Who is this relevant to?

Runners who want to plan their carbohydrate intake

You want to know how many carbohydrates a planned portion of topping contributes to your nutrition around a long training session, rather than looking only at the figures per 100 g.

Runners who prefer a pure cocoa flavour

You’re looking for a chocolate flavour when you say ‘dark’. In that case, it’s important to distinguish chocolate sprinkles from anise-flavoured crushed sprinkles.

Shoppers checking for allergens

Check the ingredients and allergen information on the current packaging of the product you choose; anise sprinkles and chocolate sprinkles are not interchangeable.

What should you consider when choosing?

Crushed anise sprinkles

Choose these if: you prefer anise sprinkles and want to count their carbohydrates per portion.

Bear in mind: these aren’t a cocoa topping, and one portion doesn’t make a complete nutrition plan for a long run.

Intense dark chocolate sprinkles

Choose these if: you prefer a cocoa flavour to anise.

Bear in mind: chocolate sprinkles are a different product from crushed anise sprinkles. Check their nutrition information and allergens separately.

Drinks, gels or bars

Consider these if: you’re doing a long session and want to plan your carbohydrate intake per hour.

Bear in mind: try your chosen type and quantity during training so you know how well you tolerate them.

For exercise lasting longer than 60 minutes, the Gatorade Sports Science Institute gives a range of 30–90 g of carbohydrates per hour in a 2022 publication. So first compare what you’ll actually consume per planned portion, then choose the flavour and product format that suit your plan.

What to consider What to check when buying Who this matters most to
Carbohydrates per portion Compare the nutritional values per 100 g with the amount you plan to use. Jumbo lists 92 g of carbohydrates per 100 g and 5.5 g per 6 g portion of De Ruijter Gestampte Muisjes. If I’m planning nutrition for a long run, I want to know what my portion actually contributes. For around 50% of consumers, this predictable carbohydrate contribution would be the top priority.
Anise or cocoa Read the full product name and ingredients. Albert Heijn lists at least 52% cocoa solids for De Ruijter Specials Hagelslag Intens Puur; crushed anise sprinkles are an anise-flavoured topping. If you mean chocolate when you say ‘dark’, you don’t want to buy an anise flavour based on a search term. A pronounced cocoa flavour would be the main priority for around 30% of consumers.
Ingredients and allergens Check the current label for the specific product. Albert Heijn lists wheat starch in De Ruijter Gestampte Muisjes; check the separate allergen information for chocolate sprinkles. If I need to avoid an ingredient or allergen, the label has to meet my needs before flavour or portion size comes into it. Around 20% of consumers would consider ingredients and allergens their main concern.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming ‘dark’ is a type of crushed anise sprinkles

    Albert Heijn lists sugar, aniseed and wheat starch as ingredients in De Ruijter Gestampte Muisjes. The option containing cocoa solids is a separate chocolate sprinkle product, so its flavour and ingredients are different.

    First choose between anise and cocoa, then check the full product name.

  • Assuming cocoa content tells you whether it’s suitable for a long run

    The cocoa percentage describes the composition of chocolate sprinkles. It doesn’t tell you how many carbohydrates you’ll get from your portion or how well you’ll tolerate it during exercise.

    Use the cocoa content to guide your flavour choice, and check the nutrition information separately when planning your intake.

  • Treating a portion on the label as a complete hourly plan

    Jumbo lists 5.5 g of carbohydrates in a 6 g portion of De Ruijter Gestampte Muisjes. That’s just one possible contribution to everything you eat or drink during a long session.

    Count the planned portions from all the products you’ve chosen, and practise that combination during training.

  • Using one product’s label for another

    Crushed anise sprinkles and intense dark chocolate sprinkles have different ingredients. Even within the same type of product, the allergen information must match the packaging you’re actually using.

    Check the ingredients and allergens on the current pack before use, especially if you need to avoid something.

Brands to consider

De Ruijter

The De Ruijter products discussed here represent two different types of topping: Gestampte Muisjes and Specials Hagelslag Intens Puur.

  • Jumbo lists 92 g of carbohydrates per 100 g for Gestampte Muisjes; Albert Heijn lists at least 52% cocoa solids for Specials Hagelslag Intens Puur.
  • The intense dark chocolate sprinkles aren’t a version of crushed anise sprinkles. Check the ingredients and allergens for each product separately.

Chocolate toppings at Joybuy

This chocolate topping suits those looking for a dark chocolate flavour on bread, yoghurt or porridge, for example. Assess it as a separate product: it isn’t crushed anise sprinkles, nor is it necessarily the same as De Ruijter Specials Hagelslag Intens Puur.

De Ruijter Dark Chocolate Sprinkles, 390 g pack

De Ruijter Dark Chocolate Sprinkles 390 g

A choice for anyone looking for a dark chocolate topping rather than crushed anise sprinkles. Before adding it to your nutrition plan, check the cocoa percentage, the nutrition information for your planned portion and the allergens listed on the pack.

View at Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Are crushed anise sprinkles a dark cocoa variety?

De Ruijter Gestampte Muisjes are an anise-flavoured topping, not a dark cocoa variety: Albert Heijn lists sugar, aniseed and wheat starch among the ingredients. De Ruijter Specials Hagelslag Intens Puur is a different product; Albert Heijn lists at least 52% cocoa solids for it.

Can I plan to use crushed anise sprinkles as my only fuel during a marathon?

A portion of crushed anise sprinkles isn’t a complete plan for carbohydrate intake during a marathon. Jumbo lists 5.5 g of carbohydrates per 6 g portion; for exercise lasting longer than 60 minutes, the Gatorade Sports Science Institute gives a range of 30–90 g per hour. Count your total planned intake and practise your chosen combination during training.

What should I choose before a long training session: crushed anise sprinkles or dark chocolate sprinkles?

Choose crushed anise sprinkles if you want an anise-flavoured topping and want to count the carbohydrates in your portion; choose intense dark chocolate sprinkles if cocoa flavour is your priority. How much of your chosen topping to use depends on your meal and overall nutrition plan, not just the product name.

Where can I check the allergens in these products?

Check the ingredients and allergens on the current packaging for the specific product. Albert Heijn lists wheat starch in De Ruijter Gestampte Muisjes; don’t assume the same ingredients list applies to chocolate sprinkles.