A regular currant bun can be a small carbohydrate snack before exercise, if the portion and timing suit you. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends having a meal around two to three hours before exercise and advises against eating a large portion just beforehand. If you’re specifically looking for a medium-sized, sliced currant bun, check the weight per bun and whether it is actually sliced on the packaging; the regular varieties reviewed don’t confirm that they meet these requirements.
A currant bun is easy to take with you, but how much feels right depends on when you eat it and what you’ve eaten earlier. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against a large portion just before exercise.
Compare not only the carbohydrates per bun, but also the type of flour, fibre, sugars and salt per 100 g. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends replacing white bread with wholemeal or brown bread wherever possible.
The regular varieties reviewed from Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS contain wheat or gluten and list milk as an allergen. Check the label on the specific pack every time you buy.
First, consider how much time there is between eating and training. Then compare the weight and nutritional information per bun. To compare flour type, fibre and salt, look at products on the same per-100 g basis.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| A small portion of carbohydrates | Check the weight and carbohydrate content per bun, not just per 100 g. Jumbo lists 35.2 g of carbohydrates per 65 g regular raisin currant bun. | If I get hungry just before a workout, I want a clearly defined portion rather than a full meal. For around 46% of consumers, a small portion of carbohydrates is the top priority. |
| Timing and stomach comfort | Adjust the portion to the time you have before your workout. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against a large portion and foods high in fat, protein or fibre just before exercise. | I don’t want to start with a full stomach when eating and exercising are close together. That’s why around 36% of consumers prioritise timing and stomach comfort. |
| Ingredients and everyday nutrition | Check the type of flour, fibre, sugars, salt and allergens on the latest label. Compare the nutritional values of products per 100 g. | Even outside of exercise, I want to know what type of flour and ingredients are in my currant bun. Around 18% of consumers therefore prioritise its everyday nutritional profile. |
You don’t need an extra snack before every workout. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends having a meal around two to three hours beforehand; a large portion just before exercise may be uncomfortable.
Consider what you’ve eaten already, how hungry you are and how long it is until your workout before deciding whether to eat and how much.
A product name doesn’t tell you how much a bun weighs or its nutritional value per portion. A standard product name also doesn’t confirm that the bun is medium-sized and sliced.
Check the weight per bun and the nutritional information per portion and per 100 g. Check the packaging or the bun itself to see whether it is sliced.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use bakers’ salt. So you can’t tell which type of salt has been used from the product category alone.
Check the ingredients list for the specific currant bun to see whether it lists bakers’ salt or iodised salt.
The regular varieties reviewed from Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS contain wheat or gluten and list milk as an allergen. Other varieties need to be checked separately.
If you have an allergy, check the latest label, including any warnings about other allergens.
Jumbo lists nutritional information and ingredients for its regular raisin currant buns in packs of six.
PLUS provides ingredients, allergen and nutritional information for its Krentenbollen lekker lang lekker, sold in packs of eight.
The product information for AH Rozijnen krentenbollen, sold in packs of six, gives a 65 g portion size and includes ingredient and nutritional information.
Lidl has a Dutch product page for currant buns and also shows mini raisin currant buns.
Just before exercise, stick to a small portion at most, depending on how hungry you are and what you’ve eaten earlier. For a full meal, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends eating around two to three hours before exercise. It advises against large portions and foods high in fat, protein or fibre just beforehand.
Not necessarily: whether you want to eat something depends, among other things, on how hungry you are and what you’ve eaten earlier. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, energy bars and gels aren’t needed for exercise lasting less than an hour.
The regular currant buns reviewed from Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS aren’t suitable: they contain wheat or gluten and also list milk as an allergen. Check the allergen information on the specific packaging for any other variety.
No, don’t assume that. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that bakers aren’t required to use bakers’ salt. Check the ingredients list to see whether the currant bun contains bakers’ salt or iodised salt.
