vegetable pastes 

We divided vegetable pastes, which you can most often buy in stores, into several categories:

Instead of pork fat, vegetable lard contains vegetable fats. Cooked pods, such as beans or chickpeas, are also used to enrich the taste and give the right consistency. The flavor is usually complemented by onions, apples and aromatic spices. Unlike the animal version of lard, it does not contain cholesterol. 

• A paste of legume seeds

They are often made from lentils, beans, or chickpeas, as well as soybeans or peas. In addition, it contains vegetables such as eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, pumpkin and beetroot, as well as herbs and spices. Vegetable oil is also an important ingredient. 

• Seed or seed pastes

 The most common are sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds. They often also contain legume seeds, vegetables, mushrooms, and spices.

This is a Mexican avocado paste. In the original recipe, avocados are rubbed into a paste with the addition of lime and salt. Tomatoes, hot peppers, coriander and garlic are often added.

In addition, we added humus to the arrangement. It is a unique product – it is chickpea paste from Middle Eastern cuisine. Traditionally, it also includes tahini, that is, sesame paste, garlic, salt, lemon juice and olive oil. In addition, you can add various spices, vegetables or aromatic herbs to it.

Vegetable pastes can be a great addition to sandwiches, wraps, tortillas, pancakes, and any type of bread. They can be a great source of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Our rating was created to help you shop. The list includes the products that I recommend, and choose the ones that you can choose, but do not necessarily recommend, and those that we do not. You can find it in stores like Lidl, Biedronka, Netto, Carrefour and Żabka. 

The most used food additive in vegetable spreads – a myth

Food additives are substances regulated by European law and used for technological purposes, such as food preservation. It is allowed to use it only for a specific purpose, and the amount used in food production should be as low as possible. 

Vegetable pastes usually do not contain food additives, and if they contain additives, then their value is small (usually it appears at the end of the composition of this type of product). The most commonly used food additives in vegetable margins are: 

• preservatives: extend the shelf life of vegetable pastes; reduce the risk of product damage due to the presence or growth of microorganisms, such as bacteria,
• antioxidants: their use allows you to extend the shelf life of vegetable pastes; protect the product from the effects of oxidation, including the fat becoming rancid or discolored, 
• Acidity regulators : their addition maintains a regular acidity / alkalinity of the food product, thanks to which it maintains the appropriate taste of the product, but also protects against the growth of microorganisms that can accelerate the deterioration of vegetable pastes.

These additives are often used in pastes that are sold in heat-sealed plastic containers. Their use ensures that after opening the product, we can safely store it for several days in a row in the refrigerator.

Another method, used in the case of pastes sold in jars, is pasteurization, which significantly extends the shelf life of the product before opening the package – vegetable pastes protected in this way are safe even for several months after their production.

The healthiest choice

Our recommended vegetable pastes

This category includes vegetable pastes that we recommend the most. They have the best composition and nutritional value. It does not contain unnecessary ingredients, such as preservatives or enhancers. It has a high protein content and little salt.

goVege classic hummus (Ladybug)

A paste with a relatively simple composition, boiled chickpeas make up up to 50% of the composition, although with the addition of salt, its content in the product is relatively low. The acidity regulator used here is one of the most popular and best tested, it guarantees not only a longer durability of chickpeas, but also slows down their darkening, thanks to which the product remains visually attractive for a longer time.

Ingredients: boiled chickpeas 50% (chickpeas, water), water, rapeseed oil, 10% tahini tahini, spirit vinegar, salt, dried garlic, roman cumin, acidity regulator: citric acid.

100g: 249 calories, fat 19g, including saturated fatty acids 1.9g, carbohydrates 9.5g, including sugars less than 0.5g, protein 7g, salt 0.82g.

Vital Fresh Guacamole 97% Avocado (Pedronca)

It is the lowest protein content of all the substances analyzed in the ranking, but avocados make up 97% of the weight of the product, which is commendable. The product has a low salt content and token seasoning additives, so it’s a good choice as a quick alternative to homemade guacamole.

Ingredients: Avocado 97%, Salt, Dried Onion, Natural Plant Extracts, Natural Flavors, Dried Garlic, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Dried Jalapeno Pepper, Dried Coriander.

100 grams: 146 calories, fat 13.4g, including saturated fatty acids 3.1g, carbohydrates 2.1g, including sugars 2.1g, protein 1.5g, salt 0.8g.

Vega Up, Vegetable Lubricant with Apple (Netto)

Short and simple formula, no unnecessary ingredients, high in fiber (6.5g), low in fat and salt.

