Ah, crackers – so crisp, so crunchy, so… not exactly healthy.  Most commercial brands of crackers that appear on store shelves have rather long lists of ingredients, and contain hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils (trans-fat alert!), little to no fiber, high fat, sugar, and salt contents, and very little nutrition overall.  But that is where Wasa Hearty Rye Crispbread is very different from other crackers – so different, that the fact that they are referred to as “crispbread” rather than crackers. This eliminates the possibility of mistaking them for the unhealthy, aforementioned crackers.    

A product of Sweden, Wasa Crispbread comes in several varieties (such as multi-grain, hearty rye, light rye, sourdough rye, oats, etc.) and is an all-natural product.  When I discovered this international food in the snack/cracker aisle at Whole Foods, I was intrigued by its colorful, fragile packaging; but more importantly, I wanted to know how it tasted! So I decided to go for the Hearty Rye flavor, since that sounded really good. 

When I opened the package and took out a few slices of crispbread, I was surprised just by how large and thick they were!  I broke off a piece to taste – it has a robust rye flavor and an extra-crunchy, hearty (true to its description!) texture.  Despite the rich flavor, I found that it was lacking something; so I went to the fridge, grabbed a jar of Maranatha® organic almond butter, and spread it on the crispbread.  So delicious! I definitely recommend eating Wasa crispbread with a nut butter, hummus, or another spread of your choice – they are begging to be enjoyed with something for added nutrition and flavor.  Go to www.wasa-usa.com for recipes and suggested ways to eat Wasa for breakfast, lunch, snacks, or dinner (the website is a great resource for more product details and other helpful information). 

In addition to the great taste of Wasa, its ingredients list is pleasantly short: Whole grain rye flour, rye bran, yeast, and sea salt. That’s it! No chemicals or trans-fats or artificial ANYTHING! Just as a side note, all of the Wasa Crispbreads are vegan-friendly and dairy-free EXCEPT for the Oats variety, which contains dairy – oh well, at least there are still eight other flavors to choose from (I am still partial to the Hearty Rye flavor though).

One slice of Wasa Hearty Rye Crispbread is 14 grams and has 45 calories, NO fat, 1 gram of protein, 11 grams of carbohydrates, NO sugar, and 2 grams of fiber.  Since these slices are low in protein and do not contain many vitamins, I would like to reiterate my earlier suggestion of adding a healthful spread or, better yet, visit www.wasa-usa.com for serving suggestions.  Besides that minor drawback, Wasa is pure, whole-grain goodness.

A package of Wasa Crispbread costs $2.49 at my local Whole Foods – a great price, considering I got what I paid for (and more!): a wholesome, satisfying, vegan bread alternative that serves as a palate for all sorts of spreads and accompaniments. To all of those refined-grained, unhealthy, Wasa-wannabe crackers out there: You have been defeated – good riddance!

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