If you want a genuinely sugar-free Dutch egg cake with your coffee, avoid the products from Albert Heijn, Jumbo and Bolletje discussed here: their product information lists sugars. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ‘sugar-free’ means no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. If avoiding added sugar is your main priority and it doesn’t have to be an egg cake, you could also consider a biscuit. That’s a different choice, with a different sugar content and potentially different ingredients.
You want the ‘sugar-free’ label to match the sugar content on the label. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre sets the limit at no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g; ‘no added sugars’ doesn’t mean the same thing.
You want something to enjoy with your coffee, but a biscuit will do if it doesn’t have to be an egg cake. As well as checking the front-of-pack claim, look at ‘of which sugars’, the ingredients and any warnings on the packaging.
You’d rather have the familiar egg cake and compare options such as wholemeal varieties or portion sizes. That means accepting that the products discussed here aren’t sugar-free; the nutrition information from Albert Heijn and Jumbo shows why this needs to be considered separately.
First decide whether ‘sugar-free’ is a must-have. Only then does it make sense to compare an egg cake with a biscuit that has no added sugar, or with another kind of snack.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Genuinely sugar-free | Read the claim on the packaging and check ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ‘sugar-free’ means no more than 0.5 g per 100 g. | If I have an egg cake with my coffee, I want to be sure it meets my strict sugar-free requirement. For around 42% of consumers, this is the top priority. |
| No added sugar | Check the sugar content per 100 g, the ingredients and any warnings about the polyols used. Also check that the product really is an egg cake. | I’m happy with a different kind of biscuit if my main aim is to avoid added sugar. Around 33% of consumers give this priority. |
| Egg cake and portion size | Compare sugars and fibre per 100 g in regular and wholemeal egg cakes; if you’re considering your own portion, also check the information per cake. | I’d rather keep having egg cake with my coffee and weigh up the variety or portion size, even if it contains sugar. This is the main consideration for around 25% of consumers. |
Albert Heijn’s product information lists 31 g of sugars per 100 g for AH Eierkoeken Volkoren; Jumbo lists 33.6 g per 100 g for its wholemeal egg cakes. The fibre content doesn’t change the sugar content.
Choose wholemeal for the reasons that suit you, but check ‘of which sugars’ separately if sugar-free is a requirement.
Bolletje Brosse Eierkoeken met Melklaagje contains 42 g of sugars per 100 g and 6.6 g per cake, according to its product information. The energy figure per cake alone doesn’t tell you how much sugar it contains.
Compare sugars per 100 g and, if you’re choosing by the cake, per portion too. Make sure both figures relate to the same product variety.
A product with no added sugar can still contain sugars. Albert Heijn lists 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g for Verkade San Francisco Zero, which is above the limit the Netherlands Nutrition Centre gives for ‘sugar-free’.
Decide which of the two claims matters to you, then check the relevant nutrition information.
Verkade San Francisco Zero is a biscuit containing maltitols, not an egg cake. Albert Heijn’s product information warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
If you’re choosing something outside the egg-cake category, check the product type, ingredients and warnings.
AH Eierkoeken and AH Eierkoeken Volkoren are two varieties to compare if you don’t have a strict sugar-free requirement.
Jumbo’s regular and wholemeal egg cakes show why you should check the sugar content again when switching to a different variety.
Bolletje Brosse Eierkoeken met Melklaagje is another egg-cake variety for a snack break, but it isn’t suitable if you need something strictly sugar-free.
Verkade San Francisco Zero is an alternative from a different category if a biscuit with your coffee would suit you just as well.
This cracker is only worth considering if you’re happy to choose a different kind of snack instead of an egg cake. If you need something strictly sugar-free, always check the latest nutrition information on the packaging.
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A matzo cracker for a snack break if it doesn’t have to be an egg cake. The product name lists a pack of 16; check the latest sugar content, ingredients and allergens before choosing it to meet a specific dietary requirement.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ‘sugar-free’ means a sugar content of no more than 0.5 g per 100 g. So check both the claim on the current label and ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g.
No. A product with no added sugars can still contain sugars. Check the sugar content in the nutrition information if you want to know whether it also meets the limit for ‘sugar-free’.
Only if a biscuit is an acceptable alternative for you. Albert Heijn lists 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g for Verkade San Francisco Zero. It contains maltitols, and the product information warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
Check the allergen information for the exact variety you’re buying. For example, Jumbo Eierkoeken lists wheat and egg in its ingredients; don’t assume a wholemeal variety, biscuit or cracker has the same ingredients.
