If you have diabetes, don’t choose muesli based solely on the words ‘no added sugars’. Compare the carbohydrates and sugars per 100 g, then calculate the amounts for the portion you actually eat. Check the ingredients, fibre and allergens too: a product with no added sugars can still contain sugars and carbohydrates.
If you take carbohydrates into account at breakfast, the nutritional information per 100 g helps you compare products. Then calculate the amount based on how much muesli you actually eat, rather than relying solely on the claim on the pack.
The ingredients list matters if you also want to know whether a variety contains sweeteners. ‘No added sugars’ and ‘no sweeteners’ are different product characteristics.
If these nutritional values matter to you, compare them on the same basis, for example per 100 g. Include the carbohydrates and your usual portion in the comparison too.
Start with the carbohydrates and the portion you actually eat. Then use the sugar claim, ingredients and other nutritional values to tell the varieties apart.
| What to consider | Check | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Carbohydrates and portion | Compare carbohydrates per 100 g and calculate the amount for your own portion. Include anything you add to the muesli too. | If I assess my breakfast based on carbohydrates, I want to know what’s in my whole bowl. For around 32% of consumers, portion size is the main consideration. |
| Sugars and sweeteners | Read ‘of which sugars’ alongside the sugar claim, and check the ingredients for added sugars and sweeteners. | I want to distinguish between sugars already present in the product and ingredients added for sweetness. Around 31% of consumers prioritise this. |
| Fibre and protein | Compare both values per 100 g and consider them alongside the carbohydrates, not instead of them. | When choosing between breakfast options, I want to be able to take fibre and protein into account. For around 25% of consumers, this is the first thing they compare. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the allergen information and check for any mention of polyols or a usage warning. | If I need to avoid certain ingredients or don’t get on well with a sweetener, the ingredients determine which muesli I can choose. For around 12% of consumers, this is the most important factor. |
This claim doesn’t tell you how many carbohydrates the muesli contains. Naturally occurring sugars may also be listed in the nutritional information.
Compare carbohydrates and ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g, then calculate the values for your own portion.
Crunchy muesli may list a low amount of sugars and still contain a sweetener. According to Albert Heijn, its crunchy nut muesli with 0% added sugar contains maltitols; the pack warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
Read the ingredients list if you want to avoid polyols or find out which sweetener has been used.
A sugar claim says nothing about the presence of, for example, cereals containing gluten, nuts, soya or milk. Ingredients vary between varieties.
For the product you choose, check both the listed allergens and the information about possible traces.
Milk, yoghurt, quark or a plant-based alternative is part of the breakfast you actually eat.
Use the amounts you actually have and check the nutritional information for the whole combination.
The crunchy varieties labelled ‘Zero Sugar Added’ are aimed at consumers who want to avoid added sugars. Ingredients vary by flavour.
The own-brand range includes several crunchy muesli varieties with 0% added sugar, including a nut variety and a protein variety.
Brinta Volkoren Graanontbijt is a related breakfast product, not crunchy muesli.
These products are crunchy muesli varieties for anyone who wants to compare sugar claims, ingredients and portions. A product name containing ‘Zero Sugar’ doesn’t, by itself, tell you how many carbohydrates or sugars are in your portion.
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For anyone looking for a chocolate variety in a pack of 6 x 400 g. Compare the carbohydrates, sugars, fibre and protein on the packaging per 100 g and for your own portion; check the allergens too.
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A chocolate variety for anyone comparing crunchy muesli with this flavour. Check what ‘Zero Sugar’ means for this variety on the packaging, and check the carbohydrates, the basis for the fibre value and the allergens.
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For anyone looking for a crunchy nut variety and wanting to take its nutritional values into account. According to the Joybuy product information, this variety contains 47 g of carbohydrates, 3.5 g of sugars and 20 g of fibre per 100 g. Check the current packaging, including for nuts and other allergens.
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A strawberry and peach variety for anyone comparing flavours without using the sugar claim as their only criterion. Check the carbohydrates per 100 g on the packaging and find out what the stated fibre value is based on.
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For anyone looking for a plain variety with no added sugars or sweeteners. Use the carbohydrate and sugar values on the current packaging to calculate your portion, and check the allergen information.
No. According to diabetes.nl, products with no added sugars may still contain naturally occurring sugars. So check ‘of which sugars’ in the nutritional information, and assess the total carbohydrates as well.
At the very least, compare carbohydrates and ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g, then calculate the amounts for the portion you eat. Fibre and protein can also be useful points of comparison; ingredients and allergens help determine whether a particular variety meets your needs.
Check which polyols have been used and follow any warnings on the packaging. Albert Heijn lists maltitols in its crunchy nut muesli with 0% added sugar and warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect. Also check the carbohydrates and allergens in the variety you choose.
