If sugar-free is essential, avoid the standard currant buns from Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS covered in this article: their nutrition information lists 24 to 25.2 g of sugars per 100 g. If it isn’t essential, a standard currant bun could be a planned source of carbohydrates around a long training session, provided you try out the portion, timing and what you can tolerate while running in advance.
You want to know whether the nutrition information really matches the ‘sugar-free’ claim. According to Voedingscentrum, this means a maximum of 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g; the listed figures for the varieties from Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS covered here are higher.
You want to be able to fit a portion into what you eat and drink around a long training session. For planning purposes, the carbohydrates per bun are more useful than the sugars per 100 g alone.
You want to know before you run whether the portion and timing work for you. If you need to avoid certain ingredients, check the allergens on the packaging of the variety you choose too.
First decide whether sugar-free is essential. If it isn’t, compare the carbohydrates per portion and check what you can eat and tolerate around your run.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar-free | Check the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g. According to Voedingscentrum, ‘sugar-free’ means a maximum of 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g; ‘no added sugars’ means something different. | If I only want a sugar-free product, the standard varieties covered here, with 24 to 25.2 g of sugars per 100 g, are out. For around 29% of consumers, being sugar-free is the top priority. |
| Carbohydrates per portion | Check the weight of one bun and the carbohydrates per portion. Jumbo lists 35.2 g of carbohydrates for a 65 g bun. | For a long, intense training session, I want to plan my food and drink together rather than count a bun separately from everything else. Around 36% of consumers prioritise carbohydrate planning. |
| Portion and timing | Check the portion size and fibre per portion; try out the amount and timing during training. | If I eat shortly before or while running, I want to know what amount I can tolerate. For around 21% of consumers, this is the main consideration. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the packaging of the specific variety for ingredients, allergens and salt; also check which type of salt is listed if that affects your choice. | If I need to avoid certain ingredients, I need to be able to rely on the packaging of the product I choose, rather than the name ‘currant bun’. Around 14% of consumers put checking the label first. |
The claims don’t mean the same thing: a product can contain sugars from currants and raisins even if no sugars have been added.
If you need a sugar-free option, compare the ‘of which sugars’ amount per 100 g with the 0.5 g limit that Voedingscentrum gives for this claim.
Whether a bun is easy to eat while running depends partly on the portion, the timing and what else you eat and drink.
Try out the type, amount and timing during similar training sessions, not for the first time on race day.
According to Jumbo, a 65 g Jumbo currant bun contains 35.2 g of carbohydrates, of which 15.6 g are sugars. So the sugar figure alone doesn’t show the full carbohydrate contribution of that portion.
Plan around the portion you actually eat, and include other planned sources such as drinks or gels.
A listing of baker’s salt or iodised salt for one variety doesn’t tell you which type of salt another variety uses.
Check the ingredients list on the packaging you’re buying.
Albert Heijn lists a pack of ten AH Extra-long-lasting raisin and currant buns.
Jumbo lists Raisin Currant Buns in a pack of six.
PLUS lists standard currant buns, among other products, in a pack of six.
Lidl lists currant buns in a pack of six, which, according to the product page, are only available in store.
ALDI lists Raisin and Currant Buns in a pack of six.
No. Voedingscentrum sets a maximum of 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g for a ‘sugar-free’ claim. A product with no added sugars can still contain sugars that occur naturally in ingredients such as currants and raisins, so check the ‘of which sugars’ figure too.
No, not according to the nutrition figures listed for these varieties. Albert Heijn and Jumbo each list 24 g of sugars per 100 g, while PLUS lists 25.2 g per 100 g. That’s more than the 0.5 g per 100 g that Voedingscentrum gives for ‘sugar-free’. Check the packaging of the exact variety when you buy it.
You can if you can tolerate the portion while running and fit the carbohydrates into what else you eat and drink. For intense endurance exercise lasting 1 to 2.5 hours, Voedingscentrum recommends 30 to 60 g of fast-absorbing carbohydrates per hour. That doesn’t automatically make a currant bun suitable for every training session or mealtime.
Adjust the timing and portion to what you can tolerate during training. Voedingscentrum advises eating a larger meal around 2 to 3 hours before exercise; if you’re planning to eat a currant bun closer to your run, try it during a training session first.
Don’t assume so. Ingredients vary between varieties: a listing of iodised salt for one product tells you nothing about the packaging you buy elsewhere. If the type of salt matters to your choice, check the ingredients list for the specific currant buns.
