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Are Wheat Thins Suitable for Vegans?
It’s the age-old vegan dilemma. You’re standing in the grocery store aisle, searching for the perfect snack. You find a promising option, but before you can make your decision, you ask, “Is this vegan?”. You scan the ingredient list and check the allergens, trying to decipher the various complex ingredients. Searching for an answer to the question every vegan has asked at one point or another.
Fortunately, nowadays there are hundreds of vegan snack foods readily available that contain vegan-friendly ingredients!
Wheat Thins are a long-time snack favorite. They are a popular brand of thin crackers that come in various flavors. These delicious crackers are reliable and versatile. They also make a great addition to a charcuterie board!
If you’re wondering whether Wheat Thins are vegan, you’ve come to the right place.
Let’s break it down! The simple answer is yes and no.
It depends on the type of Wheat Thin. Certain types of Wheat Thins, like the Original Wheat Thins, are vegan, while other flavors are not suitable for vegans.
Understanding The Vegan Diet
There are many reasons people choose to adopt a vegan lifestyle. From personal beliefs or health benefits to wanting to live more sustainably.
Veganism involves abstaining from eating any products derived from animals. This includes avoiding obvious products like dairy and meat. It also means that products that contain any ingredients derived from animal sources are not vegan-friendly. Vegans will also generally avoid any products tested on animals.
What Makes a Product Vegan?
Almost all vegans understand the sense of joy and relief that arises from seeing a vegan label on products. This label reassures vegans that a product is safe for them to eat, without them having to analyze the ingredients.
However, sometimes determining whether a product is vegan or not can be tricky! Some common ingredients found in everyday products can be hard to decipher.
Products may also be accidentally vegan, and will therefore not be marketed as vegan even though they are. This can often be confusing, so it’s always beneficial to take a good look at a product’s ingredient list to figure out whether something is vegan or not.
Many products sound as though they should be vegan, but actually have animal ingredients in them.
A few of the most common culprits include whey, gelatin, casein, oleic acid, and confectioner’s glaze. These ingredients are often found in products that would otherwise be considered vegan.
Refined cane sugars are another common ingredient to keep an eye out for. Certain types of sugars undergo a refining process that includes the use of bone char. Bone char is derived from animal bones and is used as a bleaching agent. This means that while the sugar may not directly contain animal products, it has undergone a process that includes the use of animal products, making it non-vegan friendly.
What Makes Original Wheat Thins Vegan?
Let’s take a closer look at what makes Original Wheat Thins vegan.
Here is a breakdown of the main ingredients in the Original Wheat Thins:
– Whole Grain Wheat Flour: flour derived from grain kernels
– Canola oil: a vegetable oil derived from canola plants
– Sugar
– Corn starch: commonly known as corn flour, this is a starch derived from corn
– Malt syrup (from corn and barley): an unrefined sugar derived from the process of malting sprouting barley
– Salt
– Refiner’s syrup: a form of invert sugar
– Leavening (calcium phosphate and baking soda): these are used as a leavening agent to help dough rise
Understanding the Ingredients in Original Wheat Thins:
BHT:
If you look closely at the ingredient list on a box of Original Wheat Thins, you may also notice a disclaimer for BHT. BHT (Butylated hydroxytoluene), is a lab-made chemical preservative.
BHT is mainly derived from petroleum, making it safe for vegans. It is most commonly added to packaging material to help preserve the freshness of food items. BHT is added to the packaging of Wheat Thins to prevent the crackers from spoiling.
Interestingly, BHT is the reason that Wheat Thins are not available in certain countries, like the United Kingdom, parts of Europe, and Japan.
Whole Grain Wheat Flour:
Whole grain wheat flour is one of the main ingredients in Wheat Thins. Fortunately, whole grain flour is a vegan-friendly ingredient!
Whole grain wheat flour is often confused with whole wheat flour, while the two are quite different.
Both whole grain wheat and whole wheat are derived from all three components of a grain kernel. The main difference is that whole grain can consist of other grains, such as rye, millet, corn, barley, and sorghum. Whereas whole wheat contains only wheat kernels.
There are several health benefits associated with whole grain snacks. Overall, whole grain is a great source of fiber and healthy fats. Whole grain wheat can also contain other important minerals like iron, potassium, magnesium, folate, selenium, and Vitamin B.
Studies have shown that whole grains may also play a role in lowering the risk of heart disease and strokes. They have also been shown to help support healthy digestion because of their fiber content.
Compared to other popular brands of crackers, Original Wheat Thins have high amounts of fiber.
Different Varieties of Vegan Wheat Thins
The Original Wheat Thins have been around in the United States and Canada for over seventy-five years and are a common household snack. This flavor of Wheat Thins is, however, not the only vegan option!
There are various flavors of Wheat Thins available, depending on the country and market.
Out of the eight most commonly available Wheat Thin flavors, a total of seven are vegan!
Here is a list of some of the vegan Wheat Thin flavor options available, and their ingredients:
Big Wheat Thins: whole grain wheat flour, canola oil, sugar, corn starch, malt syrup (from corn and barley), salt, refiner’s syrup, leavening (calcium phosphate and baking soda).
Hint of Salt Wheat Thins: whole grain wheat flour, canola oil, sugar, corn starch, malt syrup (from corn and barley), salt, refiner’s syrup, leavening (calcium phosphate and baking soda).
