With their convenient packaging and satisfying crunch, Lance crackers have become a staple in many households.
These sandwich crackers are bite-sized and known for their crispy texture, making them convenient for snacking on the go or enjoying as a quick treat.
And while Lance crackers come in a number of flavorful options, are they healthy for you?
Short answer: Lance crackers are not healthy option for you. They are made with processed ingredients like enriched wheat flour, are low in fiber and high in sodium. Additionally, some flavors contain artificial flavors and colors.
Read on to find out more about Lance crackers, including their ingredients, sugar, protein, fiber, sodium content and more.
I’ll also compare Lance crackers to other popular crackers to see how they stack against them.
So let’s start.
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What are the ingredients in Lance crackers?
Lance crackers come in different varieties such as Toastchee, Toasty, Captain’s wafers, whole grain and gluten-free.
These varieties further come in various flavors such as Peanut butter, cheddar, spicy cheddar, malt peanut butter, etc.
So, the exact ingredients in Lance crackers can vary depending on the flavor.
In general, Lance crackers are made up of Enriched wheat flour as the base ingredient.
Enriched wheat flour is a type of wheat flour fortified with some vitamins and minerals to make it nutritious. This flour is highly processed and low in nutrients.
However, the whole grain variety has whole grain wheat flour, while the gluten-free option has rice flour as the base ingredient.
Other common ingredients you would find across most Lance crackers varieties or flavors include.
- Peanut butter
- Vegetable oil such as palm, soybean and canola
- Dextrose
- Sugar
- Salt
- Leavening
- Corn syrup
- Soy lecithin
- Natural & artificial flavors
The ingredients in Lance crackers are not very good.
Some flavors contain artificial flavors and colors, such as yellow 5 and yellow 6.
Moreover, Lance crackers contain many processed ingredients such as vegetable oils, Dextrose, sugar, corn syrup and soy lecithin.
In fact, enriched wheat flour, the base ingredient of these crackers, is itself a processed ingredient.
How much sugar is in Lance crackers?
Lance crackers are low to moderate in sugar ranging from 2 to 6g per serving, depending on the flavor.
Among all the flavors, the Gluten-free variety contains the least sugar(2g). While Captain’s Wafers Peanut Butter and Honey flavor have the highest sugar content(6g).
Most of the sugar in Lance crackers is added sugars derived from multiple sources such as sugar, dextrose, corn syrup, and malt syrup (in certain flavors).
According to American Heart Association, the daily sugar limit for men is 36g, while for women is 24g.
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For instance, if consumed the highest sugar containing flavor of Lance crackers, it would provide 16% of the daily sugar limit for men and 25% for women.
While this is not very much sugar, it is still important to be aware of the sugar while enjoying these crackers.
Here is how Lance cracker’s sugar content stacks up against other crackers.
| Crackers | Sugar per serving(g) |
|---|---|
| Lance crackers | 2-6 |
| Ritz crackers | 1-2 |
| Goldfish cheddar crackers | 0 |
| Wheat thins | 4-5 |
| Nut thins | 0-3 |
How much protein is in Lance crackers?
Lance crackers are low to moderate sources of protein ranging from 1 to 5g per serving, depending on the flavor.
The gluten-free flavor has the least protein content, with 1g per serving. While the flavors that contain peanuts or peanut butter are the highest in protein content.
While Lance crackers may not be a significant protein source, they can still contribute to your overall protein intake, especially if you choose peanuts or peanut butter containing flavors.
Here is how Lance cracker’s protein content stacks up against other crackers.
| Crackers | Protein per serving(g) |
|---|---|
| Lance crackers | 1-5 |
| Ritz crackers | 1 |
| Goldfish cheddar crackers | 5 |
| Wheat thins | 2 |
| Nut thins | 2-3 |
How much fiber is in Lance crackers?
Lance crackers are not a good source of fiber.
Most flavors lack even 1g of fiber, and only three flavors offer a mere 2g of fiber, while only one flavor contains just 1g of fiber.
Also read: Are Animal Crackers Healthy? The Truth About Your Favorite Snack
Fiber is an essential part of snacks as it helps to promote satiety, making you feel fuller for longer periods.
But because Lance crackers are low in fiber, you may not feel the level of satisfaction you might be seeking in a snack.
This may lead to consuming more of these crackers in search of that satiety, resulting in excess sugar intake.
Why are Lance crackers not good in fiber? That’s because of the use of Enriched wheat flour, which loses most of its nutrients including fiber during the processing.
