If you want to choose speculaas with less sugar for a late-night snack, compare similar products per 100 g and read the exact claim on the packaging. Albert Heijn lists Céréal Speculoos almond pieces as ‘without sugars’; check the current label before choosing. AH Bakkers speculaas and Jumbo Bakkers Speculaas list 33 g and 29 g of sugars per 100 g respectively, while gluten-free suitability is a separate consideration.
If reducing sugar is your main reason for choosing a product, start with the nutrition information per 100 g. Check a claim such as ‘without sugars’ against the claim and ingredients on the current packaging.
You’d rather choose traditional baker’s speculaas and decide in advance how much to have. A smaller portion doesn’t change the product’s sugar content per 100 g.
For you, the gluten-free label and allergen information on the packaging come first. Compare the sugar content separately afterwards: gluten-free on its own tells you nothing about the amount of sugar.
Start with the sugar content and the exact claim. Then consider your portion and, if relevant to you, gluten-free suitability separately.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars and sugar claims | Compare similar speculaas products per 100 g and check the exact claim on the packaging. | If I mainly want to reduce sugar, I need to be able to check the figure rather than rely on a product description. For around 50% of shoppers, having a sugar figure they can verify comes first. |
| Traditional flavour and portion size | Check the portion size and number of portions per pack alongside the sugar content per 100 g. | I want to enjoy traditional baker’s speculaas but decide for myself how many biscuits to have. For around 30% of shoppers, the combination of a familiar flavour and a set portion size matters most. |
| Gluten-free suitability | Check the gluten-free label, the full allergen information and the sugars per 100 g separately. | If I need gluten-free speculaas, I want to know whether the pack I’ve chosen is suitable and what other allergens it contains. Gluten-free suitability comes first for around 20% of shoppers. |
These terms aren’t interchangeable. The Voedingscentrum defines ‘low sugar’ as a maximum of 5 g of sugars per 100 g, and ‘sugar-free’ as a maximum of 0.5 g per 100 g.
Read the exact claim on the packaging and compare the sugar content of similar products per 100 g.
Jumbo/Smulweb’s ‘Sugar-free speculaas’ recipe lists 500 g of maple syrup for four people. The title therefore doesn’t tell you how much sugar a portion contains.
When following a recipe, check the ingredients and quantities. If you’re choosing a packaged biscuit, use the nutrition information on that product.
Jumbo lists 26.9 g of sugars per 100 g for Lekker Vrij van Gluten Speculaas. The gluten-free label therefore answers a different question from the sugar content.
Check the gluten-free label and allergen information on the pack you choose, and assess the sugars separately.
Portion sizes can vary. The Voedingscentrum says that comparing products per 100 g makes it easier to compare the nutritional values of similar products side by side.
Turn the pack over to check the nutrition table and ingredients list, then use the portion size to decide how much you want to have.
Albert Heijn lists Céréal Speculoos almond pieces as ‘without sugars’ in its ‘Sugar-conscious biscuits’ category.
AH Bakkers speculaas is a standard speculaas variety; Albert Heijn lists 33 g of sugars per 100 g.
Jumbo lists 29 g of sugars per 100 g for Bakkers Speculaas and 26.9 g per 100 g for Lekker Vrij van Gluten Speculaas.
Lotus Bakeries describes Biscoff as a crunchy biscuit with a caramelised flavour.
Lidl presents Sondey as a brand of biscuits and snacks.
The Voedingscentrum defines ‘low sugar’ as a maximum of 5 g of sugars per 100 g, and ‘sugar-free’ as a maximum of 0.5 g per 100 g. Check the exact claim and nutrition table on the current packaging.
Comparing per 100 g lets you check the nutritional values of similar speculaas products side by side, even when their stated portion sizes differ. The Voedingscentrum recommends this basis for comparison; you can then use the portion size to guide your own snack choice.
Not necessarily: Jumbo lists 26.9 g of sugars per 100 g for Lekker Vrij van Gluten Speculaas. So check the gluten-free label and sugar content separately on the pack you choose.
No. The recipe title doesn’t replace checking the ingredients and quantities. For example, Jumbo/Smulweb’s ‘Sugar-free speculaas’ recipe includes maple syrup; don’t judge the nutritional value by the name alone.
Read the ingredients and allergen information on the current packaging for the specific variety. A gluten-free label doesn’t mean a product is free from other allergens.
