Is Hummus Vegan?
Hummus is a dip, spread and a savory dish made from chickpeas that are cooked, mashed and are blended with various plant-based ingredients. It is popular as the Mediterranean as well as in Middle Eastern cuisine around the globe. It is easily available in the market. However, this can be made at home too. Hummus is a popular dip and everyone loves it because of the unique taste.
It is often felt that hummus is non-vegan. But the standard dip is made with chickpeas as its main ingredient. If we consider a wide variety of hummus available in the market, some non-vegan ingredients are added which makes the dip non-vegan. Some fast food chain outlets like Jack in the Box have different kinds of vegan dips along with its vegan cuisine which you can try out.
What is Hummus?
Hummus is an ultra-creamy, dreamy and light dip that is used in salads, used with pita bread and is also used in various other dishes. Not only is hummus delicious, but it is also versatile, packed with nutrients and has been termed as too much impressively healthy and nutritious. It offers various plant-based nutrients and is also an excellent anti-inflammatory ingredient.
Why Hummus Is Considered Vegan?
Ingredients in Hummus
Below we will discuss in detail about what are the ingredients in hummus (potentially vegan and non vegan ingredients)
Potential Vegan Ingredients in Hummus
Hummus is considered vegan because of the ingredients put into it. All of them are plant-based, like:
1. Chickpeas: Chickpeas are plant-based products and are vegan to the core. It is also used in various other dishes like falafel, chickpeas sandwich and in various other Lebanese cuisines.
2. Tahini: Tahini is made from roasted groundnut sesame seeds. Commercially available tahini is usually plant-based so you don’t have to worry about the non-vegan nature for the same.
3. Plant-Based Oils: Hummus uses sunflower oil and extra virgin olive oil (check vegan status). Sunflower oil comes from sunflower seeds and olive oil comes from pressing olive seeds. Both of them are certified to be vegan.
4. Lemon Juice/ Garlic: Both these additives are known to the common man and are used widely. They are thoroughly plant-based and vegan.
5. Vegan-Friendly Additives: Hummus comes in varieties and it is essential to know that these additives can be vegan too. Some of them are: guar gum (comes from guar beans), citric acid (comes directly from citric fruits), acetic acid (vinegar is made by bacterial fermentation).
There are quite a few other ingredients that can be added to this dip and are totally vegan-friendly! You can also try out some cheezy vegan dips the Heidi Ho.
Potential Non-Vegan Ingredients in Hummus
There is a huge list of non-vegan counterparts of this dip. Some of them are:
1. Palm Oil: Palm oil is controversial oil and not many vegans use it. Palm oil production has long been criticized for its impacts on the environment.
2. Vitamin D: Additives like vitamin D3 (check vegan vitamin d3 supplements) are not vegan as they come from lanolin, wool grease.
3. Xanthan Gum: Xanthan gum is produced through fermentation by Xanthomonas campestris. The fermentation is usually done with simple sugars like glucose and sucrose and this is why it is not considered vegan.
4. Honey: Honey is highly non-vegan and is prevalent in various types of commercial hummus. There are vegan substitutes available for this and people often resort to plant-based sweeteners.
Vegan Hummus Brands
Following are some of the good vegan hummus brands that you can find in any store.
1. Sabra
This hummus brand is everyone’s heartthrob. Is sabra hummus vegan and dairy free? – Yes, sabra classic hummus is vegan and is also gluten-free, and non-GMO. Sabra hummus is dairy-free and makes it all the more attractive to the people.
2. Majestic Sprouted Hummus
This locally grown and made hummus comes from California. It comes in six different flavors. It is highly popular because it uses completely organic ingredients and has absolutely no preservatives or additives.
Recommended:
3. Roots Hummus Original
It comes in a variety of flavors like Sabra. It is oil-free and non-fattening. It has about 60 calories per serving, which perfect for all those who are conscious of their calorie count!
4. Veggicopia Dips
These have all-natural ingredients and are completely vegan and gluten-free. There are only 90 calories a cup so you can binge on it! This dip comes in two flavours, original and red pepper if you’re looking for something on the spicy side.
Final Thoughts | Is Hummus Vegan?
Hummus is a very popular dip that is served with various breads. If you are vegan, don’t feel that you can’t eat hummus. The classic old hummus dip is vegan and the various additives and varieties make it non-vegan. If you go for the basic jar, know that it is vegan.
The bread it is consumed with makes it non-vegan. All vegan enthusiasts can consume it in salads. It is a healthy option and does not have many calories and hence the most popular one too!
