If you’re looking for lower-sugar chocolate biscuits to enjoy with coffee, start by checking the stated sugar content, then decide whether you’re happy to serve biscuits containing sweeteners. A plain or wholemeal biscuit may suit guests who prefer to avoid sweeteners, but that doesn’t automatically make it low in sugar. Compare the nutritional information per 100 g and per biscuit. If you’re serving several guests, also check the ingredients, allergens and any warnings on the packaging.
You’re looking for a chocolate biscuit to enjoy with coffee, with the stated sugar content as your priority, and you’re happy with sweeteners. Albert Heijn and Jumbo list 0 g and 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g respectively for two Céréal biscuits.
You want less sugar, but you also want to know whether a biscuit contains polyols and what warnings appear on the packaging. This is a particularly practical consideration when you’re offering different guests something to enjoy with their coffee.
You’re looking for a familiar biscuit and want to avoid sweeteners. Compare the sugar content separately: Verkade lists 22.3 g of sugars per 100 g for San Francisco Volkoren.
First decide how important a low sugar content is to you. Then check whether the ingredients and portion size are right for your coffee break.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar content | Compare ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g, then use the portion size to work out how much sugar there is per biscuit. Also check the exact sugar claim on the packaging. | If I’m specifically looking for a lower-sugar chocolate biscuit, I want to know how much sugar is in my usual portion. For around 50% of consumers, keeping sugar as low as possible is the priority. |
| Sweeteners and polyols | Read the ingredients and, where listed, the amount of polyols. Look out for a warning about excessive consumption. | If I’m serving several biscuits with coffee, I want to be able to take the sweeteners they contain into account. Around 30% of consumers prioritise this consideration. |
| Plain biscuits as an alternative | Compare ingredients, sugars and fibre separately. ‘Wholemeal’ doesn’t mean a biscuit is low in sugar. | I’d rather serve a familiar biscuit without sweeteners, even if that means reducing sugar is less of a priority. Around 20% of consumers put this preference first. |
These phrases on the packaging don’t describe the same thing. Comparing one biscuit with another doesn’t, by itself, tell you how much sugar your biscuit contains.
Check the exact claim, then compare ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g and per biscuit.
A low sugar content doesn’t tell you how much energy or fat a biscuit contains. The portion size also makes a difference, depending on whether you serve one biscuit or several.
Before comparing products, also check the energy, fat and weight of each biscuit on the label.
Biscuits containing polyols may carry a warning that excessive consumption can have a laxative effect. So the same biscuit may not suit every guest.
Read the ingredients and warnings, and ask guests in advance about any relevant allergies or other dietary requirements.
Verkade lists 6.4 g of fibre per 100 g for San Francisco Volkoren, but it also contains 22.3 g of sugars per 100 g. The fibre content answers a different question from the sugar content.
Don’t use a wholemeal biscuit as a substitute for a lower-sugar biscuit without comparing the nutritional information.
Céréal makes chocolate biscuits whose online nutritional information shows a low sugar content. Compare the individual varieties rather than relying on the brand name alone.
AH Digestive 0% suiker is a biscuit to consider as a separate sugar-conscious option, rather than a chocolate biscuit.
Verkade offers plain biscuits as a point of comparison if you mainly want that kind of biscuit with your coffee. The examples mentioned here are not low-sugar chocolate biscuits.
No. The words ‘no added sugars’ don’t, by themselves, tell you how much sugar the biscuit contains overall. Check ‘of which sugars’ in the nutritional information and compare both per 100 g and per biscuit.
You can’t tell from the sugar content alone. For the biscuits you’re considering, also compare the stated energy, fat and portion size. Don’t draw conclusions about one product from another product’s sugar content.
A product containing polyols may carry a warning that excessive consumption can have a laxative effect. Read the warning and ingredients on the packaging, especially if you plan to serve several biscuits per person.
The packaging gives you information about the product you’re actually serving. Just before your coffee break, check the ingredients and allergens in particular if your guests need to avoid certain foods. Also check the nutritional information if reducing sugar is important.
