Crackers: useful properties and contraindications

The history of this cookie dates back to the 18th century, and its recipe, as is often the case, was invented by accident. One baker wanted to make a little experiment and decided to change the composition of galette dough and the method of baking. This baker didn't keep track of the cookies, kept them in the oven too long, and thought he had ruined the pastry. However, this inattention brought the baker popularity and a good income, because soon his crispy cookies became popular.

What are crackers?

Crackers are cookies that are made from wheat flour and fat using yeast. It is one of the subspecies of galettes and breads. The name itself comes from the English word "crack", which means "to crack, to crack". The structure of such cookies is usually brittle and porous, and the surface is often bubbly. Crackers also include leavening agents, milk, and other ingredients that depend on the variety.

Types

A classic cracker recipe involves the use of wheat flour; it makes the cookies more tender. Yeast is an optional ingredient, so cracker dough comes in yeast and yeast-free. Yeast dough is used to bake creamy crackers, which have a softer flavor. Their consistency is flaky and crispy. To make cream crackers do not use leavening agents, they can be not only sweet, but also salty. To make sweet crackers can use not only sugar, but also honey or syrup. There are types with other flavors. Cheese, bacon, and onion are the most common. They are often used as a snack, and they are also used to make canapés instead of bread.

How crackers differ from cookies

The main difference between crackers and cookies is their dryness. They also have much less sugar than cookies. There are even types of crackers without sugar. The structure of crackers is brittle and flaky, while cookies are often soft and loose. The filling of cookies usually consists of sweets, crackers have a filling with spices, cheese, etc. Unlike cookies, crackers can be served with first courses instead of bread.

Composition and calories

The caloric value of a cracker depends on its type, and on average is about 350 kcal per 100 g of product. In 100 g contains 67 g of carbohydrates, 13.5 g of fat, 11.5 g of protein.

The composition also depends on the type, but the essential ingredient is wheat flour of the highest grade. It can also include yeast, salt, sugar, spices and more. Most crackers are unbaked, but there are also those that additionally include butter, margarine and eggs.

How are crackers useful?

General Benefits

Whatever the additives in the cracker, it is still a very useful product for the body. The ingredients in its composition are irreplaceable sources of useful substances. They contain a large number of minerals that are necessary to keep the body healthy. For example, flour supplies the body with fiber, which keeps the intestines healthy. In addition, flour contains phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, zinc, and potassium. It also contains B, H vitamins, which make crackers a particularly valuable product in the human diet.

For women

Often crackers become a substitute for bread when dieting. Women are very fond of this treat, and for good reason. Crackers are very useful for the female body. The elements they contain help keep hair and skin healthy, saturate with calcium, which can help against brittle nails. Crackers have a number of positive properties:

• reduce scalp sweating;
• help fight dandruff;
• improve brain activity;
• Strengthen hair and nails;
• can eliminate skin rashes;
• reduce the likelihood of colds.

For men

Men appreciate crackers for their ability to satiate quickly, suppressing feelings of hunger for a long time. They also supply the body with useful substances.

These cookies are characterized by good consumer qualities. Crackers are able to normalize bowel function, bring glucose levels back to normal. They have a calming effect on the nervous system and bring the heart rhythm to normal.

Pregnancy

Many women have discovered the benefits of crackers for toxicosis. Every pregnant woman suffers from this problem. But if you eat a couple of crackers in the morning, the symptoms will be much easier. In some cases, they can even prevent vomiting. Sometimes during pregnancy there is an aversion to food. Women begin to lose weight rapidly, and do not want to look at food. In this case, crackers can be a lifesaver and allow you to more or less normally survive this period. Also, during pregnancy women often feel hunger, but crackers quickly satiate the body, so it is recommended to carry them in your purse.

Naturally, you can not eat crackers alone, but as a snack, they will be a great addition to the diet.

When breastfeeding

Crackers will be a great snack for a breastfeeding mother as well. This is a great source of carbohydrates, which allows you to quickly regain strength. In addition, there are salted crackers that can be used with cheese or sausage. The result is a great snack that will dull the feeling of hunger for a long time and let you get on with your business.

But not all crackers are equally healthy. The fact is that during breastfeeding it is not recommended to consume fermented products, because when they get into the baby's body with milk, they can cause bloating. Sugar, too, is not recommended to use in large quantities. In addition, some varieties are prepared with the addition of artificial flavorings. Nursing women are not advised to eat sugary types of crackers, they can cause problems with the gastrointestinal tract of the child. Therefore, nutritionists advise choosing crackers without yeast, leavening agents, flavorings and with a minimum amount of sugar.

For children

For children, these cookies are also useful. First of all, they appreciate its ability to stimulate brain activity, which is important for schoolchildren during school hours. A few sandwiches with crackers in the morning will allow a child to be well satiated, so nothing will interfere with the concentration on lessons. They will also be useful after physical education, allowing you to quickly restore energy and go with renewed vigor to other lessons. But you should eat this product in moderation, because the number of calories in crackers is enough to gain extra weight if you consume too much.

When losing weight.

