If comparing fibre is your priority at Sunday breakfast, look for a wholemeal digestive biscuit. If you want a soft cake that you can serve individually, a classic Dutch egg cake may be a better fit. Check both the per 100 g and per-portion information on the label: the varieties examined differ in fibre, sugars and portion size, and allergens may rule out a particular choice.
You want to serve a biscuit alongside the rest of your Sunday breakfast, so you compare the fibre content per 100 g. Then check the ingredients and the rest of the nutritional information, rather than relying on the word ‘wholemeal’ alone.
You’re mainly looking for a light, soft cake that you can serve individually. In that case, the portion size will help you choose more than the name ‘digestive’ or an assumption about its nutritional value.
For you, the ingredients and allergen information come before taste or texture. A digestive biscuit isn’t automatically gluten-free, and a gluten-free variety may still contain other allergens.
First, decide what matters most to you: fibre, a soft cake in a measured portion, or ingredients you need to avoid. Then compare the labels on the same basis. The figures per piece don’t tell you the same thing as the nutritional information per 100 g.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who should consider this? |
|---|---|---|
| Fibre | Compare fibre per 100 g and check which flour is listed in the ingredients. For the wholemeal digestive biscuit examined, Albert Heijn lists 6 g of fibre per 100 g, compared with 3,2 g for its plain digestive biscuit and 1,4 g for its Dutch egg cake. | I want my biscuit choice to fit a breakfast where I’m keeping an eye on fibre; this is the top priority for around 50% of consumers making this choice. |
| Portion and texture | Check the weight per piece and compare sugars and fibre per 100 g too. For the Dutch egg cake examined, Albert Heijn lists a weight of 30 g and 94 kcal per piece. | A soft cake that’s easy for me to serve individually matters more than the fibre content; around 38% of consumers prioritise this. |
| Gluten and allergens | Read the current ingredients and allergen information on the packaging. If you need to avoid gluten, look for an explicit gluten-free label and check for other allergens too. | I need to know which ingredients are suitable for me before choosing between types of biscuit; this check comes first for around 12% of consumers. |
A higher fibre figure on the label doesn’t settle the whole question. For the wholemeal digestive biscuit examined, Albert Heijn also lists 20 g of sugars, 18 g of fat and 1,15 g of salt per 100 g. So if you’re comparing it with a Dutch egg cake, you’ll need to look at both the full nutritional table and the portion size.
The product name doesn’t tell you how much fibre a biscuit contains, or prove that it has an effect on digestion. The word ‘wholemeal’ in the name doesn’t tell you how much sugar, fat or salt it contains either.
Use the name to find different varieties, but make your choice based on the ingredients list and nutritional information per 100 g.
Not every product is the same size. The Albert Heijn Dutch egg cake examined weighs 30 g; the portion listed for the AH digestive biscuits examined is 15 g.
Compare the figures per 100 g first, then consider the portion you actually want to serve.
A gluten-free digestive biscuit may still contain other allergens. The Schär Digestive Landtaler examined lists soya and states that it may contain egg and lupin.
Check the gluten-free label and read the full allergen information on the current packaging too.
Even if you buy a product regularly, the packaging of the one you’re picking up is what matters, especially if you need to avoid certain ingredients.
Check the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information again before choosing a variety.
These brands offer different types and varieties of biscuits. Compare each product individually: a feature of one variety won’t necessarily apply to the whole brand.
The product range examined includes Dutch egg cakes, plain digestive biscuits and wholemeal digestive biscuits.
The Brosse Eierkoeken met Melklaagje examined are a crunchy variety, not the same soft cake as a classic Dutch egg cake.
The Maria biscuit examined is a crisp Maria biscuit, not a Dutch egg cake or a digestive biscuit.
Jumbo lists both plain and wholemeal Dutch egg cakes in its range.
ALDI lists Scharreleierkoeken from Heerlijck Banket as a classic Dutch egg cake variety.
This product selection features a plain digestive biscuit that you could consider having with Sunday breakfast. Compare it with a Dutch egg cake or a wholemeal digestive biscuit based on what matters most to you; the product name alone doesn’t tell you which variety is right for you.
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An option if you’re looking for a plain digestive biscuit to have with Sunday breakfast. For this Original variety, Joybuy lists 3,7 g of fibre per 100 g. Compare the rest of the nutritional information too, and check the current packaging if you need to avoid any ingredients.
No. The name ‘digestive’ doesn’t tell you the fibre content of a specific variety. For the wholemeal digestive biscuit examined, Albert Heijn lists 6 g of fibre per 100 g, compared with 3,2 g for its plain digestive biscuit and 1,4 g for its Dutch egg cake. Compare the rest of the nutritional information too.
If you like, serve a biscuit as an extra rather than as a replacement for the rest of breakfast. Voedingscentrum suggests options such as wholemeal bread or yoghurt with wholegrain breakfast cereal and fruit. Then choose your biscuit based on the portion size and label.
First, read the current ingredients and allergen information. If you need to avoid gluten, check whether the product is explicitly labelled gluten-free. Check for other allergens separately too: for example, the gluten-free Schär Digestive Landtaler examined lists soya.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging for your variety. For the digestive biscuits examined, Albert Heijn recommends storing them in a sealed tin after opening. For the Dutch egg cakes examined, it recommends resealing the packaging securely and storing it somewhere cool, dry and dark.
