If you regularly compare nutritional information
If you often have a biscuit in the late morning, you may want to compare fibre, saturated fat and portion size. To do this, compare the same quantity of the exact products you’re considering.
Who is this choice relevant to?
For coffee and tea lovers
If you’re mainly after a crisp biscuit to enjoy with your drink, flavour may be the deciding factor. The Verkade NoboSprits Original we looked at has a different nutritional profile from the wholemeal digestives mentioned here. That’s worth bearing in mind if you buy biscuits regularly.
If you check ingredients carefully
If you need to avoid wheat, gluten or other ingredients, the words ‘spritz’ or ‘digestive’ on their own don’t tell you enough. Read the ingredients, highlighted allergens and any warnings on the packaging of the product you choose.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether you’re looking for a classic spritz biscuit, a standard digestive or a wholemeal digestive. Then compare the nutritional information and ingredients on the specific packs. If you need a gluten-free digestive, check the label separately.
Classic spritz biscuit
A good fit for: a crisp treat with coffee or tea.
Things to consider: According to Verkade, Verkade NoboSprits Original contains 1.1 g of fibre and 14.81 g of saturated fat per 100 g. Compare these figures if nutritional information matters to you.
Standard digestive
A good fit for: anyone looking for a digestive without making wholemeal the main priority.
Things to consider: the name doesn’t tell you how much fibre or saturated fat a particular product contains. Compare the nutritional information per 100 g.
Wholemeal digestive
A good fit for: anyone choosing between the biscuits we looked at who is mainly focused on fibre content.
Things to consider: wholemeal varieties can also differ in their nutritional profile. Albert Heijn lists 6 g of fibre per 100 g for AH Volkoren Digestive; Jumbo lists 5.8 g for Jumbo Digestive Volkoren.
Gluten-free digestive
A good fit for: anyone who needs to avoid gluten and whose chosen product is explicitly labelled gluten-free.
Things to consider: gluten-free doesn’t tell you anything about the rest of the nutritional profile. Albert Heijn describes Schär Digestive Landtaler as gluten-free; check the current packaging.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fibre and nutritional information | Compare fibre and saturated fat per 100 g. Also check sugars, salt and your own portion size. | If I have a biscuit regularly, I want to know how a standard or wholemeal digestive compares with a spritz biscuit. Around 50% of consumers prioritise this nutritional comparison. |
| Flavour and the occasion | Choose the type and variety of biscuit you fancy, and think about how many you’ll actually have. | With my coffee or tea, I mainly want a crisp biscuit to enjoy, even if fibre isn’t my top priority. Around 30% of consumers prioritise this kind of biscuit break. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients and allergen information. If you need to avoid gluten, check that the exact pack is labelled gluten-free. | If I need to avoid an ingredient, I can’t base my choice on the name of the biscuit. Around 20% of consumers give this check top priority. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming every digestive is wholemeal
The product name alone doesn’t tell you the difference. Albert Heijn lists 3.2 g of fibre per 100 g for AH Digestive and 6 g for AH Volkoren Digestive. Jumbo lists 3.1 g and 5.8 g respectively for the standard and wholemeal varieties we looked at.
Check the ingredients list for wholemeal flour and compare the fibre content per 100 g of the products you’re considering.
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Comparing calories per biscuit only
A biscuit or stated portion may weigh a different amount from one product to another. So a figure per biscuit isn’t the same as comparing the nutritional profile per 100 g.
First compare the nutritional information per 100 g, then decide how many you want to have during your biscuit break.
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Guessing allergens from the type of biscuit
The standard varieties we looked at list ingredients such as wheat or gluten. Just because another product is called a digestive doesn’t automatically make it suitable for anyone who needs to avoid those ingredients.
Check the current ingredients and allergen information for every variety. If you need to avoid gluten, look for an explicit gluten-free label on the packaging.
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Judging by the front of the pack alone
According to the Voedingscentrum, the ingredients list and nutrition table are a more useful guide when comparing products than the front of the pack alone. Product information can also change.
Check the ingredients and nutritional information on the packaging whenever you buy a product, even if you’ve bought it before.
