A dark chocolate biscuit is better suited to a measured snack outside the time immediately before or during a run than as a regular fuel choice during marathon training. Voedingscentrum advises against large portions and foods high in fat, protein or fibre just before exercise. Eating and drinking during prolonged, intense exercise calls for a separate choice. When comparing snacks, focus on the portion, nutritional information, ingredients and allergens. The proportion of chocolate in a biscuit is not the same as the cocoa percentage of that chocolate.
If you want something to eat before a training session, choosing the right portion and timing matters more than the biscuit’s flavour alone. Voedingscentrum advises against large portions and foods high in fat, protein or fibre just before exercise.
The word ‘dark’ on its own doesn’t tell you how much cocoa the chocolate contains. Check the proportion of chocolate in the biscuit, the ingredients, nutritional information and allergens separately.
A chocolate biscuit can be a snack, but it doesn’t automatically replace a meal, a drink or a product you plan to use during a long, intense training session. First decide which eating occasion you’re choosing something for.
First decide whether you’re looking for something to eat before a run, during a long training session or as a snack at another time. Then compare the information per portion and per 100 g, so a small pack isn’t automatically mistaken for a small serving.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who should pay particular attention? |
|---|---|---|
| Timing and portion | Check the portion size and the amount of fat and fibre. If you plan to have a snack before running, try it first on a regular training day. | If I want something to eat shortly before a run, I want to know how many biscuits make up a portion and how I’ll respond to it. For around 29% of consumers, this eating occasion comes first. |
| Snack or fuel during a run | Compare the carbohydrates and sugars per portion, and decide whether you’re looking for a snack or something to eat during prolonged, intense exercise. | During a long training session, I’m looking for something that fits my planned eating and drinking schedule, not just a biscuit containing carbohydrates. Around 36% of consumers prioritise this distinction. |
| Dark chocolate flavour | Check what proportion of the biscuit is chocolate. Look for a separate cocoa declaration if the cocoa percentage matters to your choice. | I want to choose a dark chocolate flavour and understand what the packaging says about it before I buy. For around 21% of consumers, this combination of flavour and clear product information is the top priority. |
| Allergens and recipe | Read the current ingredients list, highlighted allergens and any cross-contamination warnings on the packaging. | If I need to avoid an allergen, I want to check the packaging before choosing a biscuit. Checking the label is the top priority for around 14% of consumers. |
A percentage on a product page may refer to the proportion of the whole biscuit that is chocolate. It doesn’t tell you how much cocoa that chocolate contains.
Look for an explicit cocoa declaration if you want to choose based on cocoa content. Also compare the ingredients and nutritional information for the portion you plan to eat.
According to Voedingscentrum, large portions and foods high in fat, protein or fibre aren’t an obvious choice just before exercise. So, with a biscuit too, the timing makes a difference.
Have your usual meal earlier, and if you plan to have a small, familiar snack, try it on a training day rather than for the first time on race day.
The product ranges discussed include ingredients such as wheat, milk and soya. A product name doesn’t tell you which allergens or warnings appear on the pack you’re buying.
Check the current label when you buy, including highlighted allergens and any cross-contamination warning.
A biscuit is a different eating occasion from a main meal or the food and drink you plan for a long training session. Voedingscentrum discusses carbohydrates, regular meals and drinks as separate parts of nutrition for endurance sports.
Choose a biscuit as a snack if it fits your plan, and consider meals and drinks separately.
These brands offer product ranges that make it easier to compare labels on chocolate biscuits. Always assess the specific variety you choose: percentages and nutritional values for one biscuit don’t apply to the whole brand.
Jumbo’s own-brand range includes dark chocolate biscuits.
Own-brand varieties such as AH Digestive pure chocola and gesuikerde biscuits pure chocolade offer different types of biscuits to compare.
Lotus Biscoff offers a speculoos variety with dark chocolate in a pack of 7 × 3 biscuits.
Verkade’s range includes biscuits and chocolate products, including Chocolate Chip Melk & Puur.
These biscuits are options for a dark chocolate-flavoured snack outside the time immediately before or during a run. A dark chocolate flavour doesn’t confirm a high cocoa content or that a product is suitable as fuel while running. Check the label to assess these separately.
Image unavailable
An option if you’re looking for a dark chocolate-flavoured biscuit to enjoy outside your running schedule.
The pack contains 70 g. Before choosing this biscuit for a particular snack occasion, check the current label for nutritional information per portion, ingredients and any cocoa declaration.
Image unavailable
An option if you want to take a dark chocolate-flavoured biscuit as a separate snack.
The pack contains 72 g. When comparing it with other biscuits, distinguish between the proportion of chocolate in the product and any stated cocoa percentage. Also check the portion and allergens on the label.
Image unavailable
An option for a dark chocolate-flavoured biscuit as a snack outside your training session.
The pack contains 115 g. For this variety, compare the sugars listed in the nutrition table with the ingredients list on the current pack, and use the packaging to decide on your portion.
Don’t automatically treat an everyday chocolate biscuit as a replacement for the fuel you choose to have while running. Voedingscentrum lists sports gels and bars as possible options for prolonged, intense exercise. If you want to use a biscuit, try it on a training day to see whether the portion and timing work for you.
It depends on the timing, the portion and how you respond to it. Voedingscentrum advises having a meal around 2 to 3 hours before exercise and recommends avoiding large portions or foods high in fat, protein or fibre just before you start. Don’t try a small portion for the first time on race day.
No: the stated proportion of chocolate refers to how much chocolate the whole biscuit contains, not the cocoa percentage within that chocolate. For example, Jumbo states that Chocolade Biscuits Puur contains 63% chocolate. Look for a separate cocoa declaration if that percentage is important to your choice.
Check the current packaging, especially the ingredients list with highlighted allergens and any cross-contamination warnings. Wheat, milk and soya are present in the products discussed, but the relevant allergens vary by variety. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority states that mandatory allergens must be clearly shown on the label.
