Sprits fan who wants to compare sugar content
You want to keep eating sprits biscuits, but first check the sugars per 100 g and the portion you take with you.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Quick-breakfast eater who prioritises sugar content
You’re looking for something you can grab and take with you, and you’re open to a different type of biscuit if its nutritional information better suits your choice.
Someone looking for breakfast to take away
You’re not just looking for a biscuit, but something you can have for breakfast. That means the other parts of your breakfast matter too.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether you want a sprits biscuit, are mainly watching your sugar intake or are looking for breakfast. These choices don’t necessarily lead to the same type of product.
Classic sprits biscuit
A good fit if: you specifically want a sprits biscuit to have alongside breakfast or a drink.
The trade-off: the sugar figures for AH Spritsen and Verkade NoboSprits Original don’t, by themselves, show that either contains less sugar than a comparable sprits biscuit.
Another type of biscuit with a low listed sugar content
A good fit if: sugar content matters more to you than choosing a sprits biscuit.
The trade-off: Jumbo lists 0.4 g of sugars and 29 g of polyols per 100 g for Céréal Speculoos with Almond. It’s a speculoos biscuit, not a sprits biscuit.
Breakfast to take with you
A good fit if: you’re looking for something to replace breakfast, not just a snack.
The trade-off: combinations such as wholemeal bread or yoghurt with oats and fruit, recommended by the Voedingscentrum, take more preparation than grabbing a single biscuit.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars | Compare ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g and per portion. If a product claims to contain less sugar, check what it’s being compared with. | If I want to replace the sprits biscuits I usually eat, I want to compare sugar figures without mistaking a different type of biscuit for a sprits. Around 50% of consumers prioritise a comparison they can verify. |
| Breakfast suitability | Decide whether the biscuit is an extra or is meant to make up your breakfast. The Voedingscentrum lists wholemeal bread and combinations of yoghurt, grains and fruit among its breakfast options. | When I need to head straight out, I want my on-the-go choice to be more than just a single biscuit. For around 30% of consumers, suitability as breakfast is the main consideration. |
| Ingredients | Read the ingredients and allergen information, and check the packaging for any warnings about sweeteners. | If I choose an alternative with sweeteners, I want to know what it contains and whether it’s suitable for me. Around 20% of consumers put this check first. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming a sprits biscuit is a low-sugar choice
Wanting to eat less sugar doesn’t tell you anything about the ingredients of a particular sprits biscuit. Albert Heijn lists 28 g of sugars per 100 g for AH Spritsen, while Verkade lists 24.2 g per 100 g for NoboSprits Original.
Check ‘of which sugars’ on the packaging and decide whether you want to compare sprits biscuits only or consider other types of biscuit too.
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Assuming ‘sugar-free’ means there’s nothing else to consider
Biscuits made with sweeteners may contain polyols. Albert Heijn warns that excessive consumption of AH Digestive 0% sugar may have a laxative effect.
Check the ingredients, nutritional information and warnings on the packaging instead of relying on the wording on the front.
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Treating a single biscuit as a complete breakfast
A low sugar figure doesn’t tell you what else you’re eating for breakfast. The Voedingscentrum lists wholemeal bread, or yoghurt with oats or muesli and fruit, among its breakfast options.
If you want to take the biscuit with you as breakfast, think about what else you’d like to eat with it.
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Skipping the allergen information
Ingredients vary between types of biscuit. Céréal Speculoos with Almond, as listed by Jumbo, contains wheat, almonds, egg, milk and soya, among other ingredients.
Check the packaging of the product you’re actually buying every time, including any warnings about cross-contamination.
Brands and ranges to consider
Verkade
Worth considering if you specifically want to compare classic sprits biscuits.
- Verkade lists 24.2 g of sugars per 100 g for NoboSprits Original and also provides a figure per portion.
- This nutritional information doesn’t show that NoboSprits Original contains less sugar than a comparable sprits biscuit. Check the ingredients and allergen information too.
Albert Heijn
Offers a classic sprits biscuit, as well as other types of biscuit for anyone wanting to compare sugar content.
- Albert Heijn lists 28 g of sugars per 100 g for AH Spritsen.
- AH Digestive 0% sugar is a digestive biscuit, not a sprits. It contains sweeteners and carries a warning about excessive consumption.
Jumbo
A point of comparison if the listed sugar content matters more to you than choosing a sprits biscuit.
- Jumbo lists 0.4 g of sugars per 100 g for Céréal Speculoos with Almond.
- It isn’t a sprits biscuit and lists 29 g of polyols per 100 g. Check the allergen information on the packaging too.
Products for different on-the-go choices
These Joybuy products offer a biscuit bar, a savoury crispbread sandwich and an oat biscuit as options to take with you. None of them is a sprits biscuit, so first decide which type best suits your breakfast or snack.
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g'woon Cookie Bars Less Sugar, 6 pieces
A biscuit bar to take with you if you’re open to trying something other than a sprits biscuit. The pack contains six bars. Compare the sugars per 100 g and per bar, and check what ‘Less Sugar’ refers to.
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Wasa Sandwich Cheese & Chives, 3 × 37 g
A savoury option to take with you if you don’t fancy a sweet biscuit. This is a crispbread sandwich, not a sprits biscuit. Check the nutritional information per portion if you want to compare sugar content.
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Panpan Low GI Sugar-Free Oat High Fiber Biscuits, 216 g
An oat biscuit for anyone considering a ready-to-eat alternative to sprits. Don’t rely on ‘Sugar-Free’ in the product name alone: the accompanying nutritional information lists 11.7 g of sugars per 100 g. Check the current packaging, including the ingredients and any warnings about sweeteners.
Frequently asked questions
Do classic sprits biscuits automatically contain less sugar?
No. Albert Heijn lists 28 g of sugars per 100 g for AH Spritsen, while Verkade lists 24.2 g per 100 g for NoboSprits Original. This doesn’t show that either contains less sugar than a comparable sprits biscuit. If a product makes this claim, check the comparison on the packaging.
Is a sugar-free biscuit also a complete breakfast?
No. The sugar claim alone says nothing about the other parts of your breakfast. The Voedingscentrum lists wholemeal bread, or yoghurt with oats or muesli and fruit, among its breakfast options.
What should I look for in biscuits containing polyols?
Read the ingredients, nutritional information and warnings on the packaging. Albert Heijn warns that excessive consumption of AH Digestive 0% sugar, which contains sweeteners, may have a laxative effect.
What can I take with me if I want more than just a biscuit?
Choose a breakfast combination you can take with you, such as wholemeal bread with a topping or yoghurt with oats or muesli and fruit, as recommended by the Voedingscentrum. A biscuit can be an extra, but it doesn’t automatically replace that combination.