Crispbread comes both culinary and linguistically from Sweden (“knäckebröd”, “knäcka” = crack) and is one of the most fiber-rich breads in Germany. In our article you will learn everything about nutritional values, calories and varieties of crispbread. In addition, we will tell you about its advantages and disadvantages for health and provide you with a delicious crispbread recipe to try.
Crispbread: a wide variety of varieties.
Crispbread comes in a wide variety of varieties. Originally it was made only on the basis of rye, but always with wholemeal flour. In the meantime, a wide variety of cereals are used, such as spelt or oats. Thus, the high-fiber amaranth crispbread is also gaining in popularity. A mixture of different spices is said to give the individual crispbread variety its individual taste. Other popular additions that are said to have health-promoting effects include:
- Sesame
- Flaxseed
- Buckwheat
- Chia
Organic crispbread is now available in almost every supermarket, gluten-free crispbread also. Most varieties are vegan. Labels such as “Fitness“, “Active” or similar variants should consumers with caution and better rely on the list of ingredients as well as nutritional value table.
Crispbread: calories and nutritional values
According to the type of crispbread, the nutritional values also vary, of course. However, they are all rich in fiber: up to 17 grams of fiber are contained in 100 grams of crispbread. The same amount of wholemeal rye bread contains only 8 grams of fiber. Average nutritional values of whole grain crispbread:
| per 100 g | per slice (13 g) | |
| Calories | 366 kcal | 48 kcal |
|
Carbohydrates
|
82 g 17 g |
11 g 2,2 g |
| Fat | 1.3 g | 0.2 g |
| Proteins | 8 g | 1 g |
| Sodium | 410 mg | 53 mg |
| Potassium | 319 mg | 41 mg |
| Calcium | 31 mg | 4 mg |
| Magnesium | 78 mg | 10 mg |
| Iron | 2.4 mg | 0.3 mg |
Does crispbread help you lose weight?
Crispbread is supposed to help with weight loss. However, the bread is only conditionally suitable for a diet. Although a slice weighs less than that of a “classic” bread and also has fewer calories, but it tempts accordingly easily to eat several slices of crispbread. In addition, crispbread has an extremely high amount of carbohydrates, as it contains almost no water. Therefore, crispbread is not suitable for a low carb diet. However, the long-lasting satiety due to the high fiber content speaks in favor of crispbread in this respect. In this regard, especially the popular white bread, which is the lowest in fiber, performs worse. Ultimately, it is not the type of bread but the topping that is decisive. If you can’t do without lavish toppings during a diet, you won’t be able to achieve any effect with it. Regardless of whether the diet includes crispbread or not.
Is crispbread really healthy?
Crispbread is rich in fiber and minerals compared to other breads. However, compared with other types of bread, it also has a health disadvantage. As in chips, French fries or some cookies, crispbread contains a high amount of acrylamide. This substance is mainly formed when carbohydrate-containing foods are heated for long periods of time. According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), acrylamide is suspected of being carcinogenic. As a result, the European Union has legislated that food manufacturers must follow certain guidelines in the production of crispbread from April 2018. For example, food must not be heated too high or for too long.If you want to be safe, crispbread should only be added to your diet occasionally and not established as a daily dinner or breakfast. 10 healthy types of bread
Positive effect on gastrointestinal tract
However, crispbread is healthy for the gastrointestinal tract. Due to the high fiber content, which has a digestive regulating and stabilizing effect, crispbread prevents intestinal diseases and constipation. In addition, the consumption of crispbread is also helpful in cases of diarrhea. The very finely ground wholemeal flour is usually good for people with very sensitive digestive systems. However, if too much crispbread or dietary fiber is consumed, flatulence can be an unpleasant consequence.
Storage and shelf life
Crispbread has a great advantage, because of which it was already so popular in earlier times without preservation options: its shelf life. Packed in a cool, dry, dark place in a – preferably airtight – bread tin, crispbread easily keeps for several months.
Make crispbread yourself
For amateur bakers, we have good news: Baking crispbread yourself is easy. Here is an example recipe for crispy crispbread as a suggestion. The following ingredients are needed for 28 slices of crispbread:
- 250 g whole wheat flour
- 250 g seeded oatmeal
- 120 g hulled sesame seeds
- 50 g sunflower seeds
- 25 g pumpkin seeds
- 20 g flaxseed
- 2 tsp salt
- 6 tbsp sunflower oil
- 375 ml water
Preparation of crispbread
The preparation of crispbread takes about 60 minutes. The following steps are necessary for this:
- Mix all ingredients except oil and water in a bowl. Then add water and oil and mix with dough hook (of a mixer) to a sticky, tough dough.
- Rinse two baking sheets under cold water. Divide dough into two lumps of about the same size and roll each out on a baking sheet to a layer 3 millimeters thick. Slightly cut pieces about 6 x 10 centimeters with a knife. Bake in the already preheated oven (top / bottom heat: 250 degrees Celsius, convection oven: 225 degrees Celsius) for about 5 minutes in succession.
- Reduce temperature to 200 or 175 degrees Celsius and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes. Then take down directly from the tray and let cool.
The crispbreads keep airtight packed in a bread box in a dry, cool place for at least two weeks.
