If sugar-free is a firm requirement, don’t choose a regular canoe biscuit: Jumbo lists 36.8 g of sugars per 100 g for its canoe biscuits, while Albert Heijn lists 39 g per 100 g for its butter canoe biscuits. Instead, look for a biscuit that is actually labelled ‘sugar-free’ and check the nutritional information. A biscuit with no added sugars is another option if you mainly want to avoid added sugar, but it may still contain sugars and won’t have the filling of a canoe biscuit.
You want a biscuit for the car journey that meets the ‘sugar-free’ definition. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, this means no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g; ‘no added sugars’ doesn’t mean the same thing.
You’re happy to take a biscuit rather than a canoe biscuit filled with almond paste, as long as the claim about added sugars suits your needs. You’ll still need to check the amount of sugars in each product.
You prefer a butter biscuit with almond paste in its familiar shape. For this option, the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information for the specific canoe biscuit matter more than finding a sugar-free substitute.
First decide whether ‘sugar-free’ is essential or whether ‘no added sugars’ is enough. Then you can weigh up how much the flavour and filling of a regular canoe biscuit matter to you.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Strictly sugar-free | Look for the ‘sugar-free’ claim and compare ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g with the Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s maximum limit of 0.5 g. | If sugar-free is essential for me, I don’t want to rely on packaging that merely suggests a product contains less sugar. This strict requirement is a priority for around 45% of consumers. |
| No added sugars | Read the exact claim and check the amount of sugars per 100 g; also look for any warnings about polyols. | I’d also take a biscuit for the journey if it helps me avoid added sugars, even if it isn’t a canoe biscuit. Around 33% of consumers say this is their top priority. |
| A familiar canoe biscuit | Compare the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information per 100 g and per serving for the canoe biscuit you choose. | I specifically want to take a butter biscuit with almond paste, and accept that the regular canoe biscuits listed by Jumbo and Albert Heijn contain sugars. This preference matters most to around 22% of consumers. |
These claims don’t mean the same thing. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre sets the limit for ‘sugar-free’ at no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g; a product with no added sugars can contain more than this.
Read the claim on the packaging and also check the ‘of which sugars’ line per 100 g.
The size of a biscuit doesn’t change the amount of sugars per 100 g. Jumbo lists 36.8 g per 100 g for its butter canoe biscuits; Albert Heijn lists 39 g per 100 g for its butter canoe biscuits.
Choose a regular canoe biscuit for its flavour and filling, not as a substitute for a biscuit that needs to be sugar-free.
Regular canoe biscuits and biscuit alternatives can contain different allergens. Jumbo also lists maltitol in Verkade San Francisco Naturel Zero and warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
Before you set off, check the current packaging for allergens, ingredients and any usage warnings for the product you’re taking.
Its own-brand butter canoe biscuit is worth considering if you’re looking for a traditional biscuit filled with almond paste.
It sells its own-brand butter canoe biscuit, as well as other types of biscuits labelled ‘no sugars’.
San Francisco Naturel Zero is a biscuit alternative for anyone looking to avoid added sugar who doesn’t need a canoe-shaped biscuit.
This Joybuy product is labelled sugar-free and is an alternative for anyone who doesn’t need a biscuit filled with almond paste for the journey. Check the current packaging if the exact amount of sugars or the ingredients are important to you.
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An alternative for anyone looking for a product labelled ‘sugar-free’ for the journey, rather than a biscuit filled with almond paste. Check the nutritional information and ingredients on the current packaging before taking it with you.
In the Netherlands, the ‘sugar-free’ claim means a product contains no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g or 100 ml, according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. For a biscuit, check both the claim and the amount of sugars per 100 g on the packaging.
No, a product with no added sugars can still contain sugars. For example, Jumbo lists 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g for Verkade San Francisco Naturel Zero, which is above the limit the Netherlands Nutrition Centre sets for ‘sugar-free’.
No. Based on the nutritional information they provide, the regular canoe biscuits from Jumbo and Albert Heijn don’t meet a strict sugar-free requirement. Jumbo lists 36.8 g of sugars per 100 g and Albert Heijn lists 39 g per 100 g. If sugar-free is your priority, look for a different type of biscuit.
Check the current packaging for sugars per 100 g, allergens and any usage warnings. For Verkade San Francisco Naturel Zero, for example, Jumbo lists maltitol and warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
