Hummus was like an old friend. Someone you could see every day, yet would never get tired of. The one, although not inclined to brave boozy bar crawls, would always offer up sublime advice when you needed it. A dependable, good-for-your-spirit kinda pal, who would never rearrange plans by feigning a headache.
Well, not anymore, as it seems Miss Hummus has been harboring a secret. That secret being salt - and lots of it. In fact, four packets of ready salted crisps' worth in some cases.
A survey conducted by Consensus Action on Salt and Health found a worrying amount of salt in the chickpea-based dip and revealed how three-quarters of hummus products on the market contained a huge amount of fat, ultimately warranting a red on the food traffic-light system.
And it's not just hummus we need to be more mindful of. The national survey looked at 210 chilled dips across all major supermarket chains including hummus, guacamole, salsa and taramasalata.
Notably, the study found that 100g of Marks & Spencer’s Taramasalata contains more salt than 31 Ritz crackers. Blimey.
As part of their quest to raise awareness of 'hidden' salt, Cash have urged us to follow their top tips when dip-buying. These include:
1. Being label savvy
Take extra time to check the label and compare it against other brands.
2. Opting for salsa or a vegetable-based dip instead
You can never go wrong with salsa.
3. Being wary of portion sizes
Although a favourite pastime, avoid eating the entire tub of hummus in one sitting. Sigh.
4. Eating dips with vegetables rather than salty and high fat foods like crisps or cheese.
Carrot sticks to dip are just as satisfying, we promise.
5. Making your own!
That way you can control exactly what is in your dip. Click here for some guilt-free DIY dip ideas.
READ MORE: Five 'Unhealthy' Foods That Are Actually Good For You