Start by checking the ingredients: diabetes.nl recommends unsalted nuts with no added sugar, but this general advice does not prove how a specific product will affect an individual’s blood sugar. Then choose between standard packs that you weigh out yourself and individual snack bags; a multipack alone doesn’t tell you how many lunchbox portions you’ll get.
You want to take a measured amount with you, so check whether a multipack contains small snack bags or standard packs that you’ll need to portion out yourself. Albert Heijn provides packaging information for both types for relevant almond products.
You share almonds with others and look at whether the packs can be opened individually, as well as the ingredients and how to store the nuts. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises keeping nuts in a sealed container in a dry place.
You want to include unsalted almonds in your own eating plan, so check the quantity, carbohydrates and ingredients of the exact variety. diabetes.nl offers general advice on choosing; the label helps you check the product details.
First choose between ready-to-go snack bags and a larger pack that you portion out yourself. Then check the ingredients and portion information on the exact pack.
| What to consider | What to look for | Who is this important to? |
|---|---|---|
| Ingredients | Check whether the variety is unsalted and contains no added sugar; read the ingredients list. | If I want to stick to my eating plan, I check for added ingredients rather than relying on the front of the pack. Around 29% of consumers prioritise ingredients. |
| Pack format | Check the number of individual packs and the weight of each one; a bundle of standard packs isn’t automatically a set of snack bags. | The packaging matters if you want to share almonds or take them with you straight away. Around 29% of consumers mainly want individual packs. |
| Portion planning | Check the carbohydrates per 100 g and calculate the amount for the weight you portion out yourself. | If I want to plan how much I eat at a time, I look at my own portion and the nutrition information. Around 24% of consumers prioritise portion planning. |
| Stock and buying | Check the total weight and whether the number of packs suits how much you use and the space you have for storage. | If you want to match your purchase to how much you use, consider the total quantity and how you’ll order it. Around 18% of consumers place the most importance on the total purchase. |
A bundle may contain several standard retail packs, which means you’ll still need to prepare portions for lunchboxes.
Check both the number of items and the weight of each item in the pack contents.
Allow for the time it takes to weigh and pack portions yourself.
The ingredients list for Duyvis Oven roasted almonds includes salt and ingredients containing sugar, among other things.
Read the full ingredients list for the exact flavour. Albert Heijn lists these ingredients for the variety in question.
The Diabetes Fund points out that nuts also provide fat and energy, so how much you eat is still a separate choice.
Decide on your portion and use the nutrition table to check the amount you actually weigh out.
The documented varieties differ in their ingredients, so check the exact flavour and pack.
The unsalted almonds are documented as an individual pack and in bundles of four or six items.
Jumbo Unsalted Almonds 140 g is described as a roasted variety.
The product name ‘Unsalted almonds’ is useful if you’re looking for that variety.
ALDI describes Trader Joe’s unroasted almonds in a 200 g pack.
PLUS Unroasted and Unsalted Almonds is described as a 200 g stand-up pouch.
These Joybuy products are individual bags of almonds for you to portion out yourself; the packs shown are not multipacks.
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A good choice if you want to weigh out lunchbox portions yourself; this is a single bag, not a multipack.
The product information lists almond kernels as the only ingredient and gives nutritional values per 100 g, including carbohydrates.
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A good fit if you want to use a single bag to weigh out your own portions; this isn’t a multipack.
The title specifies raw and unsalted. The product information lists almonds as the only ingredient and gives nutritional values per 100 g, including carbohydrates.
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The larger bag may suit you if you want to weigh out several portions yourself; this is a single pack, not a multipack.
The product description specifies 100% almonds with no added ingredients, and gives nutritional values per 100 g.
Multiply the carbohydrates per 100 g on the label for the exact variety by the weight of your portion, then divide the result by 100. Use the ‘carbohydrates’ line, not just ‘of which sugars’; this calculation does not determine an insulin dose.
Not necessarily: a manufacturer’s portion describes an amount of that product, not a personal daily guideline. Adjust your own amount to suit your eating plan.
Follow the label and keep nuts in a sealed container in a dry place, in line with the advice from the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. For the AH product covered in the research, the advice is to store it in a cool, dark, dry place and reseal the pack securely after use. Don’t assign a new use-by period to portions you’ve repacked yourself without a sound basis for doing so.
No. Don’t judge this on the packaging alone. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre warns that young children can choke on whole nuts. Also check allergen information and the rules at your child’s school or childcare setting.
Don’t use almonds as the first treatment for a hypo. diabetes.nl advises having something with fast-acting sugar and little fat or protein first; follow your agreed hypo plan.
