Families with different taste preferences
If you want to serve a familiar breakfast cake with pea soup without ruling out wholemeal, you can put out two separate varieties. Check the ingredients on each pack; ‘plain’ is not a nutritional term.
Who might find this choice relevant?
People keeping an eye on fibre
The type of wholemeal flour used and the amount of fibre per 100 g matter to you. Check the sugar content too: wholemeal alone doesn’t tell you how much sugar a product contains.
People looking to limit sugar
You compare the sugars per 100 g and want to know whether a variety contains sweeteners or polyols. If a product contains xylitol, it’s also important to read the warnings on the packaging.
What should you look for when choosing?
Before your pea soup meal, decide whether taste, fibre or limiting sugar is your main priority. Then compare the nutritional information for the specific varieties you’re considering.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Especially relevant for |
|---|---|---|
| Different tastes | Check whether you’re choosing a plain variety and a separate wholemeal one; don’t assume ‘plain’ tells you anything about its nutritional value. | If not everyone at the table wants wholemeal, I’d also like to offer a familiar flavour. Around 40% of consumers prioritise having that choice. |
| Wholemeal and fibre | Compare the wholemeal flour listed, as well as the fibre and sugars per 100 g. | When choosing breakfast cake, fibre is the deciding factor for me, even if a wholemeal variety contains sugar. This is the top priority for around 40% of consumers. |
| Sugars and sweeteners | Check the sugars and polyols per 100 g, the ingredients and any warnings. | I mainly want to keep an eye on sugars, but I also want to know which sweetener an alternative contains. This is the top priority for around 20% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming wholemeal means low in sugar
Albert Heijn’s product information lists 34 g of sugars per 100 g for AH Ontbijtkoek volkoren gesneden; Jumbo lists 35.5 g per 100 g for its wholemeal breakfast cake.
Compare the wholemeal flour, fibre and sugars separately using the nutritional information for the variety you choose.
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Ignoring the ingredients when a product says ‘no added sugars’
According to Jumbo’s product information, Peijnenburg volkoren ontbijtkoek zonder toegevoegde suikers contains xylitol and 24 g of polyols per 100 g. The packaging warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect and states that xylitol is not suitable for animals.
Read the ingredients and warnings before serving this variety, and keep products containing xylitol out of reach of pets.
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Assuming ordinary wholemeal breakfast cake is gluten-free
Jumbo’s product information lists gluten, rye and wheat in its wholemeal breakfast cake. A separate Jumbo Lekker Vrij breakfast cake is labelled gluten-free.
If you need a gluten-free product, choose one specifically labelled as gluten-free and check the label on the product you buy.
Brands to consider
Peijnenburg
The breakfast cake range includes plain and wholemeal varieties to compare, including a wholemeal option with no added sugars.
- According to Jumbo’s product information, the latter variety contains 40% wholemeal rye flour, 17 g of fibre and 4.9 g of sugars per 100 g.
- The same variety contains xylitol and 24 g of polyols per 100 g; read the warnings about excessive consumption and animals.
Albert Heijn
The breakfast cake range includes separate plain and wholemeal varieties.
- According to Albert Heijn’s product information, AH Ontbijtkoek volkoren gesneden contains 41% wholemeal rye flour and 5.7 g of fibre per 100 g.
- The same variety lists 34 g of sugars and 0.53 g of salt per 100 g; if you need a gluten-free product, check the ingredients and allergens.
Jumbo
The range includes wholemeal breakfast cake and a separate Lekker Vrij variety labelled gluten-free.
- According to Jumbo’s product information, Jumbo Volkoren Ontbijtkoek contains 8.2 g of fibre per 100 g.
- That wholemeal variety also lists 35.5 g of sugars and 0.62 g of salt per 100 g, and contains gluten, rye and wheat. The gluten-free Lekker Vrij variety is a different product.
Breakfast cake on Joybuy
Related products will appear soon.
Frequently asked questions
Is wholemeal breakfast cake automatically low in sugar?
No. Wholemeal and sugar content are separate characteristics. Albert Heijn lists 34 g of sugars per 100 g for its sliced wholemeal breakfast cake, while Jumbo lists 35.5 g per 100 g for its wholemeal breakfast cake.
How do I compare breakfast cakes with different slice sizes?
First compare the nutritional information per 100 g, as advised by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, then consider how much you actually eat. Also check the ingredients and allergens for the exact variety.
Does ‘no added sugars’ mean the same as sugar-free?
No. According to Jumbo’s product information, Peijnenburg volkoren ontbijtkoek zonder toegevoegde suikers still contains 4.9 g of sugars per 100 g; the variety also contains xylitol and polyols.
What should I look out for in breakfast cake containing xylitol?
Read the warnings for the variety you choose: for the Peijnenburg variety, Jumbo’s product information mentions a possible laxative effect if consumed excessively and states that xylitol is not suitable for animals. Keep the product out of reach of pets.