When choosing a biscuit with less sugar, first compare the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g. Then check the ingredients, allergens and portion size. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ‘no added sugars’ can still mean that a product contains sugars. For hand luggage at Schiphol, it’s also important to distinguish between dry biscuits and spreadable toppings. If you’re choosing biscuits with polyols, check the warning on the packaging too.
You want to know how much sugar a biscuit actually contains. So you compare the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g, rather than relying only on words such as ‘zero’ or ‘no added sugars’. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends comparing products on the same 100 g basis.
You’re looking for a biscuit to have on the go and check whether it contains maltitol, isomalt or other polyols. If a product carries a warning about a possible laxative effect from excessive consumption, you’ll want to know before setting off.
You want to take a dry biscuit through Schiphol, but you also check the ingredients and allergens on the current packaging before buying. A sugar claim tells you nothing about whether it contains ingredients such as wheat, milk or soya.
Start with the sugar content per 100 g, then decide whether the ingredients and packaging suit what you want to take with you. A claim on the front of the pack doesn’t replace these checks.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar content and claims | Compare similar biscuits by their ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g and read the exact sugar claim. | I don’t want ‘zero’ or ‘less sugar’ to disguise a higher sugar content than I expect; that’s why around 33% of consumers prioritise the actual sugar content. |
| Polyols | Read the ingredients and check for a warning about excessive consumption, if there is one on the packaging. | Just before a flight, I want to know whether a biscuit contains polyols that I’d rather avoid; for around 27% of consumers, this is the main consideration. |
| Allergens | Check the current allergen information, even if the sugar content suits your needs. | If I need to avoid certain ingredients, whether the biscuit is suitable matters more than the sugar claim; this is the deciding factor for around 20% of consumers. |
| Hand luggage and portion size | Check that the biscuit is dry and in sealed packaging, and consider how many biscuits you’re taking. Check any separate spreadable toppings separately. | I want a portion that I can pack in my hand luggage without any hassle; around 20% of consumers put this convenience first. |
A comparative claim means a product is being compared with another. Albert Heijn says that AH Roomboter minder suiker stroopwafels contain 32% less sugar than its standard butter stroopwafels, but they still contain 23 g of sugars per 100 g.
Look beyond the claim at the actual sugar content, and compare it with similar biscuits.
A low sugar content doesn’t tell you how much energy a biscuit contains. Albert Heijn lists 465 kcal per 100 g for AH Digestive 0% suiker; Jumbo lists 427 kcal per 100 g for Céréal Zonder Suikers Kokos.
Check the nutritional information per 100 g, then use the portion size to decide how much to take with you.
Albert Heijn’s product information for AH Digestive 0% suiker and Verkade San Francisco zero warns of a possible laxative effect from excessive consumption. This is useful information if you’re choosing an unfamiliar biscuit for your journey.
Check the ingredients and the warning on the packaging before choosing a product with polyols.
Schiphol distinguishes between food and liquid or spreadable food in hand luggage. So a separately packed spread or dip doesn’t automatically fall into the same category as a dry biscuit.
Check Schiphol’s current hand luggage rules for spreadable toppings.
The own-brand range includes AH Digestive 0% suiker and AH Roomboter minder suiker stroopwafels, products with different sugar contents and claims.
San Francisco zero is a biscuit that, according to its product information, contains 0% added sugar.
Céréal Zonder Suikers Kokos is a biscuit where the sugar content and sweeteners used are worth checking separately.
Yes. Schiphol says that you can take food in your hand luggage. A dry biscuit is different from a separately packed spread or dip: the hand luggage rules for liquids apply to liquid and spreadable food.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, products with no added sugars can still contain sugars that occur naturally. For example, Albert Heijn lists both 0% added sugar and 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g for Verkade San Francisco zero.
No. A sugar claim alone doesn’t tell you how much energy a biscuit contains. Compare the nutritional information per 100 g, then consider the portion you actually want to take with you.
This warning may be linked to added polyols. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that products containing more than 10% added polyols must carry the warning ‘excessive consumption may have a laxative effect’. Check the ingredients and packaging of the biscuit you choose.
First compare the nutritional information per 100 g. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends using this common basis when comparing products. Then check the weight of each biscuit and the number of biscuits to work out how much to take with you.
