What to Look for in a Healthy Cracker
Crackers come in a wide variety of flavors, from salty to sweet, to crunchy, nutty, and cheesy; however, just because they are crackers doesn’t mean they are healthy. For the healthiest ingredients, “Look for a cracker that is whole grain, baked, and low-sodium,” says Jenna Rosenfeld, a registered dietitian at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell.
Even sugar, she says, can be found in crackers, so be sure to look at the ingredients list and the Nutrition Facts label before purchasing. “The fewer the ingredients, the better,” she says.
Some of Rosenfeld’s favorite crackers are non-traditional, such as seed crackers, or those made only from parmesan cheese, which are low in fat, calories, and carbohydrates.
Reading the Ingredients Label
Look for the word “grains”; then make sure it says “whole” in front of it. If it doesn’t, move on to another brand, Rosenfeld suggests. Also, salt should be toward the bottom of the ingredients list, meaning it’s included in smaller amounts. There should be no added sugar (sugar comes in many forms, including high-fructose corn syrup, maltose, dextrose, honey, and agave).
Healthy vs. Non-Healthy Spreads
Crackers are so easy to overeat, especially if you spread something delicious on them. But it’s party dips and scrumptious spreads that can turn a 10-calorie cracker into a 100-calorie cracker. Ten of those and you’ve eaten half your daily calories just in crackers!
“Low-calorie dips made with whole ingredients are great cracker condiments,” says Rosenfeld. They include hummus (made with chickpeas or garbanzo beans), salsa, and guacamole. Avoid full-fat cheese dips and anything made with cream or dairy, such as a spinach, artichoke, or ranch dip.
Make Your Own Sesame Millet Crackers
Yield: 32 crackers
Ingredients
½ cup sesame seeds
½ cup millet
1 Tbsp butter, softened
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 Tbsp water
½ cup brown rice flour
1 Tbsp black bean flour
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine sesame seeds, millet, and butter in a food processor or blender; process until a grainy paste forms (much of the millet will remain whole), scraping the sides of the food processor as needed. Transfer to a bowl. Add egg and water to millet mixture, stirring until fully incorporated.
In a medium bowl combine the rice flour, black bean flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add millet mixture to flour mixture; stir together until combined. Knead briefly in bowl to form a dough. Divide dough in half; cover one half to prevent drying. Divide the remaining half into 16 portions and roll into balls. Working with one portion at a time, place on a lightly greased baking sheet and press flat with the heel of your hand. Repeat pressing until the dough forms a roughly 3-inch disk. Repeat with the remaining dough balls. Bake for 10 minutes or until just beginning to brown and crisp. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Repeat procedure with the remaining dough. When cooled completely, store in an airtight container.
Nutrition Information Per Serving: 80 calories, 3.5 g fat, 0 g sat fat, 105 mg sodium, 0 sugar, 9 g carbs, 3 protein, 1 fiber
Recipe/photo courtesy of Kathryn Conrad (kathrynconrad.webs.com/) and Whole Grains Council (wholegrainscouncil.org).
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