The Hint of Salt Wheat Thins have the same ingredients as the Original Wheat Thins, but they are lower in sodium.
Multigrain Wheat Thins: whole grain wheat flour, unbleached enriched flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate vitamin B1, riboflavin vitamin B2, folic acid), whole grain barley flakes, canola oil, sugar, whole grain rye, whole grain triticale, molasses, whole grain millet, whole grain wheat, salt, whole grain rolled oats, onion powder, soy lecithin, leavening (baking soda and/or calcium phosphate).
While many of the ingredients in the Multigrain Wheat Thins are similar to the Original Wheat Thins, they have a few extra ingredients. All the additional ingredients are vegan-friendly and include additional whole grains like rolled oats, millet, and rye.
Sundried Tomato Basil Wheat Thins: whole grain wheat flour, canola oil, sugar, cornstarch, malt syrup (from corn and barley), refiner’s syrup, salt, leavening (calcium phosphate and baking soda), tomato powder, sundried tomato powder, paprika, garlic powder, spices (includes basil), onion powder, dried red and green bell peppers, yeast extract, natural flavor (contains celery), sulfur dioxide (sulfites)
Many of the ingredients in the Sundried Tomato and Basil Wheat Thins are similar to the original variety, but there are a few additional ingredients that give these crackers their unique flavor.
Reduced Fat Wheat Thins: whole grain wheat flour, sugar, canola oil, cornstarch, malt syrup (from corn and barley), salt, refiner’s syrup, leavening (calcium phosphate and baking soda).
The ingredients contained in the Reduced Fat Wheat Thins are the same as the Original Wheat Thins, making them vegan! The main difference is that they are 25% lower in fat than the Original Wheat Thins.
Cracked Black Pepper and Olive Oil Wheat Thins: whole grain wheat flour, canola oil, sugar, cornstarch, malt syrup (from corn and barley), salt, refiner’s syrup, black pepper, leavening (calcium phosphate and baking soda), onion powder, garlic powder, olive oil, natural flavor (contains celery).
Taking A Closer Look at the Ingredients in Wheat Thins
It may be surprising that some of these flavors are vegan-friendly. As with the original variety of Wheat Thins, the most common ingredient in each of these is whole grain wheat flour.
While most of the ingredients in these vegan-friendly Wheat Thins are the same, some questionable ingredients may leave people wondering whether they’re vegan-friendly.
Refiner’s Syrup
Refiner’s Syrup, which is found in all the Wheat Thin flavors, is one of these ingredients. One of the biggest reasons for this is that the refining process is often associated with non-vegan ingredients. Refiner’s Syrup is a form of invert sugar, a by-product made during the process of refining cane sugar and sugar beet juice. However, Refiner’s Syrup is completely plant-based and vegan-friendly.
Natural Flavors
When scanning the ingredient list of most food products, another rather ambiguous ingredient you will often encounter is ‘natural flavoring’. While the word natural definitely lends itself to the vegan world, you may still wonder whether it is vegan-friendly.
Simply put, a natural flavor is any substance derived from a natural source. The reason it’s described as a ‘flavorings’ ingredient is that it generally has little nutritional value and is used only to add flavor.
Whether a natural flavor is vegan or not depends entirely on the source. These flavors can be either plant-based, such as yeast or spices. Natural flavors can also be derived from animal sources, such as seafood or meat.
In the case of vegan-friendly Wheat, the natural flavors used are vegan! These include mostly spices like garlic or onion.
Why Are Some Wheat Thins Not Vegan-Friendly?
Now, you may be curious why there are non-vegan Wheat Thins when so many of the Wheat Thins options are suitable for vegans.
One of the most commonly found non-vegan Wheat Thin flavors is the Ranch flavor.
What makes Ranch Wheat Thins non-vegan? The biggest reason is that they contain dairy, a problematic ingredient for vegans.
Ranch Wheat Thins contain the following ingredients: whole grain wheat flour, canola oil, sugar, cornstarch, malt syrup (from corn and barley), refiner’s syrup, salt, whey, leavening (calcium phosphate and baking soda), buttermilk, onion powder, tomato powder, lactose, garlic powder, yeast extract, spices (includes parsley), cheddar cheese powder (cultured milk, salt, enzymes), natural flavor.
Whey, buttermilk, lactose, and cheddar cheese powder are all ingredients derived from animals.
A Few Ways to Eat Wheat Thins:
Wheat Thins are a snack pantry staple. There are so many ways to eat them, and in moderation, Wheat Thins are a good healthy snack choice!
The variety of vegan flavors means there is something for everyone!
Here are a few of the best ways to eat Vegan Wheat Thins:
– Add peanut butter to your favorite Wheat Thins for the perfect sweet/savory snack mix
– Serve Wheat Thins with hummus or a healthy vegan dip of your choice. Adding vegetables like carrot sticks, green peppers, or mini cucumbers is a great way to add some variety to this healthy snack.
– Guacamole and Wheat Thins make a great combo. You can also add your favorite salsa.
– Add Wheat Thins to your charcuterie board for a fun cracker option
– A classic snack combo, vegan cheese, and Wheat Thins pair perfectly together
Conclusion:
The good news is that not only are Original Wheat Thins vegan, but there are vegan, but also a few varieties of Wheat Thins suitable for vegans. Whether you enjoy them on their own, with humus, or along with a vegetable platter or charcuterie board, Wheat Thins are a great snack for vegans!
