Sometimes mistaken for Wheat Thins, Triscuits are one of the most popular snack foods in the country today. A truly delicious cracker, the unique texture has endeared this snack to the hearts of many. But if you’re on a plant foods only diet, you may be wondering – are Triscuits vegan?
Eating only healthy snacks, free of animal ingredients or even animal-derived ingredients, is crucial to enjoying plant-based nutrition benefits. Because of this, you’ll want to identify your vegan cracker options for easy, wholesome snacking.
Let’s look at these wholegrain crackers to see if they’re genuinely a healthy alternative for vegans.
A Brief History of Triscuits
Towards the end of the 19th century, Henry D. Perky had the bright idea to create a snack food that would be easily digestible and provide enough energy to get people through the day.
In 1900, he succeeded, and the Triscuit was born.
As someone who intimately understood the hidden potential of wheat grain, Perky was able to devise a machine that could shred and bake wheat grain into a snack using electrical power. The result of this endeavor was grain crackers high in dietary fiber with a rich, original flavor.
The name of the brand, “Triscuit,” comes from a combination of the two words “electricity” and “biscuit.”
In 1935, the original Triscuit formula was changed slightly to include salt and vegetable oils.
Basic Components of Triscuits
While Henry D. Perky created the original Triscuit cracker more than a century ago, the famous snack food company now offers 11 different flavors of Triscuits.
With so many flavors of Triscuits to choose from, it’s easy to see how the ingredient list of this shredded wheat snack might’ve changed drastically.
And so, we come back to our original question – are Triscuits vegan?
Let’s find out!
Are Triscuits Vegan?
Yes and no.
The original Triscuits created by Perky were composed solely of Whole Grain wheat, making it a vegan-friendly food. Additionally, the generation of Triscuit crackers that came after creating the original recipe was also plant-based.
Over the years, however, in response to the increasing demand from customers, the brand has offered more than just vegan cracker options.
The varieties of crackers available now often include dairy-derived ingredients and other animal products.
In the following section, we will break down the different flavors offered by this brand to show you which ones are vegan-friendly and which ones are not.
Vegan-Friendly Triscuits Flavors
If you are looking for a vegan-friendly cracker with a classic taste, look no further than the Original Triscuits cracker.
The ingredients list includes:
- Whole Grain wheat
- Sea salt
- Canola oil
- Butylated hydroxytoluene or BHT (for preservation)
While the presence of the unusual sounding “butylated hydroxytoluene” might give some people cause for concern, you’ll be happy to hear that the Vegetarian Resource Group (VRG) has given this compound the all-clear as a vegan additive.
Other vegan flavors from this brand you can trust include:
- Whole Grain Wheat Reduced-Fat
- Whole Grain Wheat Garden Herb
- Whole Grain Wheat Hint of Salt
- Whole Grain Wheat Balsamic Vinegar & Basil
Here is a comprehensive list of ingredients you will find in the Whole Grain crackers mentioned above:
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Yeast extract
- Paprika extract
- Sweet potato powder
- Vegetable oil
- Red beans
- Brown sugar
- Malt vinegar
- Onion powder
- Sodium diacetate
- Enriched flour
- White vinegar
- Tomato powder
- Natural flavor
- Garlic powder
- White flour
- Tomato & basil
- Non-starchy vegetables
- Long-grain brown rice
- Black pepper, to name a few
You can be sure you are getting an entirely plant-based food item for the above-mentioned Triscuit flavors. Nevertheless, always glance at the ingredient list on the packaging to be sure you are consuming food that won’t comprise your vegan diet.
Non-Vegan Triscuit Flavors
Are Triscuits vegan?
The flavors of crackers we’re about to highlight are why the answer to this question can sometimes be “No.”
It is essential to exercise caution when purchasing Triscuits. Most of the products in this category contain dairy products or other animal-derived ingredients.
One example of a non-vegan flavor produced by this brand is the Smoked Gouda Triscuits.
Apart from the standard ingredients (whole grain wheat, sea salt, and canola oil), other components of this flavor of Triscuits are:
- Buttermilk
- Cheddar cheese powder
- Gouda cheese powder
- Nonfat milk
- Standard non-vegan cheese
- Rice starch
- Natural flavor
- Malted barley flour
- Extra virgin olive oil
The high content of milk products makes this flavor of Triscuit entirely unsuitable for people on a vegan diet.
Other Triscuit flavors that may contain fish or dairy products are:
- Roasted Garlic
- Four Cheese & Herb
- Romano cheese & Honey
Outside the copious amounts of dairy product ingredients, these particular flavors also feature items like honey, disodium guanylate, and disodium inosinate.
While some may be fine with consuming honey, insect-produced substances are usually a no-no for vegans.
As for ingredients like disodium guanylate and disodium inosinate, it bears mentioning that these flavor enhancers can be artificially synthesized and therefore vegan. However, more often than not, they’re produced from fish and meat. So, it may be better to steer clear of them altogether.
Some Health Benefits of Triscuits
The vegan variety of these products isn’t just tasty but can also be used as healthy snacks too!
Some of the numerous health benefits of including these snacks in your daily diet are;
- A high dietary fiber content, which may help with weight loss
- 0 grams of cholesterol, reducing your risk of cancer and heart disease
- While not a low-carb food, the carbs it does offer are not as harmful as those found in other snack foods
- Some products contain BHT, which may possess anti-cancer properties at low levels.
Conclusion
So, are Triscuits vegan?
Yes. BUT, you have to make sure you select the right product. And even then, it’s always best to check the ingredient list so you know exactly what you’re eating! You can find more nutrition facts about this shredded wheat cracker here.
Looking for a great alternative to Triscuits to improve your vegan lifestyle? Or do you have a sweet tooth and are looking for other tasty vegan treats? Check out more options here!
