I want to try to try new things on my gluten-free diet so I thought I might try hummus, but I don’t really know what it is or what brands are gluten free. Can you tell me?
Hummus is a Middle Eastern spread made from mashed chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice and garlic. All ingredients are gluten free, including tahini, a paste made from ground sesame seeds. Read the label on any packaged hummus and you will usually find it is gluten free. For example, Tribe, Fantastic Foods, Sabra and Athenos brands are gluten free. There are also numerous easy recipes for making homemade hummus, which is said to taste better than packaged products. In general, the cracker or bread used to dip in hummus is a bigger problem for those who follow the gluten-free diet. At a party or in a restaurant, you will likely find hummus served with pita, flat Middle Eastern bread made with wheat. Once pita or another cracker or bread made from wheat is dipped in the hummus, it gets cross-contaminated. But you can safely dip cut vegetables or gluten-free crackers in hummus to enjoy a safe and relatively healthy snack. If you take hummus to a party, bring something gluten-free to dip.
