Do crackers make you fat or can you eat them on a diet?
Crackers are a food made from cereal flour, water, salt, oil and flavorings. They are very common on our tables because they are generally considered healthier and more dietary than bread; on the market there are all kinds of them: wholemeal, with herbs, with rice, without salt, ... Are you really sure that they are an ally of the diet? If you want to learn about other healthy foods that make you fat, don't miss the video.
How crackers are made
Crackers are a baked product typically used as a substitute for bread. Like bread, they are rich in carbohydrates, however they also contain a good amount of fat and salt, and also do not have a high satiating power because they are low in fiber. Those on a diet prefer wholemeal crackers and unsalted crackers on the surface, in order to limit calories, however there are also less fat alternatives such as rice cakes which, when combined with fruit, make an excellent snack that does not weigh you down.
A packet of wholemeal crackers from Mulino Bianco, for example, provides about 104 kcal, while the wholemeal of the Misura brand contains 156 (however, compared to the Barilla ones, the packet has one more cracker). Regardless of the various brands, therefore , calories are between 100 and 150 per packet for the simpler versions. If we choose elaborate and ingredient-rich crackers, such as flavored, cheese, spice or seed crackers, the fats and sugars increase significantly .
See also
How are crackers made? These are their ingredients and their nutritional values:
- Flour. 00 wheat is usually used but there are also crackers made from wholemeal flours or other cereal flours such as rice or corn.
- salt
- Waterfall
- Aromas
Homemade or artisanal preparations are generally made only with these ingredients and using extra virgin olive oil as the main fat, however industrial products can be much richer in saturated fats and sugars.
The nutritional values per 100 g of crackers are:
- 9.4 grams of protein
- 6 grams of water
- 10 grams of fat
- 80 grams of carbohydrates
- 2.8 grams of fiber
Analyzing the nutritional table of this food we understand how the main element is carbohydrates, which makes crackers an excellent food for those in need of energy. However, they are also very high in sodium and low in fiber: this explains why, after eating a packet of crackers, we are often still hungry.
Furthermore, the carbohydrates that make up this food have a high glycemic index, a feature that has the effect of increasing the level of sugar in the blood very quickly and making us feel the urge of hunger after a short time.
For those who want to keep the glycemic index at bay, it would be more appropriate to consume whole crackers as it has been shown that consuming whole grains helps to keep the blood sugar level stable.
Better bread or crackers to avoid gaining weight?
Most people are used to using crackers instead of bread, convinced that these are more dietary. In reality, this is not the case; it is enough to compare the nutritional table of 100 gr of crackers with the equivalent of common bread to understand that the latter has a much higher satiety index. In fact, bread contains much more water and more fiber than crackers. And even with regards to wholemeal alternatives, crackers are still less filling than wholemeal bread.
This in no way means that consuming a packet of crackers every now and then is bad for the diet, however the idea that they are more suitable than bread for losing weight is wrong. This industrial food, which is most often rich in saturated fat, can be compared to rusks: both, in fact, contain little fiber and little water, they are "dry" foods, as they are usually defined. Like rusks, crackers also do not bring that feeling of satiety that bread does. this is why it is very easy to overindulge and eat more crackers than we should.
What crackers to eat so as not to get fat
Given that, like all foods, crackers do not make you fat if you do not consume too many, it is also true that this food can lead to an excess of salt and fat. To limit the calorie intake (and, therefore, not to gain weight) some precautions can be adopted:
- choose only low sodium crackers. Better to prefer unsalted crackers on the surface to keep the salt in check. Salt crackers on the surface bring too much sodium, so pay attention to the label.
- consume crackers in combination with fruit and not with other very salt-rich foods such as raw and cooked ham.
- to promote fiber intake, consume whole-grain crackers that have a lower glycemic index than those made with 00 flour.
- from a nutritional point of view, check the ingredients listed on the package and choose the alternative with the lowest amount of saturated fat.
