If you’re looking for genuinely sugar-free chocolate sprinkles for your Dutch rusk with coffee or as a cake topping, the reduced-sugar options discussed here won’t fit the bill. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ‘sugar-free’ means no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g, while these products list at least 7.7 g per 100 g. If less sugar is enough for you, compare both the nutritional information and the ingredients: Céréal dark chocolate sprinkles have the lowest listed sugar content of the four options compared, but they contain maltitols.
A lower sugar content isn’t enough for you. Check that the nutritional information lists no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g, the limit the Netherlands Nutrition Centre gives for sugar-free products. The reduced-sugar sprinkles discussed here don’t meet that limit.
You want dark chocolate sprinkles for a Dutch rusk or cake, and are mainly comparing the amount of sugars per 100 g. Albert Heijn lists 7.7 g per 100 g for Céréal dark chocolate sprinkles; bear in mind that they also contain maltitols.
You want to compare reduced-sugar sprinkles without overlooking the ingredients. According to their product information, the Albert Heijn options reviewed each contain 43 g of sugars per 100 g and don’t list any sweetener. Check the packaging if you want to avoid sweeteners.
First, decide whether sugar-free is an absolute requirement. If it isn’t, compare the sugars per 100 g, the ingredients and the flavour you want on your Dutch rusk or cake.
| What to consider | What to look for | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Genuinely sugar-free | Check ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre defines sugar-free as no more than 0.5 g per 100 g. | If sugar-free is an absolute must for me, I can’t rely on ‘less sugar’ on the front of the pack. Around 33% of consumers put this requirement first. |
| Sugar content | Compare sugars per 100 g on the same basis, and check whether polyols are listed too. | I don’t necessarily need sugar-free sprinkles, but I want to choose the option with the lowest sugar content from those compared. This matters most to around 27% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the latest ingredients and allergen information. For Céréal, check for maltitols, soya and milk, or possible traces of milk. | If I need to avoid an ingredient or allergen, the sprinkles must meet that requirement first. This check is the top priority for around 20% of consumers. |
| Flavour and how you’ll use them | Choose between dark and milk chocolate flavour, and check that the option suits how you’ll use it: on a Dutch rusk or as a cake topping. | I want to use the same sprinkles on a Dutch rusk with my coffee and on cake, with a flavour that works for both. Around 20% of consumers give this use the most weight. |
A reduction compared with a similar product doesn’t mean the sprinkles meet the sugar-free limit. Albert Heijn lists 7.7 g of sugars per 100 g for Céréal dark chocolate sprinkles; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre defines sugar-free as no more than 0.5 g per 100 g.
If you have a strict requirement, check the nutrition table rather than relying on the wording on the front of the pack.
The Céréal options reviewed contain maltitols. Their product information warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect. The dark and milk chocolate options also differ in their allergen information.
As well as checking ‘of which sugars’, read the ingredients, look for any polyols and check the warnings on the packaging.
The Albert Heijn sprinkles reviewed are labelled as having 30% less sugar than the corresponding standard AH option, but according to the product information they still contain 43 g of sugars per 100 g.
So when comparing different brands and flavours, look at the sugars per 100 g rather than relying solely on their reduction claims.
Jumbo says on the page for its milk chocolate sprinkles with less sugar that the product is no longer available online. Albert Heijn’s page marks Venz milk chocolate sprinkles with 30% less sugar as discontinued.
Before buying, check the current product page or the packaging in store.
The dark and milk chocolate sprinkles reviewed are 200 g reduced-sugar options. Albert Heijn lists 7.7 g and 15 g of sugars per 100 g respectively.
The AH dark and milk chocolate sprinkles with less sugar reviewed come in 250 g packs. Their product information compares the sugar reduction with the corresponding standard AH option.
Jumbo’s product page for Hagelslag Melk Minder Suiker 200 g lists 42.6 g of sugars per 100 g.
According to Albert Heijn’s product page, the Venz milk chocolate sprinkles reviewed contain 30% less sugar than the listed Venz comparison product.
Albert Heijn includes De Ruijter Chocoladehagel puur in its range of chocolate sprinkles. A brand name alone doesn’t tell you the sugar content of the option you choose.
No. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre defines sugar-free as no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g; according to their product information, the four reduced-sugar options compared list 7.7 g, 15 g or 43 g of sugars per 100 g. If you have a strict requirement, check ‘of which sugars’ on the packaging.
Céréal Hagelslag puur minder suikers has the lowest listed sugar content of the four options compared, at 7.7 g of sugars per 100 g. Albert Heijn’s product information also lists maltitols, soya and possible traces of milk, and warns against excessive consumption.
Read the ingredients and usage warning as well as the nutritional information. The Céréal options reviewed contain maltitols and, according to their product information, warn that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect. Check the allergens for the option you choose too.
No. You can’t use information about baker’s salt to work out the iodine content of chocolate sprinkles sold loose. If iodine is relevant to your choice, check the ingredients of the sprinkles separately.