Ingredients: cooked chickpeas 40%, apple 14%, water, roasted onions, buckwheat, sea salt, ground pepper. 

100g: 92 calories, fat 0.5g, including saturated fatty acids 0.1g, carbohydrates 13g, including sugars 2.8g, protein 5.6g, salt 0.7g.

Carrefour Bio Hummus (Carrefour / Carrefour Express)

Relatively high in protein, more than half of the product is cooked with chickpeas. Chickpeas provide small amounts of saturated fatty acids and salt. The only food additive used in the production of the paste is citric acid, which gives chickpeas a slightly longer shelf life and the right color.

Ingredients: cooked chickpeas 53% (chickpeas, water, salt), rapeseed oil, water, tahini tahini 9%, spirit vinegar, salt, dried garlic, acidity regulator: citric acid. Roman cumin.

100g: 290 calories, 23g fat, including 2.4g saturated fatty acids, 12g carbohydrates, including sugars 1.4g, protein 7.6g, salt 1g.

Birla Hummus Bio Classic (Lidl)

Short composition, high protein, high chickpea content, compared to some stored humus.

Ingredients: 54% cooked chickpeas (chickpeas, water), water, rapeseed oil, 12% tahini tahini, spirit vinegar, cane sugar, salt, dried garlic, roman cumin.

100 grams: 277 calories, fat 22 grams, including saturated fatty acids 2.3 grams, carbohydrates 9.5 grams, including sugars 1.9 grams, protein 7.8 grams, salt 0.82 grams.

Good Choice

Vegetable pastes that you can choose from, but not necessarily recommended

Pastes in this category are characterized by higher amounts of food additives or a lower nutritional value. Some of them are high in fat and salt.

goVege, tallow bean with onions and apples (pedronka)

It is a paste with a relatively low content of fats and saturated fatty acids, despite the dual use of rapeseed oil in the product (including for burning dried onions). The high fiber content is commendable – that’s what we consider a minimal amount. 6 grams of dietary fiber in 100 grams of the product. With aromatic spices in the composition – marjoram and garlic – it seems that the addition of aromas is completely unnecessary. It is worth noting that the manufacturer suggests that a 115-gram package is 3 parts of the paste – with one part we give ourselves about 0.7 grams of simple sugars, which is less than 1 teaspoon of sugar. So it is a product that is worth reaching for more often.

Ingredients: Cooked White Beans 44%, Water, Rapeseed Oil, Fried Onions 6.5% (Dehydrated Onions, Sunflower Oil), Dried Apples 2.5%, Pea Protein, Salt, Flavors, Spices (Black Pepper, Dried Marjoram, Onion 00.8% , garlic ).

100 grams: 232 calories, fat 14g, including saturated fatty acids 1.2g, carbohydrates 17g, including sugars 9.6g, protein 6g, salt 1.7g

Perla, chickpea beetroot (pedronka)

It is a paste with good nutritional value, but the addition of sugar appears twice in the composition (as an addition to the dough and a component of the hot horseradish used in chickpeas) and seems superfluous, since the boiled beetroot should provide sufficient sweetness. Acidity regulators/antioxidants have been used four times in chickpeas. These are safe additives for health, but it is worth reaching for products of this type with a shorter composition.

Ingredients: boiled chickpeas 47.5% (chickpeas, water), boiled beetroot, tahini tahini 8%, rapeseed oil, water, spirit vinegar, sugar, acidity regulators: lactic acid, citric acid. grated horseradish (radish root, water, sugar, acidity regulator: lactic acid, rapeseed oil, salt), salt, dried garlic, ground ginger, antioxidant: citric acid; Roman cumin.

100g: 192 calories, fat 13g, including saturated fatty acids 1.4g, carbohydrates 8.8g, including sugars 3g, protein 6.6g, salt 0.85g

goVege vegetable puree: mushrooms and pumpkin seeds (beetle)

A dough with an average fat content, but also protein, based primarily not on mushrooms and pumpkin, but on white beans. This is a healthy choice of the main ingredient, but you should not follow the manufacturer’s suggestion on the package and expect a large share of pumpkin seeds – it is symbolic – 0.3% (record according to EU directives). However, this has a positive effect on the fat content of the product. The addition of apple juice concentrate appears to be unnecessary.

Ingredients: white beans, peeled mushrooms 18.9% (mushroom, citric acid), rapeseed oil, fresh mushrooms 13%, celery, pumpkin, sunflower seeds, water, dried onions, salt, apple juice concentrate, dried mushrooms 0.5%, garlic Dried, 0.3% pumpkin seeds, ground black pepper.

