Regular rye bread isn’t suitable if you have coeliac disease, as it contains rye. Choose a bread alternative labelled ‘gluten-free’ on the packaging or bearing the Crossed Grain symbol, then check whether its texture works with sweet toppings. If you eat it regularly, compare the fibre and salt per 100 g too. If you have any other allergies, check the latest ingredients list.
You’re looking for an alternative to rye bread where the gluten-free label, ingredients and allergen information matter more than the dark colour. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists rye as a gluten-containing grain.
With jam, apple syrup or fruit, you might prefer a hearty or seeded slice to light bread. The nutrition table can help you look beyond appearance.
If you often replace bread with another gluten-free breakfast, fibre and iodine are worth keeping in mind. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre notes that bread can be an important source of iodine.
If you have coeliac disease, start by checking for a gluten-free label on the packaging. Then choose a bread texture that works with the sweet toppings you like. If you eat the alternative often, compare the nutritional information for the specific products too.
| What to look for | What to check when buying | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free suitability | Look for ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol on the packaging. Read the ingredients and allergen information too. | If I have coeliac disease, I don’t want to judge by the dark colour when rye contains gluten. Around 42% of consumers put gluten-free suitability first. |
| A hearty base for sweet toppings | Check the type of bread and any listed nuts and seeds; use the fibre value per 100 g to compare. | With sweet toppings, I’m mainly looking for a dark, hearty slice rather than light bread. For around 25% of consumers, the bread itself is the first thing they consider. |
| Nutritional information if you eat it regularly | Compare fibre and salt per 100 g, and check whether iodised salt is listed in the ingredients. | If bread is often part of my breakfast, I want to know how a replacement compares with my usual choice. Fibre and iodine come first for around 33% of consumers. |
A colour that looks like rye bread tells you nothing about the ingredients. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre confirms that rye contains gluten.
Use colour and texture as selection criteria only after checking the gluten-free label and the latest ingredients list.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that ordinary oats can be contaminated with gluten-containing grains. So the presence of oats alone isn’t enough to make a suitable choice if you have coeliac disease.
If the bread contains oats, check that the packaging says ‘gluten-free’ or bears the Crossed Grain symbol.
Gluten-free breads can also differ in their salt content, whether they contain iodised salt and which other allergens they contain. The fibre value won’t answer those questions.
Compare the nutritional information per 100 g and, if you have any other allergies, always read the allergen information for the exact product.
Product information and ranges can change. This matters particularly when choosing bread because of coeliac disease or another allergy.
Check the packaging of the product you actually buy before eating it.
Albert Heijn has its own gluten-free dark multiseed bread, which could be an option with sweet toppings.
Jumbo groups several types of gluten-free bread in a dedicated online category.
PLUS provides product information for gluten-free bread, so you can compare ingredients and nutritional values.
Schär is a brand of packaged gluten-free bread, including multigrain varieties.
Yam has a dark multiseed bread that was described as gluten-free.
No. Regular rye bread contains rye, which the Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists as a gluten-containing grain. Choose a bread alternative without rye that is labelled ‘gluten-free’ or bears the Crossed Grain symbol instead.
No. The colour and the presence of seeds don’t tell you whether bread is gluten-free or how much fibre it contains. First check the packaging before eating it if you have coeliac disease, then compare the fibre value per 100 g.
Check whether the oat-containing product is labelled gluten-free or bears the Crossed Grain symbol. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that ordinary oats can be contaminated with gluten-containing grains.
Look for iodised salt in the ingredients list of the specific bread. Don’t assume that all gluten-free bread has the same ingredients. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre notes that people who cut bread from their diet may get less iodine.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging of the product you buy. Instructions for storing bread after opening and for freezing it, if applicable, can vary between products.
