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.
Hummus contains 5.2g protein, 264 calories, 12.3g carbs and 20.8g fat per 100g.
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
Hummus has a low glycemic index (GI 25), meaning it causes a slow, gradual rise in blood glucose.
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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