100g: 204 calories, 19g fat, including saturated fatty acids 1.6g, carbohydrates 2.2g, including sugars 1.6g, protein 3.7g, salt 1.3g

goVege vegetable puree: white beans and flaxseeds (ladybird)

A paste with a relatively low percentage of protein and fat. It would seem that such additives as dried onions (immediately before it, ordinary onions are included in the composition) and apple juice concentrate are superfluous. The addition of linseed is as symbolic (0.24%) as the pumpkin seeds in the previous paste of the same product. Therefore, it should only be treated as a flavor and not as a source of omega-3 fatty acids for example.

Ingredients: 35% white beans, celery, rapeseed oil, water, onions, dried onions, sunflower seeds, apple juice concentrate, salt, lemon juice concentrate, flax seeds 0.24%, ground black pepper, ground cumin.

100g: 220 calories, fat 17g, including saturated fatty acids 1.5g, carbohydrates 9.4g, including sugars 4.3g, protein 3.8g, salt 1.3g

Lisner, Hummus with Wild Garlic (Carrefour / Carrefour Express)

High protein content and the highest percentage of chickpeas in chickpeas among the pastes analyzed (61%). It is also the only chickpea that contains not only an acidity regulator (citric acid), but also a preservative – potassium sorbate. However, it is one of the best tested and safe food additives among the commonly used food additives

Ingredients: 61% boiled chickpeas, rapeseed oil, water, 7% tahini (100% ground sesame seeds), 1.7% wild garlic, salt, spices (1.5% garlic, ground cumin), acidity regulator (citric acid), preservative. (potassium sorbate)

100g: 304 calories, fat 23g, including saturated fatty acids 2g, carbohydrates 11g, including sugars 1.2g, protein 8.2g, salt 1.1g

My Best Veggie، Sunflower Kale Paste (Lidl)

High in fiber (6.8 g), high in fat, sunflower and rapeseed seeds make up only 40% of the product, and acidity regulator content.

Ingredients: 25.8% cooked chickpeas, rapeseed oil, 16.4% fresh cabbage, 14.2% sunflower seeds, water, salt, fresh garlic, lemongrass, freeze-dried spinach, spices, acidity regulator: citric acid.

100 grams: 322 calories, fat 30 grams, including saturated fatty acids 2.5 grams, carbohydrates 2.9 grams, including sugars 1.4 grams, protein 6.8 grams, salt 1.4 grams.

Vimondo, a paste based on sunflower seeds and pea protein with sun-dried tomatoes and dried basil (Lidl)

The product is a source of fiber, rich in fats, and less sunflower, sun-dried tomatoes and pea protein compared to the other ingredients.

Ingredients: Water, rapeseed oil, 12.45% sunflower seeds, 10% dried tomatoes, 3% pea protein, potato starch, salt, lemon juice, pea fiber, 0.6% dried basil, flavor, spices (garlic, white pepper).

100g: 298 calories, fat 27.3g, including saturated fatty acids 2g, carbohydrates 3.9g, including sugars 3.7g, protein 7.1g, salt 1.4g.

Vimundo, pasta with sunflower seeds, cucumber and dill (lidl)

A high content of fat, sunflower and cucumber account for only 39% of the product, and the presence of unnecessary components in the composition.

Ingredients: Water, 25% Pickled Cucumber (Cucumber, Water, Vinegar, Sugar, Salt), Rapeseed Oil, 14% Sunflower Seed, 3% Pea Protein, Pea Fiber, Potato Starch, Salt, Flavor, Spices (0.3% Dill). , black pepper).

100 grams: 281 calories, fat 26.9g, including saturated fatty acids 2.1g, carbohydrates 2.1g, including sugars 2.1g, protein 6.3g, salt 1.4g. 

Products are recommended against

Vegetable pastes that we do not recommend 

Pastes in this category are distinguished by higher amounts of food additives and lower nutritional value. These foods often have higher levels of salt, sugar or fat and lower amounts of protein.

goVege, pasta with sunflower seeds, sun-dried tomatoes and basil (ladybird)

Sunflower seeds are a fat-rich product, so the addition of rapeseed oil to sunflower paste is very great (there are more than just seeds). This results in the product having the highest fat content of all pastes in that order. There is no need to add flavors (the paste also contains aromatic herbs and spices) and a thickener in the form of potato starch and pea fiber. The latter may have been used by the manufacturer to be able to meet the legal requirements for a nutritional claim that the product is a source of this nutrient (minimum 3g/100g of product).

