The tea drinker keeping an eye on sugar
You want something to enjoy with your tea, so you compare the total sugars per 100 g. You also check the ingredients list for added sources of sugar.
Who is this choice for?
The egg cake fan looking for fibre
You want to keep eating egg cakes and take wholemeal ingredients and fibre into account when choosing. These are different qualities from a lower sugar content.
The ingredients and allergen checker
You check the ingredients of your chosen variety for things such as sources of sugar or sweeteners. If allergens matter to you, check the latest allergen information on the pack too.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether you want to stick with a soft egg cake or whether another kind of biscuit would suit your tea break. Then compare like-for-like products per 100 g; according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, differences in portion sizes can make comparisons misleading.
Regular egg cake
A good fit if: you mainly want to keep enjoying a soft egg cake with your tea.
The trade-off: that choice alone tells you nothing about the sugar content, so check the latest packaging.
Wholemeal egg cake
A good fit if: you want to consider a wholemeal ingredient and fibre as well as the texture of an egg cake.
The trade-off: Jumbo also lists sugar and invert sugar syrup as ingredients in its wholemeal variety.
Biscuit with no added sugars
A good fit if: this matters more to you than the soft texture of an egg cake.
The trade-off: Verkade describes San Francisco Zero this way, but it’s a crunchy biscuit. Check the total sugars too.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars | For like-for-like products, compare ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g and check the ingredients list for sources of sugar. | I want to choose something to enjoy with my tea based on the total amount of sugars, not just a claim on the front of the pack. This sugar comparison is the top priority for around 50% of consumers. |
| Wholemeal ingredients and fibre | Check the wholemeal ingredient and fibre per 100 g; assess sugars separately. | If I want to stick with egg cake, I want to know whether a wholemeal variety suits my preference for fibre. Around 30% of consumers prioritise this combination. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the latest ingredients list and allergen information for your chosen variety, even if you’re keeping an eye on sweeteners. | If I have an allergy or a preference about sweeteners, the exact ingredients determine which biscuit I consider. For an estimated 20% of consumers, checking this is the first concern. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming wholemeal means less sugar
Jumbo lists wholemeal wheat flour in its wholemeal egg cakes, but also sugar and invert sugar syrup. So a wholemeal ingredient doesn’t answer the question of how much sugar the cake contains.
Compare fibre and ‘of which sugars’ as separate values per 100 g.
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Reading ‘no added sugars’ as ‘sugar-free’
A claim about added sugars doesn’t tell you on its own how much sugar the product contains in total.
As well as checking the claim, look at ‘of which sugars’ in the nutrition table and compare the figure per 100 g.
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Comparing nutritional information per biscuit only
Biscuits can vary in size, so values per item don’t give you a like-for-like comparison.
Compare per 100 g first, then check the portion you actually eat. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre also recommends comparing per 100 g.
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Guessing allergens from the product name
The name ‘egg cake’ doesn’t tell you what other ingredients or allergens are in a particular variety.
Check the allergen information on the latest pack of the exact product you choose.
Brands to consider
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn sells regular and wholemeal egg cakes as separate product varieties.
- You can compare both varieties using their latest nutritional information.
- Albert Heijn says that ingredients, nutritional values and allergen information may change; check the pack when you buy.
Jumbo
Jumbo offers a wholemeal egg cake variety for anyone who also wants to consider the grain ingredient.
- Jumbo lists 37,1% wholemeal wheat flour in Jumbo Eierkoeken Volkoren 300 g.
- The ingredients list also includes sugar and invert sugar syrup; check the amount of sugars separately.
Bolletje
Brosse Eierkoek is a crisp variety, unlike a standard soft egg cake.
- Bolletje describes this variety as an egg cake with a sprinkling of sugar.
- Its crisp texture and sugar topping are no reason to consider it lower in sugar; check the nutritional information.
Verkade
Verkade San Francisco Zero is a biscuit alternative, not an egg cake.
- Verkade describes this biscuit as having ‘no added sugars’.
- Check the latest sugar content and ingredients; its crunchy biscuit texture is different from a soft egg cake.
Alternatives to enjoy with your tea on Joybuy
These products are a matzo cracker, a biscuit and sachima for anyone considering something other than an egg cake with their tea. They aren’t a direct replacement for a soft egg cake; compare their nutritional information and ingredients on the latest packaging.
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Hollandia Matzo Crackers Natural, 16 stuks
An option if you’d prefer a cracker with your tea rather than a soft, sweet egg cake.
Pack of 16. Check the latest nutritional and allergen information on the packaging.
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Panpan Oat Biscuits, 216 g
A biscuit option if the texture of an egg cake isn’t important to you. Don’t rely on the ‘Sugar-Free’ claim in the original product title without checking the ‘of which sugars’ line on the packaging.
216 g pack. Check the ingredients and allergens for this variety too.
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HSU FU CHI Crispy Egg Sachima, 526 g
A crunchy sachima for anyone who doesn’t want a soft egg cake with their tea. Don’t assume the ‘30% less sugar’ claim in the original product title tells you how much sugar the snack contains; check the nutrition table per 100 g.
526 g pack. Read the latest ingredients and allergen information before buying.
Frequently asked questions
Does a wholemeal egg cake automatically contain less sugar?
No. For Jumbo Eierkoeken Volkoren 300 g, Jumbo lists both wholemeal wheat flour and sugar and invert sugar syrup. So compare the amounts of sugars and fibre separately on the pack you choose.
Is a biscuit with no added sugars also sugar-free?
Not necessarily: a product may still contain sugars. To find the total amount, check ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g, and read the ingredients if you want to identify added sources of sugar.
How do I compare egg cakes of different sizes?
First compare like-for-like products per 100 g, as recommended by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. Then check the nutritional information per portion for the amount you’ll actually have with your tea.
Can I rely on the name ‘egg cake’ to tell me about allergens?
No. Ingredients vary by variety, and other allergens besides egg may be relevant. If you have an allergy, read the latest allergen information on the packaging of the specific product.