Snack crackers: a fast carbohydrate that fills you less

Snack crackers have almost no research of their own. They mostly turn up in trials as the plain snack that something else is compared with, and that role tells you a fair amount. In a crossover trial in 11 healthy adults, a cracker baked from conventional flour had a glycemic index of 90, and a version with 30 percent whole wheat flour scored 77, both high. With 30 percent sunflower seed flour it dropped to 53, though all three were test crackers made for the study and each was eaten in a single session. In 30 adults, plain crackers were less filling than the same energy as yogurt or banana. In 20 women, a yogurt snack led to about 100 fewer calories at dinner than crackers of equal energy, a gap that did not reach significance (p = 0.08). Over 8 weeks in 73 college students, a Graham cracker snack gave a 13 percent higher 2-hour glucose curve than almonds, with similar weight gain in both groups, and the trial credits the difference to the almonds.

The numbers, per 3.5 oz (100 g)

How much is actually in it

• In NHANES 1999 to 2010 data on US adults, calories from crackers were among the food groups contributing most to sodium intake. — US adults, six NHANES cycles 1999 to 2010 Evidence C source
  Crackers among top contributors to sodium intake per calorie consumed
• In USDA SR Legacy, sodium in six standard snack cracker records ranges from 216 to 978 mg per 3.5 oz (100 g), with 665 mg in the reference record. — US commercial snack crackers, 6 SR Legacy records (n = 6) Evidence E source
  Sodium 216 to 978 mg per 3.5 oz (100 g), reference FDC 167529 at 665 mg

What your body absorbs

• In a crossover RCT in 11 healthy adults, a conventional-flour cracker had a glycemic index of 90 and a 30% whole wheat cracker 77, both high, while a 30% sunflower seed flour cracker scored 53. — 11 healthy adults, mean age 23.5 years, single test sessions with 50 g available carbohydrate (n = 11) Evidence B source
  GI 90 (control) vs 77 (whole wheat) vs 53 (sunflower seed flour), glucose scale
• In a 70-day double-blind RCT in 25 adults with overweight, a daily 2.4 oz (67.5 g) serving of PUFA-enriched crackers changed plasma fatty acids but did not reduce waist circumference. — 25 adults with overweight and abdominal adiposity, one serving daily as afternoon snack for 70 days (n = 25) Evidence B source
  No reduction in waist circumference, no change in cholesterol or triglycerides, rumenic and punicic acid rose in plasma (P < 0.001)

What cooking and storage change

• In cross-sectional data from 801 non-smoking postmenopausal women in EPIC, biscuits, crackers and dry cakes, counted as one food group, were the main food determinants of blood markers of acrylamide exposure. — 801 non-smoking postmenopausal women from eight European countries (n = 801) Evidence C source
  Biscuits, crackers and dry cakes were the main food determinants of acrylamide and glycidamide hemoglobin adducts
• According to the FDA, acrylamide forms during baking and other high-temperature cooking, and its most recent sampling showed significantly lower acrylamide in crackers than earlier sampling. — US food supply sampling Evidence E source
  Significant decrease in crackers, no maximum level set

What it does to your health

• In an 8-week RCT in 73 first-year college students, an almond snack gave a 13% lower 2-hour glucose AUC than a Graham cracker snack of similar energy, with similar weight gain. — 73 college students without cardiometabolic disorders, BMI 18 to 41, 8 weeks (n = 73) Evidence B source
  Almond vs cracker: 2-h glucose AUC 13% lower, insulin resistance index 34% lower, HDL decline 13.5% vs 24.5%
• In a crossover RCT in 20 healthy women, a 160 calories high-protein yogurt snack led to about 100 fewer calories at dinner than 160 calories of high-fat crackers, a difference that missed significance. — 20 healthy women, age about 27, three 8-hour test days (n = 20) Evidence B source
  About 100 calories less at dinner after yogurt vs crackers (p = 0.08), eating delayed about 20 min (p = 0.07)
• In a crossover RCT in 30 adults, 111 calories of plain crackers was less satiating than the same energy as yogurt or banana, and the next meal averaged 533 calories after crackers. — 30 healthy adult volunteers, single laboratory preload sessions (n = 30) Evidence B source
  Next meal 533 calories after crackers vs 490 to 520 calories after yogurts or banana and 602 calories after water
• A meta-analysis of 17 prospective cohorts with over 875,000 people found refined grain intake was not associated with cardiovascular disease risk. — adults in 17 prospective cohort studies, over 875,000 participants (n = 875000) Evidence C source
  CVD HR 1.08 (95% CI 0.99-1.18), 9 cohorts

What people believe that the data does not support

• A US supermarket survey found potentially misleading heart-health claims on snack cracker packages fell from 77% in 1991 to 49% in 1995 after the NLEA. — snack cracker packages in US supermarkets, 1991 and 1995 Evidence C source
  Misleading claims 77% to 49%

Who this works differently for

• Among 86,660 Brazilian ninth-grade students, regularly eating school meals was linked to less regular consumption of crackers and packaged salty snacks. — 86,660 ninth-grade public school students, Brazil (PeNSE) (n = 86660) Evidence C source
  Negative association between school meals and regular cracker consumption

