Nutritional Information for Hummus
Hummus is a chickpea-based dip typically made from chickpeas, tahini, olive or rapeseed oil, lemon juice, and garlic. It delivers a decent protein hit (5-6g per 100g) but is calorie-dense due to the oil and tahini — most shop-bought versions clock in at 250-305 kcal per 100g. From a SpikeSaver perspective, hummus has a low GI of around 25 thanks to the chickpea base and fat content slowing digestion. However, all shop-bought hummus is NOVA 3 (processed) at minimum, and flavoured varieties may contain additional sugar aliases or preservatives. The key ingredients to watch are rapeseed oil quantity and any added sugars in flavoured variants.
Nutrition per 100g
| Nutrient | Per 100g | Per serving |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 264 kcal / 1096 kJ | 79 kcal |
| Protein | 5.2g | 1.6g |
| Carbohydrates | 12.3g | 3.7g |
| of which sugars | 3.9g | — |
| Fat | 20.8g | 6.2g |
| of which saturated | 1.9g | — |
| Fibre | 3.5g | — |
| Salt | 0.74g | — |
Serving size: 1 tablespoon (~30g) · Source: Tesco product page, October 2025
Glucose impact
Low
Glucose risk
Despite containing 12.3g of carbohydrate per 100g, hummus has a low glycaemic index of approximately 25. The combination of fat from tahini and oil, protein from chickpeas, and fibre all work together to slow glucose absorption significantly. A typical 30g serving contains only 3.7g of carbohydrate, producing a minimal blood sugar response. Flavoured variants with added sugars (sweet chilli at 4.8g sugars) will be slightly higher.
Processing level
Shop-bought hummus is classified as NOVA 3 (processed) because it combines whole foods (chickpeas, sesame seeds) with added oil, salt, and lemon juice — classic processing ingredients. The base recipe of chickpeas, tahini, oil, lemon, and garlic does not contain ultra-processed additives. However, some flavoured variants (sweet chilli, caramelised onion) may include flavourings or preservatives that could push them toward NOVA 4. Homemade hummus from scratch would still be NOVA 3 due to the oil and salt addition.
Hummus at Tesco
Source: Tesco product page, October 2025
1 UPF marker
3 UPF markers
*Prices were correct at the time of collection and may have since changed. Check Tesco.com for current pricing.
What to watch for when shopping
All shop-bought hummus is at least NOVA 3 due to added oil and salt. The plain and reduced-fat versions are the cleanest options. Watch for flavoured hummus with added sugars — caramelised onion and sweet chilli variants contain more sugar. The snack packs with breadsticks (like Tesco Sweet Chilli Houmous & Breadsticks) jump to NOVA 4 because of the refined flour breadsticks and flavourings. Hummus is calorie-dense: even 'reduced fat' is 217 kcal/100g, so portion control matters. Budget tip: Tesco Reduced Fat Houmous 200g or Red Pepper Houmous 182g at £1.25 are the best value.
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