How much hummus can you load onto a chip, cracker or pita wedge?

If hummus is healthy, is it a freebie food after surgery?

Bariatric Dietitian Elizabeth Anderson helps clear the air.

“But Elizabeth, hummus is supposed to be good for you.”

My post gastric sleeve client sat across from me in the office, confused and frustrated.

“Are you telling me I can’t eat hummus?”

As a bariatric dietitian, I’ll tell you what I told him, “You can eat hummus…. cautiously.”

Here’s the deal with hummus. Hummus is a savory and delicious, bean-based condiment or dip.

Yes, it’s full of good-for-you monounsaturated fat but at 50 calories per 2 tablespoons—the good times add up FAST.

Every two bites mean 50 calories.

4 bites = 100 calories.

You get the idea.

If you’re not paying a whole lot of attention to your snacking --you can easily be in pain and overloaded with calories in no time.

The hummus example is just one in a long line of misconceptions that set dieters back but can be downright dangerous for weight loss surgery patients.

I’ve picked 5 of these misunderstood dieting tricks and in the next five days I’ll clear the air.

Tomorrow check out the first myth: missed meals = missed calories.

Lots of calories. Same thing with beef jerky and nuts. Great for us but high in calories especially to us that do not have extra calories to waste. It's a catch 22.

Excellent point! Thanks for adding that!

Just like before surgery, everything we eat in moderation. 1 ounce of pistachios = good. Half a cup of pistachios = not so good.

I keep seeing this thread title as "Talking Heads with Hummus". I think I need to clean my glasses.

Just like before surgery, everything we eat in moderation. 1 ounce of pistachios = good. Half a cup of pistachios = not so good.

I can't stop :'(

I just saw the Talking Heads with Hummus thing too! Funny what our brains do to us!

Just like before surgery, everything we eat in moderation. 1 ounce of pistachios = good. Half a cup of pistachios = not so good.

I can't stop :'(

I only buy the one ounce to go packs and never keep more than 2 of those in the house. In fact one of my favorite ways to sneak in more steps is to go to the Walgreens where I usually buy them, walk the perimeter of the store and buy a single 1 ounce pack of pistachios. It makes me feel like I've earned my snack.