Hummus consists of chickpea mash mixed with ground sesame seed paste (aka tahini), lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and garlic — and it's a nutritional star, high in protein. Vincent Pedre, an internist and author of Happy Gut, endorsed hummus by calling it a great on-the-go-snack (via LiveScience). He added that, "in fact, it [hummus] is rich in healthy fats, making it a satisfying in-between meal snack with carrots and/or celery. I often recommend this to get patients away from the processed snacks or sweets they may reach for between meals," Pedre says. 

With 10 grams of protein and 10 grams of dietary fiber (via Health), hummus is a great way to wean yourself off processed snacks. What's more, people who include hummus as a regular part of their diet have higher levels of fiber, folate, magnesium, potassium, iron, and vitamins A, E, and C, according to the journal Nutrients. And this vital mix of nutrients helps hummus eaters have lower BMIs and smaller waistlines than those who pass on the spread, and they reduce their risk of obesity by 53 percent.