November 7th, 2018

Da Dip of All (Hummus) Dips

FACTOR-IN/FACTOR-OUT™

We’ve scoured supermarkets and restaurants to find healthy FFactor™ approved food swaps for high-calorie favorites. Now you can satisfy your cravings without sabotaging your waistline.* 

When I dip, you dip, we dip.

In 1997 Freak Nasty brought dip to the dance floor when their hit “Da Dip” went platinum. Fast forward twenty-something years and no party is complete without a hummus dip. If you want to dip to our tune, listen up, we’re dishing on hummus dips, and singing something other than Sabra. Here’s why:

Hummus, no matter the brand or flavor, is often misconstrued as a “health food” which people can enjoy as much as they please. Healthy does NOT equal healthy for weight loss. Hummus can be a part of a healthy diet; the problem is that more often than not, each dip, scoop and spread comes close to a serving size alone – and people rarely stick to just one. Soon enough that “healthy” snack of zero-calorie celery with a “little” hummus means the whole tub, and those “minimal” calories are more like 700+. Since sticking to the proper serving size of hummus is much easier said than done, it is important to find one that is especially low in calories and fat, and that, friends, is Cava’s Roasted Red Pepper Hummus.

At just 25 calories per (2 Tablespoon) serving, Cava’s Roasted Red Pepper Hummus is the absolute lowest calorie hummus we have found to date. This is likely due to the fact that, unlike most hummus dips on the market, Cava makes their roasted red pepper  (RRP) flavor without any oil, which brings both the calorie count and fat content down significantly. In fact, Cava’s RRP has 64% less calories than Sabra’s version of the flavor, and where Cava’s contains a mere 1.5g grams of fat per serving, Sabra’s has 5! To put 5 grams of fat into perspective for you, that’s a Kid’s size McDonald’s fries—just ONE measly 2 tablespoon serving of Sabra hummus has as much fat as a Kid’s Mickey D’s fries! Chew on that fact next time you’re polishing off a Sabra tub (which contains 7 servings, or in terms of fat, a Quarter Pounder with Cheese AND a Kid’s fries).

Fat and calories are just part of the picture though. As always, carbohydrates need to be considered, and here Cava wins again, keeping their carb count per serving to a minimal 3 grams for this flavor. Net carb? That’s a solid F-Factor appropriate 2g per serving (and if you have a second (or third) serving, 4 (or 6) net carbs isn’t so bad either for this Step 2 food. Vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free and kosher too, Cava’s Roasted Red Pepper Hummus makes as stellar of a spread as it does a dip. You may not be able to dance at every party, but if you want to dip the way we dip, Cava’s RRP is the one worth dancing for!

THIS PRODUCT IS A STEP 2 FOOD.

TO JOURNAL THIS PRODUCT: Cava Roasted Red Pepper Hummus – 3g carbohydrate, 1g fiber 

HONORABLE MENTIONS
  • Roots Oil Free Original Hummus – This delicious hummus is also oil free and packs 2g fiber and 2g protein per 40 calorie serving.
  • Abraham’s Traditional Hummos – This 40 calorie dip is great for anyone watching their sodium intake—a serving has just 50mg sodium.
  • Yorgo’s Original Hommus – Despite containing 50 calories per Tbsp, this dip contains 3g of fiber per serving, making one of the highest fiber hummus dips on the market.
*Are you interested in having a product featured in Factor-In/Factor-Out? Contact Jessica Rossman for details.