Hummus is a healthy, nutritious and high protein snack option for pregnant women in principal. It is essentially a pate or paste of chickpeas, olive oil, lemon and tahini (sesame paste) dressing. However, due to its high moisture and low acid content, hummus is often a subject of debate in terms of its safety for pregnant women. Several recalls of packaged hummus brands have happened in the last few years in different countries raising further doubts.
However, if you look at Middle Eastern countries, hummus is an integral part of day to day meals for most families and pregnant women do not think twice before eating it. The problem is in countries where it is sold in stores as an occasional food or snack item and may be sitting on the store shelf for long, making it easier for bacteria to grow (even after packaging). In this case, it is best and safest to make your own hummus and eat it fresh. It is a really simple recipe that can be made in under 10 minutes. You can use canned beans or freshly boiled chickpeas, both are safe.
If you are making your own hummus, you can either use store bought tahina or make your own as well. It is simply a sesame seed butter and easy to make at home.
Also, when eating hummus as dips, there is a risk of cross contamination with different people dipping different foods in the hummus, so it is best to avoid such shared dips at parties.
Check out these simple recipes for hummus and tahini from those who eat it regularly in their meals:
