Food Fight: Hummus vs Guacamole (2024)

FAQs

What is better for you, hummus or guacamole? ›

Hummus, with its chickpea base, wins with certain nutrients, like protein, zinc, and iron, while guacamole helps avocado fans slim down with fewer calories and carbs, heart-healthy fats, and potassium.

If there was a nutrition contest for dips, hummus—traditionally made from mashed chickpeas, tahini (sesame seed paste), lemon juice, olive oil, and spices—would win in the "best all-around" category. While it is about five times higher in calories than salsa, it has a little more than twice the fiber.

So, guacamole has the same nutritional value as a normal avocado, along with more water content because of onions, lime juice, and diced tomato, more sodium because of added salt, and more vitamin C present in lime juice and tomatoes.

“It generally offers more vitamins and minerals than many other dips or spreads,” she says, since it includes calcium, folate and magnesium. This blend of nutrients can also stabilize blood sugar and help prevent heart disease, says Los Angeles-based registered dietitian Lindsey Pine.

While it's a decent amount to get you toward that daily fiber goal, it won't wreck your digestive system. It's all about moderation. Individual food sensitivities aside, chickpeas and hummus are perfectly safe to consume as long as they don't make up your entire meal.

Be a Better Dipper

Instead, pair your dip with a 100% whole-grain pita. You'll add fiber and vitamins to your lunch. Even better: Serve your hummus with veggies like cucumber slices, carrot spears, and red pepper wedges. You'll get even more nutrition without adding as many calories as a bread, chip, or cracker.

*If you are on dialysis or need to limit your potassium or phosphorus, hummus is not a good choice as beans and peas may be high in both potassium and phosphorus. Avocados are also not recommended, as they are high in potassium. Speak to your Registered Dietitian to decide what is best for you.

However, this mix should be eaten in moderation. "The ideal way not to risk exaggerating with fat and calories is to bring to the table half avocado combined with two eggs, preferably hard-boiled, no more than a couple of times a week," says the expert, who here shares 5 good reasons to choose this meal combination.

Avocados are hands down the health world's most popular fruit—and for good reason. They're straight-up loaded with nutritional benefits, including fiber, unsaturated fats, magnesium and vitamin K. In fact, registered dietitians say that it's 100 percent okay to eat avocado every single day.

What's healthier banana or avocado? ›

People who regularly eat avocado (about a half of one daily, which contains more potassium than a whole banana) are more likely to have smaller waists and weigh less, say researchers who analyzed over 17,000 American diets.

Popular in Middle Eastern cuisine, it is usually eaten as a dip, with pita bread. In the West, it is now produced industrially, and is often served as a snack or appetizer with crackers or vegetables.

In Israel, Palestine, and Lebanon, it is a staple food, often eaten every day, not merely a dip but rather a main dish.

First, let's look at the nutrition stats for hummus: a 2-tablespoon serving contains about 70 calories, 2 grams of protein, 5 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of carbohydrates and 1.5 grams of fiber. The verdict based on the numbers and ingredients? Hummus is healthy—and you can include it as part of a nutritious diet.

Weight Loss and Our Favorite Dip. Many people worry, and ask “is hummus fattening” as they begin their diet. This is unfortunate, because humus can be a great snack to actually aid weight loss. That's because monounsaturated fats help you lose weight – specifically belly fat.

Most hummus you buy in a supermarket is made with either soybean oil or sunflower oil. Both of these are highly processed and can be inflammatory. Look at the label and find hummus made with extra-virgin olive oil for the most health benefits (not to mention flavor – good olive oil is like a fine wine).

One Tbsp of regular butter with salt can have as much as 11g of fat; 7g sat., 100 cal., 30mg of cholest., and 85mg of sodium. Clearly, toast isn't as innocent as you thought. On the other slice, 1 Tbsp. of hummus has only 1g of fat; 0 sat., 23 cal., 0 cholest., and 53 mg of sodium.