Don’t choose the blue-and-white De Ruijter aniseed sprinkles described by PLUS as a sugar-free option: sugar is listed first among the ingredients, and the product contains 79 g of sugars per 100 g. For marathon training, a sugar-free breakfast and fuelling during a long run are two different things. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says carbohydrate intake can be relevant during prolonged exercise, but that doesn’t make aniseed sprinkles a practical fuelling plan for on the go.
You’re looking for a spread that meets your sugar-free requirements, not simply one that sounds less sweet. The blue-and-white De Ruijter aniseed sprinkles at PLUS contain sugar and 79 g of sugars per 100 g, so they aren’t suitable.
You want to plan what you eat and drink before and during a long run, and know what you can tolerate while running. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre discusses carbohydrates during endurance exercise; the label ‘sugar-free’ alone won’t tell you whether a product fits your plan.
You enjoy their aniseed flavour and crunchy texture as a topping for bread, crispbread or yoghurt. Regular aniseed sprinkles can do the job if you’re not looking for a sugar-free option; PLUS suggests these uses for De Ruijter crushed aniseed sprinkles.
First decide whether you need a strictly sugar-free spread, are planning fuelling for a long run, or want to add aniseed sprinkles to your breakfast for extra flavour.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar-free option | Check the exact claim, ingredients and ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g on the product. ‘Less sugar’ doesn’t mean ‘sugar-free’. | If I really want a sugar-free spread, a product name that sounds less sweet isn’t enough. For around 42% of consumers, choosing a product that can be verified as sugar-free comes first. |
| Fuelling for long runs | Check when to use the product and the carbohydrates per serving; practise your eating and drinking plan during training. | For a long run, I want to be able to plan what I consume and what I can tolerate while running. This is the main consideration for around 33% of consumers. |
| Breakfast flavour | Think of aniseed sprinkles as a breakfast topping, and check the allergens on the pack you choose. | At breakfast, I want to enjoy the aniseed flavour without treating the sprinkles as a complete meal. Flavour and how aniseed sprinkles fit into breakfast matter most to around 25% of consumers. |
These labels don’t mean the same thing. Albert Heijn’s sugar-conscious range includes products with various types of claims; a product’s place in this category doesn’t, by itself, tell you exactly what the pack claims.
Check the claim, ingredients list and nutritional information per 100 g for the product you want to buy.
Carbohydrates per 100 g don’t tell you how much you’ll actually eat or what you’ll tolerate while running. That’s why the Netherlands Nutrition Centre considers food and drink in relation to the timing of exercise.
Decide whether you’re looking for something to eat at breakfast or on the go, and practise your food and drink choices during long training sessions.
The blue-and-white De Ruijter aniseed sprinkles described by PLUS contain wheat. Even a small amount of topping matters if you need to avoid wheat.
Read the allergen information on the current pack before buying or serving the product.
PLUS lists De Ruijter aniseed sprinkles in several varieties, including crushed and blue-and-white. They’re intended as a sweet topping, not part of a confirmed sugar-free product range.
No, the blue-and-white De Ruijter aniseed sprinkles at PLUS aren’t sugar-free: sugar is listed first among the ingredients, and the nutritional information states 79 g of sugars per 100 g. Check the pack itself if you’re considering a different variety.
No, ‘sugar-free’ alone doesn’t tell you whether a product fits your fuelling plan for a long run. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre discusses carbohydrates during endurance exercise, so also consider when you’ll use it, the portion size and what you can tolerate during training.
Use regular aniseed sprinkles as a topping on bread, crispbread or yoghurt, for example, rather than as a complete meal or a full fuelling plan for on the go. Try any changes to what you eat before or during a run in training first.
