How to crack the cracker aisle

Walking down the dry biscuits aisle is enough to drive anyone crackers! There’s such a huge choice when selecting a savoury biscuit. There are plain crackers, white ones, seedy ones, those made with rice, others coated with seaweed, ones without gluten and with fewer carbs and even some with flavourings. So, how do you choose a cracker that is not only tasty but good for you too? Here are some easy tips to guide you.

• Go with the grain – whole grains are packed with nutrients including iron, magnesium, B vitamins, fibre, low GI carbohydrates and magnesium.
• Avoid too many added fats – some crackers are made with butter and other oils. Some can be as high as 20% fat. Be sure to check the ingredients list to see what’s in your cracker.
• Definitely avoid palm oil – it not only wreaks havoc on the environment, but it also damages our arteries.
• Fibre is your friend – fibre helps to keep our guts healthy, reduce cholesterol and keep us fuller for longer. The more fibre the better in my opinion. Choose a dry biscuit with at least 7.5g of fibre per 100g – you’ll find this info in the nutrition panel. This shouldn’t be too hard.
• Be wary of salty crackers – dry biscuits can be extremely high in salt. Choosing a cracker with less than 400mg of sodium per 100g is ideal. Your heart will thank you for it.
• Less is more – choose a cracker with fewer ingredients and one that has undergone minimal processing.