings without worrying about ruining your diet.
[su_panel] If you are looking for more information on healthy nutrition or recipe inspirations, have a look at our other articles:- 9 Keto Lunch Ideas to Achieve Your Goals Faster
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