Ingredients: Water, rapeseed oil, sunflower seeds 12.5%, dried tomatoes 10%, pea protein, potato starch, salt, lemon juice, fiber (from peas), dried basil 0.6%, natural flavor, spices (garlic, white pepper). ). 

100 grams: 298 calories, fat 27g, including saturated fatty acids 2g, carbohydrates 3.9g, including sugars 3.7g, protein 7.1g, salt 1.4g.

goVege vegetable puree: sun-dried tomatoes, cranberries (pedronka)

The paste consists mainly of white beans, and the share of dried tomatoes (3.8%) in it is less than the paste of cheaper tomatoes (7.7%) and pumpkin. The dried cranberries used in the product contain added oil and sugar.

Ingredients: white beans, water, pumpkin, rapeseed oil, tomato paste 7.7%, dried tomatoes 3.8% (dried tomatoes, salt), dried cranberries 3.2% (dried cranberries, cane sugar, sunflower oil), salt, herbs , Dried Garlic, Dried Basil 0.22% Dehydrated Onion.

100 grams: 212 calories, 17 grams fat, including 1.5 grams saturated fatty acids, 9.4 grams carbohydrates, including sugars 4.3 grams, protein 3.8 grams, salt 1.3 grams.

My Best Veggie Indian Style Paste Yellow Carrot Yellow Lentil Paste (Lidl)

High in sugar, low in protein and high in salt.

Ingredients: 33% yellow carrot, 20% cooked yellow lentils, 14% parsnip, rapeseed oil, 9% pineapple, sugar, salt, spices (including mustard), bamboo fiber, garlic.

100 grams: 196 calories, fat 14.2g, including saturated fatty acids 1g, carbohydrates 11.9g, including sugars 8.4g, protein 2.2g, salt 1.95g.

Vimondo, grease beans and onions with apples (Lidl)

High in fiber, high in sugar, high in salt, the presence of unnecessary ingredients.

Ingredients: 44% cooked white beans (white beans, water, salt), water, rapeseed oil, 6.5% fried onions (dried onions, sunflower oil), 2.5% dried apples, 1.5% pea protein, salt, flavors, spices. (0.3% black pepper, 0.08% onion, 0.07% dried marjoram, garlic).

100 grams: 232 calories, fat 14.2g, including saturated fatty acids 1.2g, carbohydrates 16.5g, including sugars 9.6g, protein 6g, salt 1.7g.

Wawrzyniec, vegetable paste with sun-dried tomatoes and cranberries (Lidl, Netto, Żabka)

High in sugar, low in protein, fairly high in fat. 

Ingredients: chickpeas (chickpeas, water, salt, sugar), water, rapeseed oil, celery, tomato paste, dried tomatoes – 8.4% (tomatoes – 7.4%, salt), dried cranberries – 2.5% (dried cranberries – 1.4 %, sugar, sunflower oil), basil, sea salt, concentrated lemon juice.

100 grams: 244 calories, fat 20 grams, including saturated fatty acids 1.5 grams, carbohydrates 11 grams, including sugars 6.5 grams, protein 4.1 grams, salt 1.4 grams.

Sante, Soy Tomato Pate (abka, Carrefour / Carrefour Express)

Soybeans are very high in fat and salt, and contain only 6.8% of soy protein.

Ingredients: Water, rapeseed oil, vegetables 9.8% (onions, parsley, carrots), soy protein 6.8%, tomato paste 5%, natural flavors, spices (mustard), spice extracts, corn starch, fiber (peas, bamboo), Salt sea.

100 grams: 257 calories, 23 grams fat, including 1.5 grams saturated fatty acids, 5.3 grams carbohydrates, including sugars 0.7 grams, protein 6 grams, salt 1.7 grams.

Santi, I <3 vegetables, chickpeas with sun-dried tomatoes; Żabka (Carrefour / Carrefour Express)

Very low content of chickpeas in the composition, compared to other chickpeas available in the market, long composition, and relatively high content of fat and salt.

Ingredients: boiled chickpeas 28%, water, rapeseed oil, tahini tahini 12%, dried tomatoes 2%, vegetable fiber (bamboo, peas), sea salt, cane sugar, lemon juice concentrate, spices, spice extracts, natural flavors, turmeric. . 

100g: 305 calories, fat 25g, including saturated fatty acids 2.1g, carbohydrates 12g, including sugars 2.9g, protein 5.8g, salt 1.5g.