Hummus from Whole Foods, Sabra, and Other Brands Test Positive for Herbicide
Despite its well-earned health halo, hummus is now being added to a list of foods that could contain levels of glyphosate, a herbicide that's the basis of the popular weed killer Roundup.
The Environmental Working Group, the same organization responsible for the annual Dirty Dozen produce list, says its new findings suggest popular store-bought hummus products as well as raw, canned, or boxed chickpeas contain various amounts of glyphosate. Like the EWG's similar report that examined popular breakfast cereals and oat bars, the group made the discovery after sampling a wide range of hummus and chickpeas sourced from across the country — this time, however, they also found evidence that suggests products labeled "organic" may also contain traces of the controversial chemical.
After collecting 27 samples of hummus, the EWG concluded that 80% of non-organic varieties tested positive for the herbicide: One-third of the samples in all (based on a sample size of four tablespoons) exceeded the group's recommendations for daily intake of glyphosate. The group's press release implicates Whole Foods Market's Original Hummus as containing "15 times the EWG benchmark" for glyphosate, the highest amount of herbicide discovered in its tests (about 2,000 parts per billion, PPB); it also tested products from Aldi, Costco, Giant, Harris Teeter, Safeway, ShopRite, Target, Trader Joes, and Walmart.
Two different Sabra hummus variations, Cava Traditional Hummus, and Harris Teeter's store-brand traditional hummus also rounded-out the list of products that contained more than 160 PPB, which is the agency's own threshold (equating to about 0.01 milligrams per day). But that level of exposure is significantly lower compared to the Environmental Protection Agency's own exposure limit, which the EWG says doesn't adequately protect Americans — the EWG's threshold is also lower than rules set in California, which is largely viewed as the most beneficial for our health, says Stefani Sassos, MS, RD, CDN, the Good Housekeeping Institute's registered dietitian.
"Glyphosate is indeed classified as a group 2A carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, which is part of the World Health Organization," Sassos explains, adding that most research on the effects of glyphosate has been conducted on animals, and long term side-effects depend on how much glyphosate you consume. "But the EWG's prescribed threshold for having 'too much' of the agent is very limited... Their limit is practically zero, at 0.01 milligrams per day, so their results shouldn't be too shocking."
Making hummus yourself may not solve the issue, as organic varieties were also implicated in the test: The EWG tested 12 different hummus and chickpea samples that were labeled as "organic" and still found "detectable concentrations of glyphosate." Organic farmers aren't allowed to spray herbicides or pesticides by law, but these agents may simply drift over from conventional crop fields (or organic products become contaminated at processing facilities). "These excellent foods would be much better without glyphosate," Olga Naidenko, Ph.D., the EWG's vice president for science investigations, said in a press release. "Toxic weed killers should never be allowed to contaminate these products, or any other foods, that millions of American families eat every day.”
Can I still safely eat hummus or chickpeas?
Despite this new discovery, both Sassos and the EWG maintain that chickpeas are part of a wholesome, healthy diet. "They're a plant-based protein powerhouse, and there's so many benefits to discuss here: There's chickpeas' ample fiber content that aids digestion and weight management, and the rich antioxidant profile found within chickpeas and hummus," Sassos says. "The benefits outweigh negatives here, especially when you compare hummus or chickpeas to other options in the supermarket."
Given her background in holistic cancer treatment, Sassos understands some may be worried about perceived cancer risks associated with consuming a potential carcinogen. Any pull that eating hummus has on your cancer risk is far overshadowed by other lifestyle choices, she says, like eating processed meat, drinking alcohol, smoking, or other lifestyle factors. "One food component isn't going to cause or cure cancer," Sassos adds. "A plant-based diet is linked to reduced risk of cancer, and we know this based on established evidence; increased fiber consumption in particular is shown to lower colorectal cancer risk, and chickpeas are firmly part of a plant-based diet."
The bottom line: Many pre-made dips in the supermarket are loaded with butter, cream, or questionable additives (think: cheese sauce, artichoke dip, or clam dip), making hummus one of the few (like salsa!) healthy options for a good snack. Rather than worrying about traces of pesticides, Sassos advises thinking about what you're eating hummus with (is it vegetables or healthy crackers?) and taking a look at the other ingredients on your hummus' label. Buying organic varieties and products that are free of other additives (like artificial coloring or malt syrup) is best, but snacking on conventional hummus isn't as harmful to your health as other options in the grocery aisle.
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