Crackers on a diet need to be consumed wisely. Even the diet types are made from the highest grade flour, which means that they contain a large amount of carbohydrates. They are categorically forbidden to eat on a low-carbohydrate diet. In other cases, they should be eaten in moderation. A couple of crackers before going to bed will help to dull the feeling of hunger, which will reduce the number of night snacks. They can also be taken on the road to satisfy hunger on the way.

Crackers in medicine

Crackers are a favorite treat for many people. They can be drunk with tea, with first courses, crackers are sometimes added even to desserts. But there are a number of restrictions on their use, which are associated with diseases. In some cases, it is enough to limit the use or choose specific harmless species, in others - a complete rejection of this delicacy is required.

Diabetes mellitus

This disease requires compliance with a strict diet, its violation is fraught with serious health consequences. Usually crackers are made from the highest grade flour, which has a rather high caloric value and a glycemic index of 95, which makes them prohibited for consumption. There are muffin types of crackers, which are also prohibited. But some types can still be eaten by diabetics, though in very limited quantities. Crackers for diabetics should be unflavored, with reduced-carbohydrate, do not contain sugar. However, it is desirable to consult with your doctor before using.

In pancreatitis

When pancreatitis develops, the only way to help the patient is through diet. Any deviation can lead to exacerbations of the disease and hospitalization. With pancreatitis, patients need a low-calorie diet. Pastry contains a lot of fats, for the breakdown of which the active work of the pancreas is required. Store-bought products may contain preservatives, flavorings, and citric acid. These factors put crackers in the category of undesirable to eat. During exacerbations of pancreatitis, it is necessary to completely refuse all kinds of cookies, even unflavored, but at the end of the exacerbation in the diet can include unsweetened crackers in small quantities.

Gastritis

Gastritis is a disease, the hallmark of which is inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach. In gastritis, diet plays an important role in the life of the patient. There are several varieties of this disease, in all cases it is necessary to limit saltine crackers. They can be eaten no more than 1-2 times a week. It is also forbidden to eat crackers with different flavors. Sugar and sweet crackers will even be useful. At the end of an exacerbation, they should be included in your diet. Crackers can be eaten with tea or instead of bread with first and second courses.

If you are poisoned

Poisoning is a very unpleasant disease, which most often occurs due to the consumption of low-quality products. Although this is a serious problem, mild forms of poisoning can be successfully treated at home if certain recommendations regarding nutrition are followed. The list of foods allowed in the first days after poisoning is quite limited and expands over time. Crackers are on the list of foods allowed to be eaten. They saturate the body with useful substances and do not irritate the stomach or intestines. The minerals in them will be beneficial to improve the body.

Can I eat crackers before a colonoscopy?

The result of a bowel examination depends on the quality of preparation. For the study to be successful, the doctor prescribes a diet 3 days before the procedure. It usually involves excluding vegetable fiber from the diet. You should also eat foods that are easily digestible, so that the intestines do not have an excess of undigested food. Flour products, including crackers, can be consumed.

Harms and contraindications

Despite the impressive list of useful substances, the abuse of crackers can cause more harm than good. For example, if you eat them a lot and often, you may have problems with excess weight. Crackers contain a lot of fat, in addition, the number of calories per 100 grams is not the smallest. In addition to overweight, there can be problems with blood vessels, or rather with their permeability. A large amount of crackers causes clogging of blood vessels. Also, the body can accumulate toxins. Some unscrupulous manufacturers replace eggs with mélange, which, if not stored properly, can cause many dangerous diseases.

There are a number of restrictions on eating this product for people with diabetes and gastritis. Crackers are useful for the intestines and have a beneficial effect on their work, but this applies only to a healthy organ. If you have gastrointestinal problems, it is better to refrain from excessive consumption of crackers. A few pieces won't do any harm, but in large quantities they can cause disorders in the body. It is also not allowed to give crackers to children under 6 years of age.

How to cook crackers at home

Originally, the cracker recipe was surprisingly simple. It consisted of water and flour. Later, new ingredients were gradually added. And now they add salt, pepper, spices, nuts and even cheese. This dish is so versatile that it can be eaten with both sweet foods and any other. There are also a large number of recipes for making it. But in any recipe, the main secret is the proper kneading of the dough. To make the ready cookies were tender and crumbly, but at the same time crispy, they need to be kneaded for no more than 5 minutes. If you knead for longer, the cookies will be dense and hard.

To make muffin crackers, which include butter, it is recommended to keep the dough in the cold beforehand, but not more than one hour. Dough with vegetable oil can be left to infuse for some time on the table at room temperature.

After that, the dough should be rolled out in a thin layer of about 4 mm. After that, use molds to cut out the cookies. Instead of a mold, you can use an ordinary glass. Cookie holes are not just for decoration. They play an important role in the preparation of the dish. Steam will escape through them, this will not let the cookies come up, and they will remain flat. To create the holes, any tool will do.

Cheese crackers

Cheese crackers are perfect for sandwiches. They can also be consumed on their own as a snack. To make them, you will need:

• 150 g of hard cheese;
• 160 grams of wheat flour;
• 1 egg yolk;
• 150 g of butter.

