People who exercise and want less sugar
You’re looking for a small biscuit to eat before exercise and want to limit your sugar intake. You also want to know what a claim such as ‘sugar-free’ or ‘less sugar’ means for the portion you choose.
Who might this be relevant to?
Endurance athletes who plan their food
For a longer or more intense workout, you’ll consider not only sugars but also total carbohydrates, when you eat and what you’ve eaten earlier.
People who exercise and have a sensitive stomach
You don’t want to try an unfamiliar biscuit just before exercising without first checking its sweeteners, fibre and allergens.
What should you look for when choosing?
First, consider how the biscuit fits in with your workout and your previous meal. Then compare the nutritional information per portion: a claim on the front of the pack won’t tell you how many carbohydrates or sugars you’ll actually eat.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar claim and nutritional value | Compare sugars and total carbohydrates per portion. Check the ingredients as well as the claim on the packaging. | If I want to eat less sugar, I want to know what’s in my own portion rather than relying on ‘Less Sugar’ alone. Around 31% of consumers say checking the label is their priority. |
| Carbohydrates and timing | Check the total carbohydrates per portion and the time between eating and exercising. | For a longer or more intense workout, I want to plan what I eat around the effort involved, rather than simply choosing a low-sugar biscuit. This planning is the top priority for around 31% of consumers. |
| Tolerance and allergens | Check which polyols or other sweeteners the biscuit contains, and look at the allergens listed on the packaging. | Just before exercising, I want to avoid an unexpected reaction to an ingredient, especially if I’m sensitive to polyols or have an allergy. Around 23% of consumers put this first. |
| Convenience and portion size | Check how many biscuits or bars make up a portion, and whether that amount feels right for you before exercising. | If I’m on my way to a short workout, I want to be able to take a small snack that I already know I tolerate well. Convenience comes first for around 15% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming ‘sugar-free’ means ‘carbohydrate-free’
A low sugar value doesn’t tell you how many total carbohydrates a biscuit contains. This difference can matter when planning what to eat for a longer endurance workout.
Check both values for the portion you plan to eat, and take into account the length of your workout and your previous meal.
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Trying a biscuit containing polyols for the first time just before an important workout
The product information for a Céréal speculoos biscuit warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect. According to the Voedingscentrum, a high intake of polyols can cause wind and diarrhoea.
Try a new biscuit in a small portion during a regular workout first, so you can see how you react to it.
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Relying on the product title alone
A product name or sugar claim is no substitute for the ingredients list. Online product information can also change, as Albert Heijn notes in its product information.
Read the current packaging, especially if you need to avoid certain allergens or ingredients.
Relevant brands and retailers
These names give you a starting point for comparing biscuits and labels; on their own, they don’t tell you whether a specific portion is suitable before your workout.
Céréal
Céréal offers biscuit varieties with claims about having less or no sugar, including a speculoos variety and Choco Delight.
- For Céréal Choco Delight, Jumbo gives a comparison with a standard biscuit. Also compare the sugars and carbohydrates in the portion you plan to eat.
- The product information for the Céréal speculoos variety warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect; check the allergens too.
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn lists products including AH Digestive 0% suiker and Céréal Chocolate Chip Cookie zonder suikers.
- The individual product listings give you a starting point for comparing ingredients and nutritional information.
- Albert Heijn says that product information can change, so check the packaging of the product you buy.
Jumbo
Jumbo lists products for people watching their sugar intake, including Céréal Choco Delight, which has a product-specific less-sugar claim.
- The product listing makes clear which type of standard biscuit the sugar claim is compared with.
- A relative sugar claim doesn’t tell you how many carbohydrates are in the portion you eat before exercising.
Lotus Biscoff
Lotus Bakeries describes Biscoff as a crunchy, caramelised biscuit.
- It’s a familiar flavour to use as a reference when comparing biscuits.
- Don’t assume a standard Biscoff biscuit has a less-sugar claim; check the nutritional information on the specific pack you choose.
Biscuits with a less-sugar claim on Joybuy
This biscuit product has ‘Less Sugar’ in its name. If you’re considering it as a snack before exercise, check the sugar and carbohydrate values for the portion you plan to eat; the claim alone doesn’t tell you whether that portion suits your workout.
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g'woon Cookie Bars Less Sugar, 6 pieces
For anyone looking for a biscuit with a less-sugar claim as a small snack before a workout. The pack contains 6 cookie bars. Check how much sugar and how many total carbohydrates are in the bar you plan to eat, and what ‘Less Sugar’ is being compared with. The claim doesn’t mean the product is sugar-free.
Frequently asked questions
Does ‘no added sugars’ mean a biscuit contains no sugar?
No. This claim doesn’t rule out sugars that occur naturally. Check the ‘of which sugars’ line in the nutrition table for the portion you plan to eat.
Is a sugar-free biscuit enough before a long endurance workout?
A sugar-free biscuit isn’t automatically a suitable substitute for planning what to eat before a long endurance workout. The Voedingscentrum highlights the importance of carbohydrates for endurance sports and recommends having a proper meal around two to three hours before exercising.
Can biscuits containing maltitol cause discomfort while exercising?
They can, particularly if you consume a lot of polyols or are sensitive to them. The Voedingscentrum lists wind and diarrhoea as possible effects of a high intake, so don’t try a new biscuit for the first time just before an important workout.
Where can I check the allergens in a biscuit?
Check the allergens on the current packaging of the specific biscuit. Read the ingredients list too: the Nederlandse Voedsel- en Warenautoriteit explains how allergens must be listed on the labels of pre-packed foods.
Can I use the nutritional information on a product page to help me choose?
Use it to compare products in advance, but check the packaging before eating the product. Ingredients, nutritional values and allergy information can change, as Albert Heijn notes in its product information.