Is Hummus a Low-Cholesterol Food?

Hummus, usually made with a mix of chickpeas, tahini paste, garlic, olive oil and lemon juice, is one of the healthier dip options available. It provides significant amounts of fiber, magnesium and phosphorus, as well as smaller amounts of many other vitamins and minerals. It is also a low-cholesterol food.

Hummus and Cholesterol

Because all the ingredients in hummus are plant-based, it doesn't contain any cholesterol. It also isn't likely to greatly increase your blood cholesterol levels since most of the fat it contains is unsaturated instead of saturated. Saturated fat increases blood cholesterol more than dietary cholesterol -- and replacing this fat with unsaturated fat can actually help you lower your cholesterol. Hummus also provides fiber, which can have a cholesterol-lowering effect.