Sugar-conscious shoppers enjoying an afternoon coffee
You want to enjoy chocolate sprinkles with coffee or tea, so you compare the grams of sugars per 100 g. You don’t assume that a pack labelled ‘less sugar’ is sugar-free.
Who should consider this?
Shoppers keeping an eye on polyols
You want to know whether a variety contains maltitol and what the warning about excessive consumption means for how much you use.
Shoppers weighing up taste and allergens
You’re choosing between dark and milk chocolate sprinkles, but first check the label of your chosen variety for milk, lactose and soya.
What should you look for when choosing?
When choosing chocolate sprinkles for your afternoon coffee, start with the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g. Then check the ingredients and allergen information for the exact variety you want to buy.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar content | Compare the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g and check whether sugar is on the ingredients list. | For my coffee break, I mainly want to know how much sugar the sprinkles contain, not just what the front of the pack promises. For around 36% of consumers, sugar content is the top priority. |
| Polyols | For Céréal, check the maltitol content, the amount of polyols per 100 g and the warning on the packaging. | If I’m keeping an eye on polyols, I don’t let a lower sugar figure determine my choice on its own; this is a key consideration for around 29% of consumers. |
| Taste and allergens | Choose between dark and milk chocolate, and check the current information on milk, lactose and soya. | The taste has to suit me, but an allergen may limit which variety I can choose. Around 21% of consumers give taste and allergens top priority. |
| Packaging and availability | Check the pack size and whether your preferred variety is available when you do your shopping. | I want to choose a pack that suits how often I have sprinkles with my coffee. Packaging and availability are deciding factors for around 14% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Reading ‘less sugar’ as ‘sugar-free’
According to Albert Heijn, both AH Less Sugar varieties contain 43 g of sugars per 100 g. The Céréal varieties compared here also contain sugar.
Before buying, check both the ‘of which sugars’ figure in the nutritional information and the ingredients list.
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Looking only at the sugar figure
Jumbo lists 40 g of polyols per 100 g for Céréal Puur and 44 g for Céréal Melk. Both varieties contain maltitol and carry a warning that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
Read the warning, and don’t automatically use more sprinkles just because the sugar content is lower. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre notes that large amounts of polyols can cause digestive problems.
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Overlooking allergens when using a small amount
Allergen information varies by variety: Céréal Puur contains soya and may contain milk; Céréal Melk contains milk and soya. Milk and lactose are listed for the AH Less Sugar varieties compared here.
Check the packaging of the variety you’re buying, even if you only plan to use a small amount of sprinkles.
Brands and ranges at a glance
Céréal
The dark and milk varieties compared here are options if you want to compare their stated sugar content per 100 g with that of other chocolate sprinkles.
- According to Jumbo, Céréal Puur contains 7.7 g of sugars and 40 g of polyols per 100 g; Céréal Melk contains 14.5 g of sugars and 44 g of polyols per 100 g.
- Neither variety is sugar-free. Both contain maltitol and carry a warning that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
AH (Albert Heijn huismerk)
The AH Hagelslag Puur and Melk Minder Suiker varieties compared here offer a relative reduction compared with their corresponding standard AH varieties.
- Albert Heijn states that both varieties contain 30% less sugar than the corresponding standard AH chocolate sprinkles.
- Both still contain 43 g of sugars per 100 g, so neither is sugar-free; milk and lactose are listed as allergens.
Jumbo (huismerk en assortiment)
Jumbo’s range includes both its standard own-brand chocolate sprinkles and the Céréal varieties discussed here.
- The product information for Céréal Puur and Melk gives the amounts of sugars and polyols per 100 g, alongside the ingredients and allergen information.
- The fact that these Céréal varieties are available says nothing about the sugar content of Jumbo own-brand chocolate sprinkles; compare the labels of each product.
Chocolate sprinkles on Joybuy
Related products will appear soon.
Frequently asked questions
Are chocolate sprinkles labelled ‘less sugar’ also sugar-free?
No. According to Albert Heijn, both AH Less Sugar varieties compared here contain 43 g of sugars per 100 g. Jumbo lists 7.7 g of sugars per 100 g for Céréal Puur and 14.5 g for Céréal Melk; neither of those is sugar-free either.
Which of the chocolate sprinkles compared has the least sugar?
At 7.7 g of sugars per 100 g, Céréal Hagelslag Puur has the lowest stated figure of the varieties compared here, according to Jumbo’s product information. Sugar is still on the ingredients list.
Why do Céréal packs carry a warning?
The Céréal Puur and Melk varieties compared here contain maltitol and state that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre explains that large amounts of polyols can cause digestive problems.
Can you rely on the ‘sugar-conscious’ label if you have diabetes?
No, that label doesn’t tell you how many carbohydrates a product contains. The Diabetes Fund advises checking the nutritional information and ingredients, as sugar substitutes or bulking agents may contain carbohydrates.