Brands compared
Verkade
Verkade NoboSprits Original is a useful point of comparison if you’re looking for a classic spritz biscuit.
- Verkade lists 1.1 g of fibre and 14.81 g of saturated fat per 100 g for this variety.
- Don’t apply these figures to other spritz biscuits. If the nutritional profile matters to you, check the packaging of each product.
Albert Heijn
This own-brand range lets you compare a standard digestive with a wholemeal one.
- Albert Heijn lists 3.2 g of fibre per 100 g for AH Digestive and 6 g for AH Volkoren Digestive.
- Check the current packaging: Albert Heijn says that ingredients, nutritional values and allergy information may change.
Jumbo
Jumbo offers both a standard and a wholemeal digestive, with nutritional information for each variety.
- Jumbo lists 3.1 g of fibre per 100 g for Krokante Digestive Biscuit and 5.8 g for Digestive Volkoren.
- The varieties we looked at list wheat and gluten. If you have other dietary requirements, check the label of the exact product too.
Sondey (Lidl)
Lidl describes Sondey as its own brand of biscuits and lists Digestives naturel in a 400 g pack.
- The pack size is useful if you’re choosing based on quantity.
- Check the packaging of the product you buy for fibre and allergen information.
Biscotto (ALDI)
ALDI describes Biscotto Digestive Biscuits as wheat biscuits sold in a 300 g pack.
- It’s a named standard digestive variety for anyone looking for this type of biscuit.
- Check the packaging before comparing nutritional values or allergens with other varieties.
PLUS
PLUS Digestive Biscuit is a standard digestive with ingredients and nutritional information provided.
- PLUS lists 3.3 g of fibre and 1.8 g of saturated fat per 100 g for this variety.
- The ingredients list includes wheat, and PLUS says product information may change. Check the current packaging.
Digestives for a biscuit break
These Joybuy products are standard digestives and chocolate varieties for anyone looking for a biscuit in the late morning. If you’re choosing based on fibre or need a gluten-free option, always check the ingredients and claims for the exact product. The products below are not a comparison of wholemeal spritz biscuits and digestives.
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McVities Digestive Original, 400 g
A good choice if you’re looking for a standard digestive to enjoy with coffee or tea. If nutritional values will guide your choice, compare the fibre and saturated fat on the packaging. Check the allergen information too if you need to avoid certain ingredients.
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McVitie's Digestives with Dark Chocolate, 266 g
If you fancy a digestive with dark chocolate as a treat, this is a different variety from a standard or wholemeal digestive. Check the nutritional and allergen information for this pack separately.
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McVitie's Digestives Milk Chocolate, 266 g
If you’re after a digestive with milk chocolate for your biscuit break, consider this variety. Check its own nutritional information and, if you have an allergy, check the current ingredients and allergen information.
Frequently asked questions
Is a digestive automatically a better choice than a spritz biscuit?
No. The name alone doesn’t determine the nutritional profile. According to product information from Albert Heijn and Verkade, AH Volkoren Digestive contains more fibre and less saturated fat per 100 g than Verkade NoboSprits Original. For your own comparison, also check the sugars, salt and portion size of the exact products.
Which digestive should I choose if I mainly want to compare fibre?
Start with the wholemeal varieties, then compare their fibre content on the same basis. Albert Heijn lists 6 g of fibre per 100 g for AH Volkoren Digestive, compared with 3.2 g for AH Digestive. Jumbo lists 5.8 g for Digestive Volkoren, compared with 3.1 g for Krokante Digestive Biscuit.
Are standard spritz biscuits and digestives gluten-free?
Don’t assume they are: the standard varieties we looked at list wheat or gluten. If you need to avoid gluten, only choose a product whose exact packaging explicitly states that it is gluten-free, and check the current allergen information. Albert Heijn describes Schär Digestive Landtaler as a gluten-free variety.
How should I store an opened pack of digestives?
Seal the opened pack well and follow the storage instructions on the packaging. For its digestive, Albert Heijn recommends storing it in a sealed tin after opening. Jumbo advises keeping the digestives we looked at well sealed and in a dark place after opening.