Shoppers comparing classic biscuits
You want to keep eating digestive biscuits or other classic biscuits, so you compare total fat and saturated fat per 100 g rather than relying on the front of the pack.
Who will find this comparison useful?
Mindful portion-size biscuit eaters
You want to know how the number of biscuits you eat affects the amount of fat and energy in your portion. That’s why the figures per biscuit or per portion matter alongside those per 100 g.
Shoppers with additional dietary requirements
You need to take certain ingredients or allergens into account as well as fat content. First check which biscuits meet your requirements, then compare their nutritional values.
What should you look for when choosing?
Start by comparing suitable digestive biscuits and other classic biscuits per 100 g. Then use the portion size and any dietary requirements to decide which information matters most for your choice.
| What to look for | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Total and saturated fat | Compare both values per 100 g in similar biscuits. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends comparing products on this basis. | If I want to eat less fat, I need to be able to see which suitable biscuit contains less total and saturated fat per 100 g. Around 42% of consumers put this fat comparison first. |
| Portion size and energy | Read the nutritional values per portion and check how many biscuits that portion includes. | When I’m having a biscuit with my coffee, I want to compare my usual number of biscuits with the figures on the label. That’s why around 33% of consumers put portion size first. |
| Claims and varieties | If a product makes claims about sugar or fibre, check the fat values too. If needed, compare a chocolate variety with a plain one. | When choosing between varieties, I don’t want to assume that a prominent claim also means less fat. Around 17% of consumers give this check top priority. |
| Gluten and allergens | Check the ingredients and allergens against your requirements, then look at the fat values of the suitable products too. | If I need to avoid an ingredient, a biscuit must meet that requirement first, even if another biscuit contains less fat. That’s the first concern for around 8% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
-
Seeing a chocolate coating as just a difference in flavour
According to the product information at Jumbo, McVitie's Digestives Original contains 21,3 g of fat and 10,1 g of saturated fat per 100 g. The Milk Chocolate variety lists 23,6 g and 12,4 g respectively.
If fat content matters to you, compare a chocolate digestive with a plain variety. Don’t assume this example applies to every chocolate-coated biscuit.
-
Reading a sugar claim as a fat claim
Albert Heijn states that AH Digestive 0% suiker contains 0 g of added sugars, but also 20 g of fat per 100 g. These figures answer different questions.
Check the fat and saturated fat figures separately when choosing biscuits to limit your fat intake.
-
Assuming the word ‘digestive’ means the biscuit aids digestion
A biscuit’s name doesn’t prove that it has an effect on digestion. According to Jumbo’s product information, the biscuit ingredients in McVitie's Digestives Melkchocolade don’t contain any substances that aid digestion.
Base your purchase on the nutritional information, ingredients and portion size, not on an assumed effect suggested by the product name.
-
Assuming gluten-free means lower in fat
Jumbo lists 24,3 g of fat per 100 g for Lekker Vrij van Gluten Digestives Melkchocolade. A gluten-free claim says nothing about this value in itself.
If you need a gluten-free option, check the label first, then compare the fat content of products that are suitable for you.
Brands to compare
These brands offer examples of product varieties and labels to compare. The values listed apply to the specific biscuits, not to the brand as a whole.
Jumbo
Jumbo offers, among other products, a wholemeal digestive, a crunchy standard variety and a gluten-free chocolate digestive.
- According to Jumbo, Digestive Volkoren contains 17,7 g of fat and 1,6 g of saturated fat per 100 g; Krokante Digestive lists 20,5 g and 1,8 g.
- The gluten-free chocolate variety lists 24,3 g of fat and 10,5 g of saturated fat per 100 g. Compare each variety separately.
Albert Heijn
The standard AH Digestive and AH Digestive 0% suiker show why choosing based on sugar is separate from choosing based on fat.
- According to Albert Heijn, the standard Digestive contains 21 g of fat per 100 g, including 1,8 g of saturated fat. The 0% sugar variety lists 20 g of fat per 100 g.
- Albert Heijn also lists 14 g of polyols per 100 g for Digestive 0% suiker and warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
McVitie's
Original and Milk Chocolate are two different digestive varieties whose nutritional values you can compare.
- According to the product information at Jumbo, Original lists 21,3 g of fat per 100 g, while Milk Chocolate lists 23,6 g.
- Saturated fat differs too: 10,1 g per 100 g for Original compared with 12,4 g for Milk Chocolate, according to Jumbo.
Lotus Biscoff
Original Speculoos is another classic biscuit to compare with digestives, but it isn’t a digestive itself.
- Lotus Bakeries Nederland lists 19 g of fat and 8 g of saturated fat per 100 g for Original Speculoos.
- According to Lotus, the product contains wheat and soya. Check the ingredients if these are relevant to your choice.
ALDI / Biscotto
ALDI describes Biscotto Digestive Biscuits as wheat biscuits in a 400 g pack containing around 27 biscuits.
- The pack size can help if you also want to think about how many biscuits you eat at a time.
- Check the nutritional information table on the pack before comparing the fat content with other digestives.
Biscuits on Joybuy
These oat biscuits are an option if you want to assess the labels on other biscuits as well as digestives. The product name doesn’t describe them as digestives.
Image unavailable
Panpan oat biscuits 216 g
For anyone who wants to compare oat biscuits as well as digestives. Check the fat content per 100 g and the portion size on the pack. Don’t assume claims about sugar or fibre mean the product is lower in fat.
Frequently asked questions
Does ‘digestive’ mean a biscuit aids digestion?
No. Don’t assume it has this effect based on the name. According to the product information at Jumbo, the biscuit ingredients in McVitie's Digestives Melkchocolade don’t contain any substances that aid digestion.
Is a digestive with 0% sugar automatically a better choice if I want to eat less fat?
No. A claim about sugar doesn’t tell you how much fat the biscuit contains. Albert Heijn lists 0 g of added sugars and 20 g of fat per 100 g for AH Digestive 0% suiker. Compare the fat values and your portion size to make the right choice for you.
How do I compare two packs of digestive biscuits?
Compare the nutritional information per 100 g, then look at the portion you eat. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends using the values per 100 g when comparing products. For your own portion, the number of biscuits you eat matters too.
Is a gluten-free digestive also lower in fat?
Not necessarily: Jumbo’s gluten-free chocolate digestive lists 24,3 g of fat per 100 g. If you need to avoid gluten, first check that the product meets your requirements, then compare the fat values of suitable biscuits.
How should I store an opened pack of digestive biscuits?
Seal the biscuits well after opening and store them in a dry place. Albert Heijn recommends keeping its Digestive in a sealed tin. McVitie's Original product information on Joybuy advises storing it in a cool, dry place and keeping the pack tightly closed.