When you need something tasty to munch on, chips are attempting proposition. But lots of flavorful chips are packed with wheat or other gluten-related ingredients, making them no-goes for folks with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. Pork rinds might be a good alternative, but are these salty snacks really gluten-free?
Yes, Pork Rinds are considered gluten-free. Pork rinds typically only contain two ingredients: fried pork skins and salt. Neither of these ingredients contain wheat or gluten. Still, the best healthier alternatives to pork rinds which are also gluten-free are Pig Out Pigless Pork Rinds, Wilde Chips Chili Lime Verde Pork Chips, and Flock Pork Curls.
On top of that, pork rinds are often a good snack choice for folks following the keto diet due to their lack of carbs and ancillary ingredients. Let’s take a look at pork rinds in more detail and break down why you can almost always count on them to be gluten-free.
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Pork Rinds – Gluten-Free for All!
Pork rinds are pretty basic snacks; they’re essentially just pork skin and/or fat plus a little salt for flavor. Because of this, the majority of pork rinds you can purchase are gluten-free. There isn’t any area in their formulas where a manufacturer might add gluten for flavor, binding, or any other reason.
In fact, we imagine you would be hard-pressed to find pork rinds that do include gluten to any degree. But even though pork rinds are generally gluten-free, that doesn’t mean all pork rinds are equal or that they are all healthy for you (quite the opposite, in fact!).
Therefore, it’s a good idea to choose your pork rinds carefully and only pick pork rinds from brands you agree with or that create their pork rinds with your diet and natural ingredients in mind. Furthermore, try not to eat pork rinds that are mixed with added flavors or dusts, as these may include gluten to some extent.
Why are pork rinds usually considered bad for you?
Even though pork rinds don’t include any gluten whatsoever (unless something has gone wrong with the recipe!), they are very high in sodium, saturated fat, and calories most of the time. So if you eat a lot of pork rinds, you could end up increasing your risk of diabetes or heart disease.
Are pork rinds healthier than potato chips?
Technically, yes. Many types of pork rinds include fewer saturated fats and synthetic oils than many potato chip brands. They’re a more “natural” food choice since they’re essentially just pig skin plus salt.
Even Pringles, which are unfortunately not gluten-free as we break down in this guide, may be considered a little unhealthier compared to regular pork rinds. That’s partially because potato chips just have extra ingredients to obtain their shape and texture.
That said, we wouldn’t call regular pork rinds “healthy” to any degree (unless you choose from some of the healthier pork rind alternatives broken down above).
Pork Rinds Nutritional Information
Pork rinds may not typically include gluten because of their admittedly short ingredient lists, but it’s one thing to read that online. It’s another thing to see the ingredients for popular pork rind brands yourself. With that in mind, let’s break down two of the most popular traditional pork rinds products you can buy at local supermarkets.
Mission Chicharrones Pork Rinds
Mission, a brand known for its tortilla chips and other Hispanic food staples, also provides tasty pork rinds with zero carbs whatsoever. Naturally, this makes them a great choice for folks trying to cut down on carbs or follow a keto diet (like most other pork rinds, in fact). Also nice is the lack of trans fat with these pork rind snacks.
Its ingredients are:
- Pork rinds
- Salt
Nutrition facts (per 0.5 ounces):
- 80 cal
- 5 g fat or 8% DV
- 20 mg cholesterol or 7% DV
- 270 mg sodium or 11% DV
- 9 g protein or 2% DV
If you want to know more about Mission tortilla chips and whether they’ll fit your diet, check out this breakdown of tortilla chips.
Utz Pork Rinds
Utz, while not as well known a brand as Mission, still offers a great fried snack through its pork rinds. The big difference between these pork rinds and many others is that these are fried for a little extra time, giving them an arguably crunchier taste and texture compared to alternatives. Note that this does cause them to have a little less salt than average, so you could make an argument that these pork rinds are better choices overall.