For the preparation you need to use chilled butter. Manually rub it with flour until a homogeneous mixture is obtained. After that, add the cheese and egg yolk there. Knead the dough until it is no longer sticky to your hands. You may need to add more flour. Then roll into a ball, wrap in clingfilm and place in the fridge for 30 minutes. After time has passed, knead the dough a little with your hands and divide it into several equal parts. Roll out each piece in a thin layer with a rolling pin. From the rolled out sheets of dough, cut out cookies and make holes in them.

Preheat oven to 180 degrees and grease the baking tray with butter to prevent the dough from burning. Bake the cookies for 10-15 minutes until they are light golden in color. It is important to leave them to cool on the baking tray, otherwise they may break.

Salted crackers.

This is the easiest recipe that anyone can use, even without any knowledge of cooking. The ingredients can be found in every home. To make the cookies you will need:

• 1 cup of wheat flour;
• 120 grams of butter;
• 2-3 tsp. salt;
• 50 ml of milk.

Place the butter in the freezer, and when it hardens, grate it, pour the flour to it and add salt. Use a spoon to mix the ingredients until they are pulpy, add the milk to the mixture and knead thoroughly. Knead a little longer than usual cracker dough, so that it is dense and does not stick to your hands. Then place it in the fridge. Then roll out the dough on a table and cut out crackers with a mold, not forgetting the holes. Heat the oven to 200 degrees, put the crackers on a greased baking tray and bake for 15-20 minutes. When ready, take them out along with the baking tray and leave to cool. These crackers are perfect for making small sandwiches with cheese. They can also be served with meat or fish.

Salad with crackers and canned fish: recipe

In life, different situations happen, and sometimes you need to make a hearty lunch in the shortest possible time. Good hosts always keep a few cans of canned fish or meat for this occasion. Canned fish is ideal for a hearty salad, which is prepared in the shortest possible time. It would not be ashamed to put it even on the festive table. In addition, for the preparation of this salad does not need salt, it is abundant in canned goods, crackers and mayonnaise. The following ingredients will be required:

• 50 g of onions;
• 80 g carrots;
• 1 can of canned fish;
• 50g of hard cheese;
• Mayonnaise to taste;
• Some crackers.

Peel the onion, cut into small cubes and fry in vegetable oil until it becomes transparent. While the onions are frying, peel and coarsely grate carrots. Add it to the onions, stir and sauté until the carrots are tender. Take canned goods out of the jar and thoroughly mash them to a pulp. Shred the cheese on a coarse grater.

Now all that is left is to assemble the salad, it will be layered (like a coat). Put the crackers as the first layer, add the preserves on top of them and smear mayonnaise on top. On top of mayonnaise put the onion and carrot dressing. Smear mayonnaise on top of the roast and sprinkle cheese on top. Place the ready dish in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes. It is better to use a serving ring instead of a bowl to assemble the salad. Then once the salad has cooled, you can remove it. This way the dish will look prettier.

Another salad with crackers and preserves requires a little more ingredients, but it is worth it. It can not be called a salad cake, because it does not have a lot of layers. People who lose weight should consider that this salad is very caloric. Canned fish can be any, but the most suitable is pink salmon or tuna. To prepare it, you will need:

• 1 can of canned fish;
• Pack of saltine crackers;
• 1 head of onion;
• 2-3 medium carrots;
• 150 grams of cheese suluguni;
• 2 medium tomatoes;
• 3 chicken eggs;
• Mayonnaise/salt/spices to taste;
• herbs.

First you need to boil the eggs, then take the canned fish out of the jar, put it in a bowl and mash them well. Shred the onion in small pieces, take out the yolks from the boiled eggs and finely grate them. You can also just mash the yolks with your hands. Cool the whites and grate them on a coarse grater. Grate carrots in large pieces. Fry the onions and carrots, adding salt and spices to taste. While the roast is cooking, grate the cheese.

Now you can begin to create a salad. You need a large dish, put crackers on it, and then each of them smear a thick layer of mayonnaise, so that they had time to soak and soften. Place another layer of crackers on top of the mayonnaise. On top of them also smear mayonnaise and lay the canned fish. Then put a thin layer of mayonnaise on the layer of fish, put the egg whites on top of the mayonnaise. Grease the egg whites with mayonnaise and sprinkle the suluguni cheese on top. Apply the layers of salad so that the final result was in the form of a hemisphere.

Now it remains to decorate the salad. Sprinkle the top of the salad with grated egg yolk, cut the tomatoes into thin slices and place in the center in the form of a flower. Place sprigs of dill and parsley between the tomatoes. Serve the salad chilled.

Interesting facts

1. When crackers first appeared, they had 13 holes in them each. That was exactly how many states were originally part of the state.
2. Once crackers became widely known, the military became interested in them. They appreciated their ability to quickly saturate the body, so to this day, crackers are included in the dry rations of the U.S. Army soldiers.
3. Sailors also appreciated the new treat. They liked to eat crackers by mixing them with their fish soup.

Cracker photo