There's nothing quite like a cool, refreshing milkshake on a hot summer day, but a relatively new milkshake trend might not exactly tickle everyone's taste buds.
After initially hitting New York City last summer, hummus milkshakes are now trending over in the U.K. Vegan eatery Humpit recently concocted its own version with a twist — a milkshake made of chickpeas, banana and tahini. Humpit credited the U.S.-based The Hummus & Pita Co. for the inspiration behind the protein-packed creation.
On Tuesday, the 3rd hour of TODAY anchors decided to give the unconventional concoction a try ... and their reactions were priceless.
At first, Dylan Dreyer had trouble sipping the thick mixture through a regular straw. It wasn't too long before she decided this is one food trend she is not into.
"That's gross. It tastes like chickpeas, I mean that's disgusting," she said.
NBC News Correspondent Jacob Soboroff wasn't totally turned off, though. "It's actually not bad. I think I'm tasting the almond milk," he said. "I would like a carrot to dip in it."
While he was a diplomatic foodie at first, Al Roker soon decided the milkshake was not very good.
"It's fiber and protein and vitamins," he explained, before adding, "It's really disgusting."
Dylan then compared the shake to a "really cold hummus dip," while Keir Simmons was just stunned into silence.
If the anchors' reaction haven't turned you off from adding some chickpeas to amp up the protein power in your smoothie, try this chocolate banana version or this vegan chocolate one.
The concept of using chickpeas in a milkshake is actually pretty smart, after all, they're chock-full of protein and fiber, are totally filling and are now being used in all kinds of foods, including pastas.
But how do these hummus milkshakes actually measure up when it comes to nutrition?
The 12-ounce Hummus & Pita Co. chickpea chiller (which inspired Humpit's new shake) has 380 calories, 14 grams of protein and 12 grams of fiber per serving. It also features 28 grams of sugar and 12 grams of total fat.
On the other hand, the 12-ounce Jamba peanut butter and banana protein shake has 405 calories, 27 grams of protein and 1.5 grams of fiber. And it includes 28 grams of sugar and just over 16 grams of total fat.
The bottom line? The nutrients in any protein shake vary from brand to brand, but if you can stomach it, a hummus milkshake might is a great way to sneak in some extra fiber, too.