If you mainly fancy something sweet after exercise, you could choose a kano pastry as a treat, or dark chocolate if you prefer a pronounced cocoa flavour. They’re different products, not interchangeable versions of the same biscuit. If protein is your priority, first consider what you’re getting from your meals. The Voedingscentrum recommends making ordinary foods the basis of what you eat around exercise; a kano pastry or chocolate bar won’t automatically replace a meal.
You want to know whether a snack fits in with what you’ve already eaten that day. When discussing food around exercise, the Voedingscentrum recommends getting enough protein from everyday foods and meals.
You fancy a treat after the gym, so you compare how much you’re eating with the nutritional values per 100 g or per stated portion.
You’re choosing mainly for the cocoa flavour and want to assess the stated cocoa percentage, portion and label. A dark chocolate bar is different from a kano pastry filled with almond paste.
Choose this when: you fancy a traditional sweet pastry alongside whatever else you eat after exercise.
Keep in mind: the portion and nutritional values of the specific kano pastry. According to Albert Heijn, AH Roomboter kano's contain 6,6 g of protein and 39 g of sugars per 100 g.
Choose this when: a pronounced cocoa flavour matters more to you than the shape of a kano pastry. Verkade states that Extra Puur contains at least 71% cocoa.
Keep in mind: it’s a different type of product. The cocoa percentage alone doesn’t tell you how much of the other nutrients you’ll get in a portion.
Choose this when: you mainly want to work out how to get enough protein after exercise. The Voedingscentrum recommends starting with a regular main meal.
Keep in mind: this meets a different need from craving a kano pastry or dark chocolate.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Protein and meals | Check the protein in the portion you’ll actually eat, as well as what else you eat that day. | If I’m mainly watching my protein intake after training, I want to know what my snack adds to my meals. For around 42% of consumers, protein needs are the top priority. |
| Portion and nutritional values | Compare the portion size with the energy, sugars, fats and saturated fats shown on the label. | I want something sweet, but I want to decide how much suits the occasion. For around 33% of consumers, choosing the portion comes first. |
| Cocoa flavour and product type | Check the cocoa percentage and whether you’re buying a chocolate bar or a kano pastry with almond-paste filling. | If I’m after a pronounced dark chocolate flavour, I don’t want to rely on the word ‘dark’ alone and accidentally choose a different type of product. Around 25% of consumers make their choice mainly based on this flavour preference. |
According to the product information, Verkade Extra Puur contains at least 71% cocoa. Albert Heijn also lists 527 kcal and 22 g of saturated fat per 100 g for this bar. So the cocoa percentage doesn’t tell you whether the bar suits your nutritional goals after exercise.
Choose the bar for its flavour, and consider separately how you’ll get what you need from your meals.
Albert Heijn lists 6,6 g of protein per 100 g for AH Roomboter kano's, while the stated portion is 45 g. That means the amount per portion is lower than the figure given for ‘per 100 g’.
Compare nutritional values based on the amount you actually intend to eat.
Ingredients and allergens vary between kano pastries and chocolate bars. Product information can also change, so a label you checked before may not be enough for your next purchase.
If you have an allergy, check the current allergen information on the packaging of the exact product.
Extra Puur is a chocolate bar for anyone looking for a pronounced dark chocolate flavour, not a kano pastry with almond-paste filling.
AH Roomboter kano's are traditional pastries made with butter and filled with almond paste. The 270 g pack contains six stated portions of 45 g.
PLUS product information covers both PLUS Roomboter kano's and Aviateur Kano's; their stated nutritional values aren’t the same.
Lidl describes Sondey Kano's as butter pastries filled with almond paste, sold in a 325 g pack.
These bars are suited to choosing dark chocolate after exercise. They’re chocolate bars, not kano pastries; if protein is your goal, don’t choose based on the cocoa percentage alone.
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For anyone who mainly wants a dark chocolate bar after exercise and prefers to choose their own portion.
The product name states 90% cocoa and a 100 g bar. Check the nutritional information and allergens on the packaging.
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An option if you’re looking for a dark chocolate bar rather than a kano pastry filled with almond paste.
The product name states 85% cocoa and a 100 g bar. Check the nutritional information and allergens on the label to help choose your portion.
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For a sweet treat when you specifically want to compare dark chocolate bars.
The product name states 78% cocoa and 100 g. Check the label for nutritional values per portion eaten and allergen information.
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A dark chocolate bar for anyone choosing what to eat after exercise based on flavour and a portion they’ve chosen themselves.
The product name states 70% cocoa and a 100 g bar. Check the nutritional information and allergens for the exact product.
Don’t rely on a kano pastry alone to meet a protein goal: consider your whole day’s menu and the portion you actually eat. Albert Heijn lists 6,6 g of protein per 100 g for AH Roomboter kano's, with a portion size of 45 g. The Voedingscentrum recommends regular meals and foods as the basis for getting enough protein around exercise.
No. The cocoa percentage describes the chocolate; it doesn’t make a bar a recovery meal. Verkade states that Extra Puur contains at least 71% cocoa. Also consider your portion, the nutritional information and what else you eat after exercise.
Check the ingredients and allergen information for the exact product you’re buying. AH Roomboter kano's and Verkade Extra Puur have different ingredients and allergen information, so the current packaging is more reliable than making assumptions based on the product name. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that allergens must be listed on the label of prepacked foods.
Check the current label because ingredients, allergens and nutritional information can change. This is especially important if you’re checking specific details because of an allergy or portion size.