The bottom line

Salt is the other thing crackers bring. In USDA records for six standard snack crackers, sodium runs from 216 to 978 mg per 3.5 oz (100 g), with 665 mg in the reference record. Each record is a single product with no repeat sampling, so the spread is between brands and the label of your box is the number that counts. Across six NHANES cycles from 1999 to 2010, crackers were among the foods whose calories added most to US adults' sodium intake, an association from survey regression that came with no milligram figure. Crackers are baked hot, and the FDA says acrylamide forms during baking and other high-temperature cooking. The FDA's most recent sampling found significantly less of it in crackers than earlier rounds, and the agency has set no maximum level. In 801 non-smoking postmenopausal women across eight European countries, biscuits, crackers and dry cakes, counted as one group, were the main food sources behind blood markers of acrylamide exposure. That study measured exposure and did not look at disease. No trial has followed crackers themselves over years. A meta-analysis of 17 prospective cohorts with over 875,000 people found refined grain intake was not associated with cardiovascular disease (hazard ratio 1.08, 95% CI 0.99 to 1.18, from 9 cohorts), and that is refined grain in general, from observational data. Crackers enriched with polyunsaturated fat, made specially for a 70-day trial in 25 adults with overweight, changed blood fatty acids and did not reduce waist circumference. Heart claims on cracker boxes have a history too. A US survey found potentially misleading ones on 77 percent of snack cracker packages in 1991 and on 49 percent in 1995, data now three decades old. We have no evidence on pregnancy, young children, allergy or drug interactions for snack crackers, so this page has no safety section. The cautions we do have are the sodium and the acrylamide above. Among 86,660 Brazilian ninth graders, those who regularly ate school meals were less likely to eat crackers and packaged salty snacks regularly, an association from a single survey.

Sources

1. skc-daily-r1-09 · cross-sectional survey analysis
   Results show that the calorie consumption of oils, beverages and water, fruit juices, fruits, lamb, fruit products, and sugars and sweets had no significant impact on individuals' sodium intake, while calorie consumption of tomatoes, fish, dark-green vegetables, and crackers contributes the most to sodium intake.
   Appetite, 2017 · checked 2026-10-01
2. skc-daily-r1-12 · food composition data
   FDC 167529 Crackers, snack, Goya Crackers (sr_legacy, Baked Products): sodium 665 mg per 100 g · saturated fat 6.323 g · iron 5.66 mg; 6 SR Legacy snack cracker records: sodium 216-978 mg, saturated fat 3.776-6.323 g, iron 2.39-5.66 mg
   USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy (2018), FDC 167529 and 5 standard snack-type cracker records · checked 2026-10-01
3. skc-daily-r1-01 · crossover RCT, glycemic index test
   The SFC crackers provided low GI and GL values (GI: 53 on the glucose scale, GL: 6 per serving), whereas the WWC and CC crackers provided high GI (GI: 77 and 90 on the glucose scale, respectively) and medium GL values (11 and 12 per serving, respectively).
   Eur J Clin Nutr, 2024 · checked 2026-10-01
4. skc-daily-r1-05 · RCT, 70 days
   However, the primary endpoint was not met as there was no reduction in waist circumference.
   Clin Nutr ESPEN, 2026 · checked 2026-10-01
5. skc-daily-r1-06 · cross-sectional biomarker study
   The main food group determinants of HbAA, HbGA, and HbAA + HbGA were biscuits, crackers, and dry cakes.
   Eur J Nutr, 2017 · checked 2026-10-01
6. skc-daily-r1-07 · regulator position
   Acrylamide forms during high-temperature cooking, such as frying, roasting, and baking. ... The most recent data, as compared to earlier sampling, indicate significant decreases in acrylamide concentrations in potato chips and crackers
   US FDA, Acrylamide (process contaminants in food) · checked 2026-10-01
7. skc-daily-r1-02 · RCT, 8 weeks
   Almond snacking resulted in a smaller decline in HDL cholesterol over 8 weeks (13.5% vs. 24.5%, p < 0.05), 13% lower 2-h glucose area under the curve (AUC), 34% lower insulin resistance index (IRI) and 82% higher Matsuda index (p < 0.05) during the OGTT, despite similar body mass gains over 8 weeks compared with the cracker group.
   Nutrients, 2018 · checked 2026-10-01
8. skc-daily-r1-03 · crossover RCT, appetite
   The yogurt snack also delayed eating initiation by approximately 30 min compared to the chocolate snack (p < 0.01) and approximately 20 min vs. crackers (p = 0.07). The yogurt snack led to approximately 100 fewer kcals consumed at dinner vs. the crackers (p = 0.08) and chocolate (p < 0.05).
   Nutr J, 2014 · checked 2026-10-01
9. skc-daily-r1-04 · crossover RCT, satiety preload
   The yogurts and the banana were more satiating than water and crackers (P < 0.001 for yogurts and banana versus crackers and water).
   J Hum Nutr Diet, 2009 · checked 2026-10-01
10. skc-daily-r1-11 · meta-analysis of cohorts
    Meta-analyses of hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) obtained from 17 prospective cohort studies (>875,000 participants) indicated that refined grain intake was not associated with risk of CVD (HR = 1.08, 95% CI, 0.99-1.18, I2 = 70%; 9 cohorts)
    Trends Cardiovasc Med, 2024 · checked 2026-10-01
11. skc-daily-r1-08 · cross-sectional
    The prevalence of potentially misleading claims also declined significantly, from 77% in 1991 to 49% in 1995.
    Am J Prev Med, 1998 · checked 2026-10-01
12. skc-daily-r1-10 · cross-sectional survey
    In addition, school meal consumption was associated negatively with moderate or regular consumption of fried salty snacks and processed meat, and with regular consumption of packaged salty snacks, crackers, sweet biscuits, and sweets.
    Nutrition, 2018 · checked 2026-10-01