Choose porridge oats with a simple ingredients list if you want to decide what goes into your breakfast. Then compare carbohydrates, sugars and fibre per 100 g and for the amount you eat. Low sugar or a ‘no added sugar’ claim doesn’t mean a serving is low in carbohydrates.
If you keep track of the carbohydrates in your breakfast, the figure for the amount of porridge oats you eat is the most useful. Diabetes.nl explains why total carbohydrates matter, so don’t compare only the ‘of which sugars’ figure.
If you want to tell plain porridge oats apart from a sweetened flavour, read the ingredients list on the exact pack you’re buying. Also check the sugars and total carbohydrates in the nutrition information.
Portion packs can make measuring easier. Check how many grams are in each sachet, though, and compare the nutrition information for that variant with the amount you plan to eat.
When choosing porridge oats for breakfast, decide which feature matters most to you. Then use the same amount of dry oats as a basis for comparing labels.
| What to look for | Check | Especially useful for |
|---|---|---|
| Carbohydrates per portion | Compare carbohydrates per 100 g and work out the amount for the quantity of dry oats you use. Count any ingredients you add separately. | I want to know how many carbohydrates are in my breakfast before choosing a portion. Around 36% of consumers would make this portion calculation their first buying priority. |
| Sugars and ingredients | Read the ‘of which sugars’ figure and the ingredients list for the variant you’ve chosen. A ‘no added sugar’ claim doesn’t tell you the total carbohydrate content. | When choosing a flavoured variety, I want to see whether sugar or other sweet ingredients have been added. Around 29% of consumers would put this ingredients check first. |
| Wholegrain oats and fibre | Check whether wholegrain oats are listed and compare fibre per 100 g, while keeping portion size in mind. | If I’m looking for a simple wholegrain base, I also want to compare the fibre content. Around 21% of consumers would choose this as their main consideration. |
| Preparation and set portions | Check the weight of each sachet and the nutrition information for the exact variant. | On busy mornings, I don’t want to weigh out oats every time, but I still want to know what’s in one sachet. Portion convenience would be the biggest deciding factor for around 14% of consumers. |
Porridge oats with little sugar can still contain a significant amount of carbohydrates. Diabetes.nl points out that carbohydrates affect blood glucose levels.
Also compare the total carbohydrates in the portion you eat, and include milk, fruit or other additions when working out the figures for your meal.
Even without added sugar, a product may contain naturally occurring sugars and other carbohydrates.
Read the ingredients list and nutrition information for the exact flavour rather than relying only on the front of the pack.
The nutrition values shown by Albert Heijn for Brinta Havermout are for a serving made with 40 g of oats and 250 ml of semi-skimmed milk. That’s not the same basis as 100 g of dry oats.
Compare dry products on the same basis, then calculate the ingredients in your own bowl.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, oat products can come into contact with gluten during processing. This matters if you need gluten-free products because of coeliac disease.
If so, check the pack for the official Crossed Grain trademark.
Brinta Havermout is an option if you’re looking for extra-fine oats for a hot breakfast.
With Quaker, you can compare a large pack of plain porridge oats with a Naturel portion-pack option.
Jumbo offers organic wholegrain porridge oats for anyone looking to compare a product made with oats alone.
These products give you two ways to choose oats for a hot bowl: a larger pack to measure out yourself, or an Express variety if you’re looking for portion packs. For each product, compare the nutrition information with the amount you use.
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A larger pack for anyone who wants to measure out their own portion of oats. Jumbo lists 100% wholegrain oats for this variety, with 60 g of carbohydrates and 1.1 g of sugars per 100 g. Work out the values for your own portion and, if you have coeliac disease, check the certification on the pack.
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An Express variety to consider if you find pre-measured portions handy. Check the pack for the weight of each sachet and whether carbohydrates and sugars are listed per 100 g or per portion. Make sure you’re looking at the exact variety you’re buying.
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An option if you want to make your own bowl with extra-fine oats. Albert Heijn lists 100% oat flakes as the ingredient. The nutrition values shown there are for oats prepared with milk, so don’t use them as the values for dry flakes. If you have coeliac disease, also check the certification on the pack.
No. Porridge oats contain carbohydrates even without added sugar. Check the total carbohydrates per 100 g and work out the amount for the portion you use.
Weigh the amount you want to use, then use the pack to calculate the carbohydrates. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre gives 23.7 g of carbohydrates for 40 g of oats as a reference; milk and toppings will change the values for your whole breakfast. Diabetes.nl says there is no single amount of carbohydrates that is best for everyone with diabetes.
Not without checking the label. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre warns that oat products may be contaminated with gluten and says the pack must carry the official Crossed Grain trademark for the product to be suitable for people with coeliac disease.
