If both aniseed sprinkles and demonstrably lower sugar are important to you, don’t automatically choose regular aniseed sprinkles: the pink-and-white variety at Albert Heijn and the crushed variety at Jumbo each list 79 g of sugars per 100 g. If lower sugar matters more than the familiar shape, compare other types of cake sprinkles per 100 g too, and check that the ingredients and appearance suit your cake.
You’re looking for decoration for a cake, but sugar content matters more to you than the traditional shape of aniseed sprinkles. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends comparing the nutritional values of similar products per 100 g. Then check whether an alternative also gives you the decoration you want.
You want the familiar sprinkles on a cake or cupcakes, and a lower sugar content matters less to you. Jumbo lists crushed De Ruijter aniseed sprinkles as suitable for cakes and pastries; check the nutritional information for the variety you choose.
For you, checking the ingredients comes before choosing a colour or type of sprinkle. The product information checked for pink-and-white and crushed De Ruijter aniseed sprinkles lists wheat or gluten-containing cereals. Read the current allergen information for the variety you want to use.
First decide whether you want traditional aniseed sprinkles, or whether lower sugar matters more and another type of sprinkle would do.
A good fit if: you want to use the familiar sprinkles to decorate a cake.
The trade-off: the pink-and-white variety at Albert Heijn and the crushed variety at Jumbo both list 79 g of sugars per 100 g.
A good fit if: you’re happy to forgo the familiar shape of aniseed sprinkles to look for a lower-sugar alternative.
The trade-off: the chocolate strands labelled as lower in sugar in Albert Heijn’s range are not an aniseed-sprinkle product, and won’t necessarily have the same aniseed flavour or appearance.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Demonstrably lower sugar | Compare sugars per 100 g with those in a similar regular product, and check what a lower-sugar claim refers to. | If lower sugar is my main priority, I don’t want to rely on taste or a small stated serving size. For around 50% of consumers, checking the sugar content comes first. |
| Familiar aniseed sprinkles | Check the type of sprinkle and the colour variety; a different type of sprinkle is not the same as aniseed sprinkles. | For a celebration cake, I want the familiar look of aniseed sprinkles, even if that means choosing regular ones. Around 30% of consumers say this decorative choice takes priority. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredients and allergen information, including any warnings about cross-contamination. | If I need to avoid wheat or gluten, I first check whether the topping meets my requirements. For around 20% of consumers, checking allergens is the top priority. |
A less sweet taste doesn’t tell you how many sugars a product contains per 100 g.
Read the nutritional information and compare the sugar content with that of a similar product before choosing a sprinkle because it contains less sugar.
Serving sizes can differ, making two packs difficult to compare. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends using values per 100 g instead.
Compare products per 100 g first, then decide how much sprinkle you want to use on your cake.
A sugar claim tells you nothing about whether a product contains wheat or gluten. The De Ruijter varieties checked list wheat or gluten-containing cereals.
Before use, check the current ingredients, allergens and any cross-contamination warnings for the exact variety you’ve chosen.
De Ruijter offers pink-and-white and crushed aniseed sprinkles, among other varieties. Jumbo also lists celebration sprinkles and blue-and-white aniseed sprinkles in its range; this alone tells you nothing about their sugar content.
You can’t tell from the name alone. The pink-and-white De Ruijter aniseed sprinkles at Albert Heijn and the crushed variety at Jumbo each list 79 g of sugars per 100 g. Compare any lower-sugar option on the same basis with a suitable regular product.
Check what the claim refers to and compare the amount of sugars per 100 g with that of a similar regular product. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends comparing products per 100 g, as serving sizes can differ.
Yes. Jumbo lists crushed De Ruijter aniseed sprinkles as decoration for cakes, cupcakes and pastries. Being suitable for decoration doesn’t mean the product contains less sugar.
Check the current ingredients and allergen information for the aniseed sprinkles you’ve chosen. The pink-and-white and crushed De Ruijter varieties checked list wheat or gluten-containing cereals; a different colour or sugar claim doesn’t change the need to check.
