If you want to eat less fat, look for a substantiated comparison with the standard product; unsalted or made without added fat does not automatically mean a lower total fat content. If you mainly want to eat fewer calories, compare the energy per 100 g as well as the amount you actually serve yourself.
You want almonds for an evening snack and care more about a demonstrably lower total fat content than the method of preparation alone. It helps to distinguish between low fat, reduced fat and made without added fat.
For you, lighter snacking mainly means eating less energy throughout the evening. Check the energy content for the amount you eat, and consider measuring out a portion in advance.
You want to choose a flavour and preparation method that suit you, without assuming that unsalted or oven-roasted means reduced fat. Assess these qualities separately from the nutritional values.
First decide whether you’re looking for less fat, less energy per portion, an unsalted option or a particular preparation method. These criteria are not interchangeable.
| What to consider | What should you look for? | Who is this important to? |
|---|---|---|
| Has the fat content genuinely been reduced? | Check the exact claim and how it compares with the standard product. Compare nutritional values on the same basis. | If I want to eat less total fat, I look for evidence of a genuine reduction rather than just a different preparation method. Around 39% of consumers put proven fat reduction first. |
| Energy per portion | Compare kcal per 100 g, then calculate the value for the same amount you plan to eat. | If my main aim is to limit my snack portion, I look at the energy in the amount I serve myself. Around 31% of consumers give energy per portion top priority. |
| Unsalted snacking | Choose the exact unsalted option and check the salt content separately from the fat content. | If I prefer to eat unsalted almonds, that’s my first criterion; on its own, it says nothing about fat reduction. Around 15% of consumers put unsalted snacking first. |
| Preparation and packaging | Check whether the option is unroasted or roasted, how much it contains and whether the packaging suits how you’ll use it. | For my evening snack, I consider the preparation method and whether the pack suits my needs. Around 15% of consumers give these features top priority. |
The European Commission sets a maximum of 3 g of fat per 100 g for the ‘low fat’ claim on solid foods. This is an absolute threshold. The Voedingscentrum explains that ‘light’, ‘lite’ or ‘reduced’ fat means at least 30% less fat than a comparable product. So a product can contain less fat than its standard version without being low fat.
A description of how a product is prepared is different from a nutrition claim: for example, Duyvis describes Almonds Original as oven-roasted without added oil or fat. Check the nutrition table too when comparing products. As an example of the energy content, the Voedingscentrum gives 158 kcal for a 25 g handful of unsalted almonds; this value does not automatically apply to every brand or variety.
A description saying that no oil or fat has been added during preparation does not compare the total fat content with a standard product.
Check the exact claim and the nutrition comparison separately from the preparation method.
Low fat refers to an absolute threshold; reduced fat means less fat than a comparable product.
First decide whether you’re looking for an absolutely low-fat composition or a product with less fat than the standard version.
A difference in the stated portion size can make the energy content appear different, even if the values per 100 g have not been compared on the same basis.
Compare per 100 g first, then compare the same amount you plan to eat.
Duyvis describes Almonds Original as oven-roasted almonds made without added oil or fat, in a 125 g pack.
Albert Heijn has a product page for AH Terra Unroasted Almonds.
Jumbo lists Unsalted Almonds 140 g as an unsalted option and recommends storing them in a cool, dry place away from light.
Lidl describes almonds in its Alesto range as all natural.
Under Trader Joe’s, ALDI describes unroasted almonds and roasted varieties with salt or smoky flavour, in 200 g packs.
PLUS describes Unsalted Almonds as a 150 g stand-up pouch.
These products are almonds intended for snacking straight from the pack; their stated fat content does not make them low fat. Any relative reduction in fat requires a comparison with the standard product.
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The product description says the almond kernels are ready to eat.
Joybuy’s product information lists 53,8 g of fat per 100 g. The European Commission sets a maximum of 3 g per 100 g for the ‘low fat’ claim on solid foods; this product does not meet that threshold.
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The product name describes raw, unsalted almonds as a snack option.
Joybuy’s product information lists 50 g of fat per 100 g. The European Commission sets a maximum of 3 g per 100 g for the ‘low fat’ claim on solid foods; this product does not meet that threshold.
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The product description says the almonds are ready to eat.
Joybuy’s product information lists 50 g of fat per 100 g. The European Commission sets a maximum of 3 g per 100 g for the ‘low fat’ claim on solid foods; this product does not meet that threshold.
For solid foods, the European Commission sets a maximum of 3 g of fat per 100 g for the ‘low fat’ claim. This is not the same as having less fat than a standard comparison product.
First compare the nutritional values per 100 g, then calculate them for the same amount you plan to eat. That way, you’re not simply comparing a smaller portion with a larger one.
Follow the storage instructions on the pack of the exact variety. Jumbo recommends storing its Unsalted Almonds 140 g in a cool, dry place away from light; ALDI describes the packs reviewed as resealable.
A preparation method or fat claim does not make almonds suitable for someone with an almond allergy. Stichting Voedselallergie says the allergen remains stable when heated, so take the allergy into account whether or not the almonds are roasted.
Check the ingredients and allergen information on the pack of the exact variety. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority requires allergens to be clearly identified and correctly displayed on the label.
