If you’re looking for strictly sugar-free breakfast cake to use in a cake, don’t rely on ‘zero’ or ‘no added sugars’. Peijnenburg lists 4.9 g of sugars per 100 g for both its plain and wholegrain varieties with no added sugars. The Voedingscentrum (Netherlands Nutrition Centre) sets the limit for a ‘sugar-free’ claim at no more than 0.5 g per 100 g. If wholegrain and fibre are more important to you, you can compare the wholegrain variety, but also check your recipe, the ingredients and the allergens before using it in a cake.
You want the breakfast cake to meet the threshold for a ‘sugar-free’ claim. A label such as ‘zero’ or ‘no added sugars’ isn’t enough on its own; compare the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g. The Voedingscentrum sets the limit for ‘sugar-free’ at 0.5 g per 100 g.
You’re looking for a breakfast cake with no added sugars that lists its wholegrain and fibre content. Peijnenburg states that its wholegrain variety is 100% wholegrain and contains 17 g of fibre per 100 g, but it also contains 4.9 g of sugars per 100 g.
You want to know whether the breakfast cake will work with your recipe and which pack format is suitable. Check that your recipe calls for breakfast cake, then look at the label for ingredients, allergens and any sweeteners before choosing a variety.
Start by checking what ‘sugar-free’ means. Then compare the nutritional information and ingredients for the exact variety, and only after that consider the pack format for your recipe.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar-free or no added sugars | Read the exact claim and compare the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g. The Voedingscentrum sets the limit for a ‘sugar-free’ claim at no more than 0.5 g per 100 g. | If I’m looking for genuinely sugar-free breakfast cake, I don’t want to rely on a ‘zero’ label alone. Around 50% of consumers make this their first requirement. |
| Wholegrain, fibre and ingredients | Check the wholegrain claim, fibre and salt per 100 g, and read which grains and sweeteners have been used. | If sugar-free isn’t an absolute requirement, I want to know which variety is wholegrain and what its nutritional values are. This product profile comes first for around 30% of consumers. |
| Pack format and use in a cake | Check the net weight and whether the breakfast cake is pre-sliced; consider how you’ll use it in your recipe. | For my cake, I want to be able to buy a suitable quantity and know whether the slices will work in the recipe. This is the main consideration for around 20% of consumers. |
According to Peijnenburg, its plain and wholegrain varieties with no added sugars both contain 4.9 g of sugars per 100 g. This is above the limit of no more than 0.5 g per 100 g that the Voedingscentrum sets for a ‘sugar-free’ claim.
Compare the claim on the label with the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g; don’t treat ‘no added sugars’ as synonymous with ‘sugar-free’.
The Peijnenburg wholegrain variety reviewed contains xylitol and rye. According to the product information, it may also contain nuts and milk.
Check the current label for the exact variety if sweeteners or allergens matter to you. Keep products containing xylitol out of reach of pets.
The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority’s information about iodine compounds in baker’s salt does not mean that all breakfast cake contains iodine.
Check the ingredients of the breakfast cake you want to use, or ask the manufacturer whether baker’s salt is used.
The manufacturer provides nutritional information for a plain variety and a wholegrain variety, both with no added sugars.
ALDI Netherlands describes a 485 g pack of pre-sliced Gesneden Ontbijtkoek Zero with no added sugars.
Jumbo lists Ontbijtkoek Minder Suiker in a pack of 6 pieces weighing 300 g.
No. According to the Voedingscentrum, a product can contain no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g to carry a ‘sugar-free’ claim; products with no added sugars may still contain sugars. Peijnenburg lists 4.9 g of sugars per 100 g for its plain and wholegrain varieties with no added sugars.
Peijnenburg Wholegrain with no added sugars contains rye and xylitol; according to the product information, the variety may also contain nuts and milk. Before using it, check the current label for the exact pack, even if you’re buying the breakfast cake as an ingredient for a cake.
No, that doesn’t follow from the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority’s information about iodine compounds in baker’s salt. If you want to know whether a particular breakfast cake contains baker’s salt, check the ingredients or ask the manufacturer.
