If you have coeliac disease, choose speculaas labelled gluten-free and check the current packaging; regular Lotus Biscoff is not a suitable alternative, as Albert Heijn lists wheat flour in its ingredients. If you also want something with protein after an intense workout, pair the biscuits with a suitable source of protein or have a meal. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends that runners eat both carbohydrates and protein after exercise.
If you want to eat speculaas after exercise, look for a gluten-free label before considering flavour or portion size. Also check the allergen information and avoid contact with crumbs from foods containing gluten, as recommended by the Dutch Coeliac Association.
A biscuit is easy to take with you, but it doesn’t have to be your entire post-exercise snack. If you also want something with protein, consider what to have alongside the speculaas or when you’ll eat a meal.
A familiar flavour doesn’t mean a biscuit is gluten-free. Albert Heijn lists wheat flour in regular Lotus Biscoff. If you need to eat gluten-free because of coeliac disease, you’ll need an alternative that is explicitly labelled gluten-free.
Looking for gluten-free speculaas to enjoy after exercise? Start by checking the packaging and where you’ll eat the biscuits. Then compare the nutritional information and choose a portion that suits your meal or snack.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free suitability | Check the gluten-free label and the current ingredients and allergen list. Keep the biscuits away from shared surfaces where crumbs may be present. | With coeliac disease, I want to check the label on my own packet and eat the biscuits without them coming into contact with crumbs containing gluten. This is the top priority for an estimated 42% of consumers. |
| What to have after exercise | Compare carbohydrates and protein per 100 g and per portion. Decide whether to have something with protein as well or eat a meal. | After an intense workout, I don’t want to eat only a sweet biscuit if I also want something with protein. For around 33% of consumers, this combination is their first consideration when buying. |
| Portion size and convenience | Compare small biscuits with an individual filled biscuit, and check the latter for other allergens too. | If I want a biscuit on the go, I’d rather choose a suitable portion in advance than have to decide there and then from a larger pack. This convenience is the deciding factor for an estimated 25% of consumers. |
These labels mean different things. Albert Heijn’s product information lists wheat flour in regular Lotus Biscoff, regardless of its vegan positioning.
If you have coeliac disease, don’t choose based on flavour, brand or a vegan label. Read the gluten-free label and allergen information on the current packaging.
Albert Heijn lists 1.9 g of protein per 100 g for its regular gluten-free speculaas, while Jumbo lists 2.0 g per 100 g for its version. Eating more biscuits won’t automatically make it a suitable combination if you also want something with protein.
If needed, pair the biscuits with a suitable source of protein or have a meal. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends that runners eat both carbohydrates and protein after exercise.
According to the Dutch Coeliac Association, gluten-free food can come into contact with gluten via hands, surfaces or kitchen utensils.
Keep the packet closed until you’re ready to eat the biscuits, use clean hands and don’t put them on a surface with crumbs from food containing gluten.
A gluten-free label doesn’t mean a biscuit is free from egg, soya, lupin or nuts. The ingredients and allergens vary between regular and filled speculaas.
If you have another food allergy, read the full allergen information for the exact product you’re buying.
Albert Heijn lists both regular gluten-free speculaas in a 125 g pack and a gluten-free filled speculaas biscuit weighing 60 g.
Jumbo lists its own gluten-free speculaas in a 125 g pack.
Schär describes its 100 g Speculoos as gluten-free, lactose-free and vegan.
Regular Lotus Biscoff Speculoos is a flavour reference if you’re looking for an alternative, not a gluten-free replacement if you have coeliac disease.
No, not as gluten-free speculaas: Albert Heijn lists wheat flour and cereals containing gluten in regular Lotus Biscoff. Choose a biscuit labelled gluten-free and check the current packaging.
No, the label doesn’t promise that there is literally no gluten. If you have coeliac disease, check that the speculaas you choose is labelled ‘gluten-free’, then avoid contact with crumbs containing gluten.
If you also want something with protein after exercise, pair the speculaas with a suitable source of protein or have a meal. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends that runners eat both carbohydrates and protein after exercise. The regular gluten-free versions from Albert Heijn and Jumbo list 1.9 g and 2.0 g of protein per 100 g respectively.
Keep the biscuits wrapped until you’re ready to eat them, use clean hands and avoid surfaces with crumbs from food containing gluten. The Dutch Coeliac Association highlights the risk of cross-contamination via hands and kitchen utensils, among other things.
