What Oils Are Used in Crackers?

The Short Answer

Most store-bought crackers are essentially flour and salt held together by cheap, inflammatory oils. The vast majority of brands—including heavy hitters like Ritz, Wheat Thins, and Goldfish—rely on soybean oil, canola oil, or palm oil.

These oils are used because they are inexpensive and shelf-stable, not because they are good for you. For a cleaner option, look for crackers made with avocado oil, coconut oil, or extra virgin olive oil. Even better? Choose brands like Mary's Gone Crackers that use no added oil at all, relying instead on the natural fats from whole seeds.

Why This Matters

Crackers seem harmless. They're dry, crunchy, and savory. But that "crisp" texture is almost always achieved by baking flour with oil. When that oil is soybean or canola, you are consuming highly processed fats that are rich in omega-6 fatty acids.

Excessive omega-6 consumption can skew your body's fatty acid balance, potentially leading to chronic inflammation. Unlike the cold-pressed olive oil you might use at home, the oils in mass-produced crackers are refined, bleached, and deodorized to last for months in a box without going rancid. Are Crackers Healthy

Even "healthy" whole wheat crackers often fail this test. A cracker can be 100% whole grain but still soaked in soybean oil. Real health requires looking at both the grain and the grease. Whole Wheat Vs Whole Grain

What's Actually In Popular Crackers

If you flip over a box of standard crackers, you'll likely see a "Vegetable Oil" blend. Here is what that usually means:

• Soybean Oil — The most common oil in processed food. It is high in unstable polyunsaturated fats and almost exclusively derived from GMO soy. Oils In Crackers
• Canola Oil — Often touted as "heart healthy," but it is extracted using hexane solvents and high heat. It appears in everything from Wheat Thins to Triscuit. Is Triscuit Clean
• Palm Oil — Highly saturated and shelf-stable. While better for cooking than soy, it has major environmental concerns and is often refined. found in Ritz and Club Crackers.
• TBHQ — A synthetic preservative often added to these oils to keep them "fresh." You will find this in Cheez-Its and Keebler Club crackers.

What to Look For

Green Flags:

• Avocado Oil — Stable at high heat and rich in healthy monounsaturated fats.
• Coconut Oil — A stable saturated fat that doesn't oxidize easily during baking.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil — Excellent, but rarely used as the only oil because it's expensive and has a strong flavor.
• Whole Seeds — The best fat source is the whole food itself (flax, sesame, chia).

Yellow Flags:

• High-Oleic Sunflower Oil — Better than regular sunflower oil. "High oleic" means it has been bred to be higher in stable monounsaturated fats (like olive oil). Used by brands like Simple Mills. Is Simple Mills Crackers Clean
• Expeller-Pressed — Means the oil was extracted mechanically, not with chemical solvents.

Red Flags:

• "Vegetable Oil" — Mystery blend, usually soy or corn.
• Soybean Oil — The standard cheap filler.
• Hydrogenated Oil — Indicates trans fats (rare now, but still possible in small amounts).
• TBHQ — A clear sign of a highly processed product.

The Best Options

You don't have to make your own crackers to avoid bad oils. These brands are doing it right.

1. Mary's Gone Crackers

The cleanest option on the shelf. The "Original" line has zero added oil. The fat comes entirely from organic brown flax seeds and sesame seeds baked right into the cracker. Is Marys Gone Crackers Clean

2. Hu Kitchen

Hu sets a high bar by strictly banning refined seed oils. They use organic coconut oil, which is highly stable and heat-resistant.

3. Simple Mills

A solid "middle ground" option. They use high-oleic sunflower oil. While it is still a seed oil, the high-oleic variety is mostly monounsaturated fat, making it chemically similar to avocado oil and far more stable than regular sunflower oil. Simple Mills Vs Marys

The Bottom Line

1. Check the oil first. Ignore "Whole Grain" claims until you verify the fat source.

2. Avoid generic "Vegetable Oil." It's code for cheap, inflammatory soy or canola.

3. Prioritize no oil. Brands like Mary's Gone Crackers prove you don't need added oil for a crunch.

FAQ

Why do crackers use soybean oil?

It is incredibly cheap and has a neutral flavor. It also has a long shelf life when preservatives like TBHQ are added, allowing boxes to sit in warehouses for months.

Is sunflower oil bad in crackers?

It depends. Regular sunflower oil is high in inflammatory omega-6s. High-oleic sunflower oil (used by cleaner brands) is higher in monounsaturated fats and is a much better choice. Is Simple Mills Crackers Clean

Are Triscuits healthy?

Triscuits are better than Ritz because they only have three ingredients: wheat, oil, and salt. However, the oil is usually canola or soybean oil, which keeps them from being a "perfect" clean eating choice. Is Triscuit Clean

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