Its ingredients are:
- Fried pork skins
- Salt
Nutrition facts (per 0.5 ounces):
- 80 cal
- 5 g fat or 8% DV
- 20 mg cholesterol or 6% DV
- 230 mg sodium or 10% DV
- 8 g protein
Healthy Gluten-Free Alternatives to Pork Rinds
Sure, pork rinds may not have gluten, so you can technically snack on them if you are sensitive to gluten or if you are trying to stick to a keto diet. That said, pork rinds aren’t exactly healthy, especially since many of them include tons of salt for flavor.
What if there were healthy and still gluten-free alternatives to regular pork rinds? Turns out, there are! Let’s take a look at some of these options one by one.
Pig Out Pigless Pork Rinds
Pig Out’s Pigless Pork Rinds are a unique snack in that they don’t use pork rinds at all. While not precisely vegan, you can at least chow down on these pork rinds without worrying about consuming pork flesh directly. Instead, they use up to 25 g of plant-based protein in every bag. On top of that, they have 75% less sodium and 67% less saturated fat compared to traditional pork rinds. Therefore, they could be one of the healthiest pork-flavored snacks on the market today.
Its ingredients are:
- Rice
- High oleic expeller pressed sunflower oil
- Pea protein
- Pea grits
- Pork rind seasoning, including pea protein, maltodextrin, sea salt, natural flavors, yeast extract, and cane sugar
Nutrition facts (per 1 ounce or 28 g):
- 130 cal
- 6 g fat or 8% DV
- 190 mg sodium or 8% DV
- 13 g carbohydrates or 5% DV
- 1 g fiber or 4% DV
- 7 g protein or 14% DV
- 6 mg calcium
- 1 mg iron or 6% DV
- 49 mg potassium or 2% DV
Wilde Chips Chili Lime Verde Pork Chips
Also tasty and slightly healthier than average are these chili lime verde flavored pork chips from Wilde Chips. Each chip is made from 100% and all-natural pork, so you don’t need to worry about synthetic ingredients or additives sneaking into your diet. Plus, these chips are great for folks following the keto diet as they are low-carb and overall guilt-free. Naturally, they are gluten-free and grain-free as well.
Its ingredients are:
- Pork raised without antibiotics
- Tapioca starch
- Expeller pressed high oleic sunflower oil
- Dried egg whites
- Pork broth
- Green bell pepper powder
- Chili pepper powder
- Jalapeno pepper powder
- Onion powder
- Spices
- Garlic powder
- Celery powder
- Citric acid
- Yeast extract
- Rosemary extract
- Natural flavors
- Dried parsley
- Vinegar
- Sea salt
- Coconut palm sugar
- Tapioca syrup solids
- Gelatin
Nutrition facts (per 20 chips or 30 g):
- 170 cal
- 10 g fat or 16% DV
- 20 mg cholesterol or 7% DV
- 210 mg sodium or 9% DV
- 9 g carbohydrates or 3% DV
- 1 g sugar
- 10 g protein or 16% DV
Flock Pork Curls
If you’re interested in some pure pork curls without any sugar and tons of extra protein, Flock might have you covered. This new version of pork rinds includes the same crispness and crunchiness you might expect, but also includes a keto-friendly and higher than average protein profile. As a result, these could be a great choice for folks wanting to double down on the keto diet or avoid gluten in their snacks.
Its ingredients are:
- Pure Pork
- Salt
- Soybean oil
- Pork fat with attached skin
Nutrition facts (per 1 ounce):
- 160 cal
- 14 g fat
- 20 mg cholesterol
- 720 mg sodium
- 14 g protein
Final Thoughts
As you can see, pork rinds are a pretty safe snack if you want something tasty to munch on without exposing your stomach to gluten. However, pork rinds may still be a little too salty for your dietary goals, and you should choose your pork rinds carefully so you pick the brand with the best ingredients and the best nutritional info overall.
Related Questions
Are pork rinds suitable for the keto diet?
Yes, since they are high in protein. They include moderate fat and no carbohydrates, so they are perfect for ketogenic snacking.
What’s the difference between pork rinds and chicharrones?
Regular pork rinds are made only with pork skin. Chicharrones are made with pork skin as well as fat and occasionally some pork meat.
Are chitlins the same as regular pork rinds?
Technically, no. Chitlins are fried pigskin pieces but they don’t have any starch, so they’re slightly different in flavor and texture from regular pork rinds.