Wheat Thins Original: Nutrition Facts & Labelgrade B- (72/100)
B- 72 / 100 — Very low saturated fat, high sodium per 100g, and substantial fiber.
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Wheat Thins Original delivers 2g of protein and 140 calories per 16 pleces (USDA FDC 2181586). Per 100g that’s 6.5g of protein; per oz, 1.8g. The Labelgrade is B- (72 / 100): Very low saturated fat, high sodium per 100g, and substantial fiber.
Why this Labelgrade
| Dimension | Grade | Score | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein density | C | 60 / 100 | 6.5g per 100g — below the high-protein bar; not the right product for protein hunting |
| Ingredient quality | B- | 72 / 100 | 8 ingredients, recognizable, no significant additive flags |
| Saturated fat load | A+ | 100 / 100 | 0g saturated fat — perfect |
| Sodium load | F | 33 / 100 | 200mg per serving (183mg per oz) — high; structural for cured/preserved foods |
| Sugar load | B+ | 84 / 100 | 5g sugar (4g added) — low overall |
| Fiber | A+ | 98 / 100 | 3.01g per serving — excellent, particularly in this category |
| Overall | B- | 72 / 100 | Weighted blend: protein 25% · ingredients 22% · saturated fat 18% · sodium 15% · sugar 12% · fiber 8% |
How it compares
| Product | Protein per serving | Per 100 g | Per oz | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheat Thins Original (this product) | 2g | 6.5g | 1.8g | 140 |
| Pirate’S Booty Aged White Cheddar | 2g | 7.1g | 2g | 130 |
| Goldfish Cheddar Crackers | 3g | 10g | 2.8g | 140 |
| Cheez-It Original Baked Snack Crackers | 3g | 10g | 2.8g | 150 |
| Plain cooked chicken breast (benchmark) | — | 31g | 8.8g | ~165 |
The “wheat” health halo, audited
The name does a lot of selling. “Wheat Thins” reads as the virtuous cracker — and to its credit, the front-of-box claim is real: whole-grain wheat flour is the first ingredient, and that’s exactly why the fiber lands at a category-leading 3.01g per serving (an A+). That’s not nothing; it’s meaningfully better than the enriched-flour base under a Cheez-It or a Goldfish. But a health halo invites you to stop reading at the name, and the panel keeps going. Sugar is the third ingredient, backed up by malt syrup and refiner’s syrup further down — which is where the 4g of added sugar comes from. None of that is alarming, but it’s the gap between the wholesome image and the actual recipe: a genuinely whole-grain cracker that’s also, quietly, been sweetened.
Better than the cheese crackers, a notch below Triscuit
Wheat Thins occupy a clear middle ground in this group, and it’s worth placing them precisely. Against the cheese crackers, they win on substance: real whole grain, far more fiber, no refined-flour base, and the same B- range despite carrying less protein. Against Triscuit — which shares the exact B- grade — they come up a notch short, and the reason is that added sugar. Triscuit gets to the same score with a three-ingredient list and nothing sweet in it; Wheat Thins get there with better fiber but a small sugar penalty. So the honest hierarchy reads: Triscuit (cleanest), Wheat Thins (whole grain with an asterisk), then the cheese crackers. If you reach for Wheat Thins for the fiber and the whole-grain base, you’re making a defensible choice — just go in knowing about the sweetener, and lean on the high fiber as the real reason these earn their grade.
Scope
This page covers Wheat Thins Original (5.75 OZ/163 g), UPC 044000069810, as represented in USDA Branded Foods FDC 2181586. Wheat Thins sells multiple variants in this product line — other sizes, flavors, or fat levels may have different macros and Labelgrade scores. Manufacturers periodically reformulate; always cross-reference the actual package label, especially if you have allergies or dietary restrictions.
Ingredients (from the USDA Branded Foods entry)
WHOLE GRAIN WHEAT FLOUR, CANOLA OIL, SUGAR, CORNSTARCH, MALT SYRUP (FROM CORN AND BARLEY), SALT, REFINER’S SYRUP, LEAVENING (CALCIUM PHOSPHATE AND BAKING SODA).
Where to buy
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Quick Facts
Per serving · 16 pleces
See how this fits your day — protein calculator · macro calculator
Full nutrition facts
| Nutrient | Per Serving (16 pleces) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 140 |
| Protein | 2g |
| Total Fat | 5g |
| Saturated Fat | 0g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Total Carbohydrates | 22g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3.01g |
| Total Sugars | 5g |
| Added Sugars | 4g |
| Sodium | 200mg |
| Cholesterol | 0mg |
| Calcium | 30.1mg |
| Iron | 0.899mg |
| Potassium | 89.9mg |
Scope: This page applies specifically to Original (5.75 OZ/163 g) · UPC 044000069810. Other sizes, flavors, or formulations may differ.
How this fits each diet
Each score is computed from the same USDA nutrition + ingredient data, against the published rules of each diet. They tell you "does this food fit this diet" — not whether the diet is right for you.
contains no listed animal products
contains no listed meat or fish
contains a gluten-bearing ingredient
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Wheat Thins healthy?
They're a middle-of-the-pack cracker — better than the cheese-flavored options, not as clean as a plain whole-grain one. The good: they're built on whole-grain wheat flour and carry a genuinely strong 3.01g of fiber per serving. The catch: they sneak in a little added sugar (4g) that you don't get in a barer cracker. Net it out and Wheat Thins are a reasonable snack with one small asterisk — the sweetener.
Why do Wheat Thins score a B-?
Two real strengths carry the grade: whole grain gives them an A+ for fiber (3.01g, excellent for a cracker) and zero saturated fat. Two things hold them back: high sodium at 200mg per serving (an F on that dimension) and just 2g of protein. The added sugar costs a few points too. The strengths win out, landing it at a B- (72/100) — the same overall grade as Triscuit, reached a different way.
Does the 'wheat' in Wheat Thins mean it's a whole-grain health food?
Partly. Whole-grain wheat flour really is the first ingredient, which is why the fiber is so good — that part of the health halo is earned. But 'wheat' on the front doesn't mean the recipe stops at grain: sugar is the third ingredient, and there's malt syrup and refiner's syrup further down. So it's a legitimately whole-grain cracker that's also been lightly sweetened. Better than refined-flour crackers; not the pure 'just grain' product the name implies.
How much sugar is in Wheat Thins, and is it a problem?
5g of total sugar per serving, 4g of it added — about 8% of the day's added-sugar allowance. It's not a lot, and it's why the crackers have that faintly sweet, more-ish quality. It's worth knowing about mainly because most people don't expect sugar in a cracker called 'Wheat Thins.' A modest amount, but it's the one thing separating these from a cleaner cracker like Triscuit.
What's a cleaner cracker if I want to skip the added sugar?
Triscuit Original (Labelgrade B-, 73/100) lands at the same grade but with a three-ingredient list — whole-grain wheat, oil, and salt — and no added sugar at all. If you like the whole-grain angle of Wheat Thins but want to drop the sweetener, it's the natural swap.
When was this data last verified?
2026-06-05, against USDA FoodData Central FDC 2181586. We re-verify top-traffic pages monthly and update within 7 days of a reformulation.