Research
Energy balance
Consumption of chickpeas and hummus is associated with lower body mass index (BMI), reduced waist circumference, and lower likelihood of obesity compared to non-consumers.
Include chickpeas or hummus in your diet regularly. Observational data suggests people who eat these foods tend to have lower body weight and waist circumference, likely due to the filling nature of their fiber and protein.
ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
In the NHANES 2003–2010 dataset, chickpea/hummus consumers were 53% less likely to be obese and 51% less likely to have an elevated glucose level. Likewise, consumers had a lower body mass index (BMI) (26.4 ± 0.5 vs. 28.6 ± 0.1) and waist circumference (92.2 ± 1.3 vs. 97.9 ± 0.3 cm) compared to non-consumers
Why this rating
Based on observational NHANES data; the paper explicitly notes that causality cannot be assessed and healthy lifestyle patterns may confound results.
Source
The Nutritional Value and Health Benefits of Chickpeas and Hummus
Taylor C. Wallace et al. · Nutrients · 2016
DOI 10.3390/nu8120766
narrative_reviewCited 251×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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- Substituting traditional hummus for energy-dense dips and spreads (e.g., mayonnaise, butter, sour cream) improves overall diet quality and nutrient density while reducing caloric, saturated fat, and sodium intake.Good
- Hummus consumption attenuates post-prandial blood glucose and insulin responses compared to carbohydrate-only foods, due to its low glycemic index and fat content slowing gastric emptying.Good
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