Is Cheez Its Ultra Processed?
Yes — Ultra-Processed
Cheez-Its are ultra-processed (Level 4). While marketed as "made with real cheese," the cheese functions as a minor flavor component within a matrix of enriched white flour, vegetable oil, chemical leavening agents, and multiple additives including paprika oleoresin for color.
Key Findings
- •The "real cheese" in Cheez-Its is a minor ingredient by weight in a formulation dominated by refined flour and industrial oils
- •Enriched flour means the wheat was stripped of its bran and germ, then had synthetic B vitamins and iron added back
- •A cracker with actual cheese on top (like a Triscuit with cheddar) delivers cheese as a primary ingredient rather than a flavoring agent
Why Is Cheez Its Ultra-Processed?
The "made with real cheese" claim on Cheez-Its is technically true but misleading. The cheese is just one ingredient among many in a highly processed cracker formulation. The base is enriched wheat flour (refined, bleached, with added synthetic vitamins), soybean and palm oil (industrially refined), and salt. Chemical leavening (baking soda, monocalcium phosphate) replaces yeast. The real cheese is processed into a powder or paste form that can be uniformly distributed through the dough at industrial scale. Paprika oleoresin (an extracted color compound) provides the characteristic orange color. The result is a shelf-stable product that tastes cheesy but is primarily refined flour and oil — a very different thing from cheese on a cracker.
Cheez Its Processing Level Distribution
How 1,000 cheez its products break down by processing level:
Average ingredient count: 34.2 · Average nutrition score: 3.8/10
Cheez Its Brand Comparison
Comparing the least to most processed cheez its products in our database:
| Product | Brand | Level | Score | Ingredients |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheese Crackers!, Cheese | Pjmasks | Processing Level: 3 out of 4 - Highly Processed | 5.5 | 19 |
| Cheddar Chicks Flavored Organic Cheese Crackers, Cheddar Chicks | 365 Whole Foods Market | Processing Level: 3 out of 4 - Highly Processed | 5.5 | 16 |
| Cheddar Cheese Crackers, Cheddar Cheese | Good & Gather | Processing Level: 3 out of 4 - Highly Processed | 5.5 | 16 |
| Qwackers, Cheddar Cheese Crackers | Qwackers | Processing Level: 3 out of 4 - Highly Processed | 5.5 | 14 |
| Cheddar Cheese Crackers, Cheddar Cheese | Good & Gather | Processing Level: 3 out of 4 - Highly Processed | 5.5 | 16 |
| Cheese Crackers Organic Mini Sandwich, Cheese Crackers | 365 Whole Foods Market | Processing Level: 3 out of 4 - Highly Processed | 5.5 | 19 |
| Qwackers, Cheddar Cheese Crackers | Qwackers | Processing Level: 3 out of 4 - Highly Processed | 5.5 | 14 |
| Cheese Crackers, Cheese | Pj Masks | Processing Level: 3 out of 4 - Highly Processed | 5.5 | 19 |
| Cheese Crackers!, Cheese | Pjmasks | Processing Level: 3 out of 4 - Highly Processed | 5.5 | 19 |
| Cheese Crackers!, Cheese | Pjmasks | Processing Level: 3 out of 4 - Highly Processed | 5.5 | 19 |
How to Read Cheez Its Labels
- 1
"Made with real cheese" means cheese is present, not that it is the primary ingredient — check its position in the ingredient list
- 2
Enriched flour indicates refined, bleached grain with synthetic nutrients added back
- 3
Paprika oleoresin is an extracted coloring agent, not the same as paprika spice
- 4
Multiple oil sources (soybean oil, palm oil) are typical of industrial formulations optimized for cost and shelf life
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Cheez-Its actually contain real cheese?
Yes, cheese is listed as an ingredient, but it is a minor component processed into a form suitable for industrial dough mixing. The primary ingredients are enriched flour and vegetable oils. It is more accurate to think of Cheez-Its as flavored crackers than as cheese crackers.
Are Cheez-Its healthier than Goldfish?
Both are Level 4 ultra-processed crackers with similar ingredient profiles: enriched flour, vegetable oils, cheese powder, and chemical additives. Neither has a meaningful processing advantage over the other.
What is a less processed alternative to Cheez-Its?
A Triscuit (3 ingredients: wheat, oil, salt) topped with real sliced cheese provides actual cheese as the primary flavor at Level 2. Seed-based crackers with real cheese are another simpler option.