Anyone who wants to measure out a portion
If you don’t want to keep reaching into an open packet while watching TV, compare the serving size and nutritional information per biscuit and per 100 g.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Anyone keeping an eye on sugars
Compare regular and 0% sugar varieties. If a variety contains sweeteners, check the information about polyols and the warning on the pack too.
Anyone who needs to check allergens
Before buying, check the information about wheat and other cereals containing gluten. Milk and soya are also worth checking for chocolate varieties.
What should you look for when choosing?
Plain digestive
Best for: a TV night when you want a crunchy biscuit without a chocolate coating and plan to measure out your portion first.
Bear in mind: the plain varieties reviewed contain wheat; the name ‘digestive’ does not mean they have an effect on digestion.
0% sugar digestive
Best for: anyone who mainly wants to compare the sugar content on the label.
Bear in mind: AH lists polyols in its 0% sugar variety and warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
Chocolate digestive
Best for: anyone for whom the chocolate flavour is the deciding factor.
Bear in mind: the dark chocolate varieties from Jumbo and McVitie’s reviewed list more sugars and saturated fat per 100 g than the plain own-brand varieties reviewed.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Portion while watching | Check the serving size and compare the nutritional information per serving with the figures per 100 g. Albert Heijn and Jumbo list a 15 g serving for the plain digestives reviewed. | If I tend to keep reaching for something during a long TV night, I want to measure out an amount beforehand; portion size is the top priority for around 36% of consumers. |
| Sugars and other nutritional information | Compare sugars, fibre and saturated fat on the same per-100 g basis. For a 0% sugar variety, check the information about polyols too. | I want to see how the ingredients and nutritional values of plain, 0% sugar and chocolate varieties differ before choosing a flavour. This comparison matters most to around 29% of consumers. |
| Allergens | Check the ingredients, allergen information and any ‘may contain’ statement on the pack you buy. | If I have an allergy, I need to know first whether a variety is suitable for me; this check is the top priority for around 21% of consumers. |
| Flavour and storage | Choose the flavour you want and a suitable pack size; once opened, follow the storage advice on the pack. | For regular TV nights, I want biscuits I enjoy eating and can store properly. This is the deciding factor for around 14% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming ‘digestive’ is a health claim
The product name does not prove that a biscuit aids digestion. For McVitie’s Digestives Dark Chocolate, Jumbo’s product information explicitly states that the ingredients in the biscuit do not contain substances that aid digestion.
Treat ‘digestive’ as a product name, and use the ingredients list and nutritional information to help you choose.
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Judging a chocolate variety by its fibre content alone
The dark chocolate varieties from Jumbo and McVitie’s reviewed also list sugars and saturated fat; one nutritional value doesn’t tell you everything about a biscuit.
Compare fibre, sugars and saturated fat per 100 g, then decide how large a portion you want.
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Assuming ‘0% sugar’ means you can eat as much as you like
AH Digestive 0% sugar lists polyols and warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
Read the warning and decide in advance how many biscuits you want to have.
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Relying only on an old product page for allergen information
Ingredients and allergen information can change. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains the allergen information required on labels for prepacked foods.
Check the ingredients and allergens, including any ‘may contain’ statement, on the pack you actually buy.
Brands compared
Albert Heijn
AH has plain and 0% sugar digestives among the products reviewed, which you can compare using their labels.
- The plain AH Digestive reviewed lists 3.2 g of fibre and 1.8 g of saturated fat per 100 g.
- AH Digestive 0% sugar lists 0.3 g of sugars and 14 g of polyols per 100 g, along with a warning about excessive consumption.
Jumbo
The plain and dark chocolate digestives from Jumbo reviewed show why flavour and nutritional value are separate considerations.
- The plain variety lists 3.1 g of fibre and 1.8 g of saturated fat per 100 g.
- The dark chocolate variety lists 27.4 g of sugars and 12.9 g of saturated fat per 100 g; these figures apply to this product, not all Jumbo biscuits.
McVitie’s
The Original and chocolate varieties are worth considering if you want to compare a branded digestive with the own-brand varieties reviewed.
- The Digestives Original reviewed lists 3.7 g of fibre per 100 g.
- The Original also lists 10.1 g of saturated fat per 100 g. Check the allergens on the pack for chocolate varieties.
Verkade
Verkade Verk digestive dark chocolate is a specific chocolate variety to assess for its ingredients and flavour.
- The variety reviewed lists 4.2 g of fibre per 100 g.
- According to Albert Heijn’s product information, the same variety lists 28 g of sugars and 13 g of saturated fat per 100 g, and contains milk, soya and wheat.
Lotus Biscoff
A caramelised biscuit as a flavour alternative for a TV night, not a type of digestive.
- Lotus Bakeries describes Biscoff as a crunchy, caramelised biscuit.
- If you’re choosing between Biscoff and digestives, compare the labels on the specific packs; don’t treat them as the same type of biscuit.
Digestives on Joybuy
These products include a plain McVitie’s Digestives Original and two McVitie’s chocolate varieties. Start by choosing the flavour you want, then check the serving size and allergens on the pack.
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McVitie’s Digestives Original 400 g
A plain digestive for anyone who prefers a biscuit without a chocolate coating while watching TV.
The Original reviewed lists 3.7 g of fibre and 10.1 g of saturated fat per 100 g. To compare the figures per biscuit, check the serving size and nutritional information on the pack; if you have an allergy, also check for wheat and any mention of milk.
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McVitie’s Digestives Milk Chocolate 266 g
A milk chocolate digestive for anyone who particularly fancies this flavour while watching TV.
Compare the nutritional information per 100 g and per serving on the pack. If you have an allergy, check for milk, soya and wheat.
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McVitie’s Digestives with dark chocolate 266 g
A dark chocolate digestive for anyone who favours a chocolate flavour over a plain biscuit.
The dark chocolate variety reviewed lists 4.3 g of fibre, 26.6 g of sugars and 12.9 g of saturated fat per 100 g. Check the serving size and the information about wheat, milk and soya on the pack.
Frequently asked questions
Does ‘digestive’ mean the biscuit aids digestion?
No, don’t assume that based on the name. For McVitie’s Digestives Dark Chocolate, Jumbo explicitly states that the ingredients in the biscuit do not contain substances that aid digestion. If you want to compare products, read the ingredients and nutritional information.
Is a 0% sugar digestive automatically a better TV snack?
No. ‘0% sugar’ doesn’t tell you everything about the ingredients and nutritional values. AH Digestive 0% sugar lists 0.3 g of sugars and 14 g of polyols per 100 g, as well as a warning that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect. Compare the serving size and the rest of the nutritional information too.
Which allergens should I check in digestives?
Always check the allergens on the pack for the variety you choose. The plain digestives reviewed list wheat or gluten; the chocolate varieties reviewed also contain milk and soya. Check any ‘may contain’ information as well.
How should I store an opened pack of digestives?
Follow the storage advice on the pack. For its plain digestive reviewed, Albert Heijn recommends storing it in a sealed tin once opened; Jumbo advises keeping its variety tightly sealed and storing it in a dark place.