If you want a classic canoe-shaped pastry made with butter and almond paste, don’t choose based solely on a desire to eat less sugar: Albert Heijn lists 39 g of sugars per 100 g for its butter canoe pastries, while Jumbo lists 36.8 g per 100 g for its butter canoe pastries. If sugar content is your priority, compare the nutritional information for alternative biscuits and cookies per 100 g. A biscuit or cookie bar isn’t a canoe-shaped pastry, so check the ingredients, allergens and any sweetener warnings too.
For you, the shape, butter and almond paste are all part of the appeal. The Albert Heijn and Jumbo pastries featured in this article are regular filled pastries; compare their nutritional information if you also want to keep an eye on sugar.
You’re looking for something to enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea, and sugar content matters more to you than the canoe shape. For a biscuit or another alternative, check the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g. ‘No added sugars’ doesn’t mean the same as ‘sugar-free’.
If sweeteners or allergens matter to you, checking the sugar content alone isn’t enough. Read the ingredients list, allergen information and any warnings on the exact pack.
First decide whether you specifically want a canoe-shaped pastry with almond paste. Then compare the nutritional information for products you’d consider as alternatives.
A good fit if: a filled pastry made with butter and almond paste is what matters most to you.
The trade-off: the Albert Heijn and Jumbo pastries featured here don’t provide a substantiated option for anyone looking for less sugar.
A good fit if: you’re also open to a biscuit or another type of cookie, based on its stated sugar content.
The trade-off: you’ll be giving up the canoe-shaped pastry with almond paste, and will need to check the ingredients and any warnings for each product.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Canoe shape and almond paste | Read the product description: is it a filled canoe-shaped pastry with almond paste, or a different type of biscuit or cookie? | If I want to serve a recognisable canoe-shaped pastry, its shape matters more to me than choosing a biscuit. Around 33% of consumers would put the classic canoe-shaped pastry first. |
| Sugars listed | Compare the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g and read the exact claim on the pack. | I’m happy to choose a different shape for my coffee break if the stated sugar content is my main concern. Around 42% of consumers would make reducing sugar their top priority. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the sweeteners, allergens and any warnings on the exact pack. | If I’m considering an alternative with sweeteners, I want to know what ingredients and allergens it contains first. Around 25% of consumers would put this check first. |
The shape tells you nothing about the sugar content. Albert Heijn lists 39 g of sugars per 100 g for its butter canoe pastries; Jumbo lists 36.8 g per 100 g for its butter canoe pastries.
Decide whether the classic pastry or the sugar content matters more, and look at other types of biscuits and cookies if needed.
Albert Heijn describes Verkade San Francisco Zero as a product with no added sugars, but its nutritional information lists 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g.
Read the claim alongside the ‘of which sugars’ row in the nutrition table, and check the ingredients list.
Alternatives may contain sweeteners. Albert Heijn lists maltitol in Verkade San Francisco Zero; PLUS lists 18 g of polyols per 100 g in Céréal sugar-free coconut biscuits. Both products carry a warning that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
Check the ingredients, allergens and warnings on the pack you’re buying too.
A supermarket own-brand option if you’re looking for a traditional canoe-shaped pastry made with butter and almond paste.
A supermarket own-brand option for anyone who values a classic canoe-shaped pastry with almond paste.
San Francisco Zero is a biscuit option if the canoe shape isn’t essential.
These coconut biscuits are a different type of cookie to consider if you want to compare the stated sugar content.
These biscuits and cookie bars are worth considering if you’re open to something other than a canoe-shaped pastry with almond paste. Check any sugar-related claims against the nutritional information on the exact pack.
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A biscuit to consider if you don’t need the canoe shape. Don’t judge the ‘Sugar-Free’ claim by the name alone: check the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g on the exact pack. Consider the ingredients and allergens too.
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A cookie bar for anyone considering types of biscuits and cookies other than canoe-shaped pastries. For the ‘Less Sugar’ claim, check what it’s being compared with. Also compare the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g and read the ingredients on the exact pack.
No. The shape tells you nothing about sugar reduction. Albert Heijn lists 39 g of sugars per 100 g for its butter canoe pastries, while Jumbo lists 36.8 g per 100 g for its butter canoe pastries. If you’re considering another variety, always check the nutritional information on that exact pack.
No. Albert Heijn lists both ‘no added sugars’ and 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g for Verkade San Francisco Zero. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre explains that the ‘of which sugars’ row shows all the sugars in the product; use it to compare products per 100 g.
Read the ingredients and any warnings on the pack. Albert Heijn lists maltitol in Verkade San Francisco Zero, while PLUS lists 18 g of polyols per 100 g in Céréal sugar-free coconut biscuits. Both product listings warn that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
No. Read the exact claim and the product’s nutritional information too. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that nutrition claims must comply with rules and that voluntary food information must not be misleading, confusing or ambiguous. Comparing products per 100 g helps you assess the stated sugar content, but it doesn’t tell you by itself what a reduction claim is being compared with.
