If you’re thinking of having organic chocolate sprinkles before exercise, first check that they’re certified organic. Then consider how soon you’ll be training and how much you’ll have. Organic certification says nothing about nutritional value, so compare the sugars, fat and fibre on the label without treating chocolate sprinkles as a product specifically designed for sport.
If there’s not much time between eating and exercising, timing and portion size matter more than the cocoa content alone. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends having a normal meal around 2 to 3 hours before exercising.
You want to be able to check that your chocolate sprinkles are certified organic. The European Commission links the EU organic logo to certification; also check the packaging for the control body code and the indication of origin.
You use chocolate sprinkles as a topping and don’t want to assume that organic means less sugar. Compare the nutritional information per 100 g and check how much you actually use.
First decide when you’ll be exercising, then check the organic labelling and finally compare the nutritional information for your portion.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Timing and portion size | Think about how long it is until your training session. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends having a normal meal around 2 to 3 hours beforehand; keep a later snack small. | If I eat shortly before exercising, I don’t want a large portion that feels heavy. This timing is the top priority for around 46% of consumers. |
| Organic certification | Check the EU organic logo, the control body code and the indication of origin on the packaging. | I want to be able to check the organic labelling before choosing chocolate sprinkles. This check comes first for around 27% of consumers. |
| Nutritional value | Compare sugars, fat and fibre per 100 g, and consider what those values mean for the portion you use. | When adding chocolate sprinkles to my breakfast, I want to compare the nutritional information for different varieties side by side. This is the main consideration for around 27% of consumers. |
The EU organic logo relates to organic certification, not the amount of sugar. Product information from Ekoplaza and Albert Heijn shows different sugar levels for the organic dark varieties mentioned.
Check the organic labelling, then compare the nutritional information and your portion size separately.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, a large meal just before exercise can feel uncomfortable, particularly if it contains a lot of fat, protein or fibre.
Take the time until your training session into account, and have a larger meal earlier instead.
Albert Heijn lists AH Biologisch Bio hagelslag puur as discontinued. What’s more, a product listing doesn’t necessarily reflect the information on the packaging you’ll see when you buy it.
Before buying, check the current packaging, availability, ingredients and allergens.
The organic extra dark chocolate sprinkles are a useful label example if you want to compare cocoa content, sugars, fat and fibre side by side.
These organic dark chocolate sprinkles are a useful label example if you want to compare ingredients and nutritional value.
These dark chocolate sprinkles are an own-brand example of how to check organic labelling on a product label.
No. Organic certification says nothing about when you eat or whether a product contains less sugar or fat. Compare the nutritional information for the variety you’re considering and think about your portion size.
Consider the size and timing of your meal or snack. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends having a normal meal around 2 to 3 hours before exercise, and drinking around 500 ml; if you’re eating later, avoid a large portion just before training.
Look on the packaging for the EU organic logo, the control body code and the indication of origin. According to the European Commission, use of the organic logo is linked to certification in line with EU requirements.
Yes. Check the current packaging for the specific variety. Ekoplaza notes that Your Organic Nature may contain lactose, milk and soya, and that De Rit may contain traces of milk; Albert Heijn notes that the AH Biologisch variety listed may contain milk and lactose.
