Sugar-conscious shoppers putting together a savoury sharing board
Looking for a savoury, crunchy base for Sinterklaas Eve, they compare crispbread mainly by the sugar figure shown per 100 g.
Who is this choice relevant to?
People who eat crispbread regularly
Want to enjoy the same wholemeal variety at breakfast, lunch or as a snack, so they look at fibre, salt and ingredients as well as sugars.
People who need to eat strictly gluten-free
Need to rule out standard rye or wheat varieties and check that an alternative is explicitly labelled gluten-free.
What should you look for when choosing?
First compare the sugars per 100 g, then decide whether fibre, salt or an essential allergen check affects your choice. A nutritional value alone says nothing about whether a product can formally claim ‘reduced sugars’.
| What to look for | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars and claims | Compare ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g and read the ingredients list. If it says ‘reduced sugars’, check which similar product it is being compared with. | For a savoury Sinterklaas sharing board, I mainly want to compare sugar figures without mistaking a low figure for a formal claim. Around 42% of consumers give this sugar and claims check top priority. |
| Fibre and salt | Compare the fibre and salt figures per 100 g and check which grains are listed in the ingredients. | If I eat crispbread on other days too, I want to consider fibre and salt as well as sugars. This is the main consideration for around 33% of consumers. |
| Gluten and ingredients | If you follow a strict gluten-free diet, check for an explicit gluten-free label and read the allergen information. Don’t assume a particular iodine content based on the product category. | If I need to avoid gluten, the label determines whether a product is suitable; if iodine is relevant to me, I also check the ingredients. For around 25% of consumers, checking ingredients matters most. |
Common mistakes
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Calling a low sugar figure ‘reduced sugars’
The figure on one label is not a comparison with a similar product. In its 2021 summary, the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority states that this claim requires at least 30% less sugar and an equal or lower energy value than a similar food.
Use the sugar figure per 100 g to compare products. Treat ‘reduced sugars’ as a product claim only when the packaging clearly states the claim and the comparison it is based on.
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Looking only at sugars
According to the Jumbo and Albert Heijn product pages, Wasa Wholemeal lists 20 g of fibre and 1.2 g of salt per 100 g, Jumbo Wholemeal Crispbread 10.9 g of fibre and 0.71 g of salt, and AH Wholemeal Crispbread 12 g of fibre and 0.7 g of salt. So, in this comparison, the variety with the lowest sugar figure does not also have the lowest salt figure.
Compare sugars, fibre and salt on the same per-100 g basis, and decide which differences matter for how you’ll use the product.
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Assuming it contains iodine because it uses baker’s salt
The fact that a product is crispbread doesn’t tell you which salt it contains. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that using baker’s salt in bread is not compulsory.
If iodine information matters to you, check the ingredients on the packaging or ask the manufacturer.
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Treating standard rye or wheat crispbread as gluten-free
Rye and wheat are gluten-containing grains, according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. A wholemeal label doesn’t change that.
If you need to eat strictly gluten-free, choose only a product explicitly labelled gluten-free and check the allergen information on the packaging.
Brands to consider
Wasabröd (Wasa)
Wasa Wholemeal 260 g is a specific rye variety that you can compare with other crispbreads per 100 g.
- Jumbo’s product page lists 1.5 g of sugars and 20 g of fibre per 100 g for Wasa Wholemeal.
- The same variety lists 1.2 g of salt per 100 g and contains rye and gluten; check the packaging for other allergens too.
Albert Heijn
AH Wholemeal Crispbread 375 g is an own-brand option to compare using the figures on the label.
- Albert Heijn lists 3.4 g of sugars, 12 g of fibre and 0.7 g of salt per 100 g for this variety.
- The ingredients list includes wheat, rye, sesame and sugar, among other ingredients. Check the packaging when you buy it.
Jumbo
Jumbo Wholemeal Crispbread is a wheat and rye variety with a stated serving size of 15 g.
- Jumbo lists 2.4 g of sugars, 10.9 g of fibre and 0.71 g of salt per 100 g for this variety.
- This variety contains wheat, rye and gluten. Read the allergen information if you need to avoid any ingredients.
Ryvita
Ryvita Original Crispbread is a rye product. For a comparison in the Netherlands, use the nutritional information for the variety you’re actually buying.
- Ryvita’s international product information for Original Crispbread gives nutritional values per 100 g, so you can identify the measurement basis on the label.
- Don’t assume the figures on that international product page also apply to a Dutch pack.
Crispbread and crackers at Joybuy
These products include crispbread and crackers that make a crunchy base for Sinterklaas Eve. Compare sugars, fibre, salt and ingredients on each pack; ‘Light’ or another name variation does not, on its own, confirm a ‘reduced sugars’ claim.
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g'woon wholemeal crispbread 375 g
A wholemeal variety to consider as a savoury base for Sinterklaas Eve. Compare the sugars per 100 g and check the allergen information when you buy it.
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Bolletje wholegrain crispbread 265 g
A wholegrain option for anyone who wants to consider fibre and salt as well as the sugar figure. Read the nutritional information per 100 g and check the allergens on the packaging.
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Bolletje Light wholegrain crackers 190 g
A cracker option if you’d like to compare products beyond crispbread varieties too. Don’t take ‘Light’ as proof of lower sugars; the nutritional information and any specific claim on the packaging are what matter.
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Wasa High-Fiber crackers 300 g
A cracker product for anyone who wants to compare sugars, fibre and salt together. Use the nutritional values for this specific pack; those for Wasa Wholemeal don’t automatically apply to High-Fiber too.
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Bolletje Light Golden Crisp crispbread 240 g
A crispbread variety to compare by sugar figure, without assuming that ‘Light’ means it makes a claim about sugars. Check the ingredients too if you’re specifically looking for a wholemeal base.
Frequently asked questions
Does a low sugar figure mean crispbread is ‘reduced sugars’?
No. A low figure per 100 g is not, by itself, a formal comparative claim. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority’s 2021 summary, ‘reduced sugars’ requires at least 30% less sugar and an equal or lower energy value than a similar food.
Does crispbread automatically contain iodine because it uses baker’s salt?
No. Don’t assume crispbread automatically contains iodised baker’s salt. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says baker’s salt is not compulsory in bread; check the ingredients for a specific crispbread or ask the manufacturer.
Is standard wholemeal crispbread suitable if I need to eat strictly gluten-free?
Not if it contains rye or wheat: according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, these are gluten-containing grains. Choose a product explicitly labelled gluten-free and check the allergen information on the packaging.
How can I keep crispbread crunchy until Sinterklaas Eve?
Seal the pack carefully after opening and store the product in a dry place. Albert Heijn recommends keeping its crispbread in a sealed tin; follow the storage instructions on your product’s packaging.