Are Ritz crackers healthy?

They're NOVA 4 ultra-processed despite appearing simple. Palm oil, sugar, and flavouring are all present. At 17 kcal each they're not calorie-heavy, but they're empty carbs with UPF ingredients.

What is the glycemic index of ritz crackers?

Ritz Crackers has a glycemic index of 74, which is classified as High GI. Ritz crackers have a high GI of around 74 due to their refined flour base and minimal fibre content.

Glucose: MediumNOVA 4

How Many Calories for Ritz Crackers?

One Ritz cracker has about 17 calories. A typical portion of 8 crackers is around 136 calories. Ritz are NOVA 4 ultra-processed — they contain palm oil, sugar, flavouring, and raising agents despite looking simple.

Nutrition per 100g

Nutrient	Per 100g	Per serving
Energy	486 kcal / 2034 kJ	486 kcal
Protein	7g	7g
Carbohydrates	61g	61g
of which sugars	10g	—
Fat	23g	23g
of which saturated	10g	—
Fibre	2.5g	—
Salt	1.7g	—

Serving size: 5 crackers (~16g) · Source: Tesco product page, October 2025

Glucose impact

Glycemic Index

Medium

Glucose risk

Refined wheat flour base with added sugar. GI estimated at 70+. But per-cracker carb load is small (2.5g), so a moderate portion has limited glucose impact.

Processing level

NOVA 4 (ultra-processed)

Ritz Original ingredients include wheat flour, vegetable oils (palm, rapeseed), sugar, raising agents, salt, barley malt extract, and flavouring. The combination of palm oil, sugar, and flavouring in a cracker makes it NOVA 4.

Ritz Crackers at Tesco

Source: Tesco product page, October 2025

Ritz Original Crackers 150g

£1.25*

*Prices were correct at the time of collection and may have since changed. Check Tesco.com for current pricing.

What to watch for when shopping

Ritz crackers are NOVA 4 - containing palm oil, sugar, raising agents, and flavouring. At 486 kcal per 100g they are calorie-dense for a snack. A single cracker is about 17 kcal, but it is very easy to eat 10-15 in one sitting (170-250 kcal). Rice cakes or oatcakes are lower-calorie, less-processed alternatives.

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