If you want crackers with high fiber content, alternatives like Flackers, Triscuits (original) and Wheat thins (original) might be more suitable.
Flackers offer an impressive 9g of fiber per serving, while Triscuits and wheat thins provide 3g of fiber per serving.
Here is how Lance cracker’s fiber content stacks up against other crackers.
| Crackers | Fiber per serving(g) |
|---|---|
| Lance crackers | 0-2 |
| Ritz crackers | 0-1 |
| Goldfish cheddar crackers | 1 |
| Wheat thins | 2-3 |
| Nut thins | 1-3 |
Are Lance crackers high in sodium?
Lance crackers are moderate to high in sodium ranging from 190 to 490mg per serving, depending on the flavor.
Considering that only one flavor(Malt Peanut Butter) contains less than 200mg of sodium, Lance crackers can be classified as high sodium food.
Anything with over 200mg of sodium per serving is typically considered high sodium food.
Sodium is expected in crackers and is an essential part of the diet. However, too much of it can result in heart-related issues.
Most of the Lance crackers flavors are high in sodium, making them not so good for health, especially if you are limiting sodium intake.
Also read: Are Teddy Grahams Healthy? Everything You Need To Know
For example, the Toastchee spice cheddar flavor has 490mg of sodium which is 32% (almost one-third) of the daily ideal sodium limit(1500mg) set by the American Heart Association.
Here is how Lance cracker’s sodium content stacks up against other crackers.
| Crackers | Sodium per serving(mg) |
|---|---|
| Lance crackers | 190-490 |
| Ritz crackers | 25-150 |
| Goldfish cheddar crackers | 360 |
| Wheat thins | 55-210 |
| Nut thins | 55-250 |
Do Lance crackers have artificial colors?
Not all, but some flavors of the Lance crackers contain artificial colors.
These flavors include Toastchee peanut butter, Toastchee cheddar, Toastchee reduced fat peanut butter, Toastchee spicy cheddar and whole grain cheddar.
These flavors contain Yellow 5 and Yellow 6.
Although both of these artificial colors have been deemed safe by the food authorities, several studies link these colors to potential health issues.
For example, research suggests that yellow 5 and yellow 6 artificial colors may cause allergic reactions (in some people), including asthma, hives, skin rashes, and urticaria.
Moreover, these colors have also been associated with concerns such as cancer and hyperactivity in children [1][2].
It’s best that if you want to enjoy the Lance crackers, avoid the flavors containing artificial colors.
Are Lance crackers good for weight loss?
Lance crackers are not the best food for weight loss as they contain added sugar and processed ingredient like vegetable oils.
Additionally, they are low in fiber which increases the risk of overeating without being fully satisfied.
However, considering their moderate sugar content, you can consume them in moderation on a weight-loss diet.
Moreover, when looking at the calorie content, most flavors contain around 200 calories per serving, which is relatively moderate.
But, most of these calories come from added sugar and ingredients like vegetable oils and enriched flour, which are not nutritious.
By itself, a single serving of Lance crackers will not derail your weight loss efforts. But if consumed in excess, they might hinder your weight loss efforts.
Note that weight loss depends not only on one food but your overall diet and lifestyle.
Are Lance crackers gluten-free?
In general, Lance crackers are not gluten-free since they are typically made from enriched wheat flour, which naturally contains gluten.
However, there is a gluten-free flavor option available for those following a gluten-free diet. The gluten-free flavor is made with Rice flour instead of enriched wheat flour.
While this is good news for gluten-sensitive individuals, it’s important to note some drawbacks of the gluten-free flavor.
The gluten-free flavor is relatively low in protein and fiber, offering just 1g of each per serving.
Final words
While Lance crackers come in a variety of flavorful options, they are not healthy for you. This is due to various reasons such as
- They are made up of enriched wheat flour, which is processed and low in nutrition despite being fortified with vitamins and minerals.
- Certain flavors of Lance crackers contain artificial flavors and colors.
- They are low in fiber and high in sodium.
- They contain various highly processed ingredients such as vegetable oils, dextrose, corn syrup, and malt syrup.
Yes, they have a moderate amount of protein and sugar, which is a plus, but this alone doesn’t make them healthy to eat, and it is important to limit your intake.
So, should you eat Lance crackers or not?
You can eat them, but not as your regular snacks. Eat them sparingly. Likewise, stay away from flavors that contain artificial flavors or colors.
Lastly, note that there are plenty of other crackers available that are way healthier than Lance crackers.
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