How Healthy Is Eating Pretzels?
Pretzels aren’t a miracle food with magical properties, but they are a suitable alternative to other snacks like them. A single-serving bag of hard pretzels has fewer calories and fats than the same amount of potato chips, for instance.
Unfortunately, pretzels have more carbs and twice as much sodium compared to typical salted potato chips, so pretzels may not be the healthier choice depending on your health needs.
So, this popular snack food has some pros and cons when it comes to health. Here’s what you need to know:
Pros
- Good source of carbs. For those who need an energy boost, a blood sugar boost, or a pre-run snack, pretzels are a good source of carbs that your body can convert into quick energy.
- Convenient snack. When you’re on the go or looking for an affordable, tasty, shelf-stable snack, pretzels are a great option.
- Easy to pair with fats and protein. For people concerned with the high carb content of pretzels, specifically those with diabetes or prediabetes, pretzels can be easily combined with protein sources for well-rounded snacks. For example, you can dip pretzels in nut butter, top pretzel chips with canned tuna, or eat them with cheese.
Cons
- High in sodium. Unfortunately, salted pretzels are quite high in sodium. Especially for people with high blood pressure, limiting sodium is beneficial for health.
- Low in fiber. Most pretzels have a pretty low fiber content. Fiber provides many benefits and is key for digestive health, cholesterol management, satiety and blood sugar regulation.
- May be high in added sugar and saturated fat.