A sugar-free biscuit can be a small, planned treat if you’re specifically keeping an eye on sugar intake. Compare the sugars per 100 g and per biscuit, but also check the portion size, ingredients and allergens. For children’s everyday snacks, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends fruit and vegetables. Biscuits containing polyols also come with a warning about a possible laxative effect if eaten in excess.
You want to compare the sugar content of biscuits for a treat during the school holidays, even when the packaging says ‘zero’ or ‘no added sugar’. The nutrition information per 100 g and per biscuit can help you make sense of these claims.
You’re looking for a biscuit that’s easy to take along or serve at home as a small portion, without making it a regular snack. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends fruit and vegetables as snacks for children.
If your child has a known allergy or sensitivity to polyols, the current packaging matters more than the brand name. Check the allergen information, ingredients and any warning about a laxative effect.
When: if reducing sugar is your main reason for choosing a biscuit.
Trade-off: a low sugar figure alone tells you nothing about the rest of the nutritional profile or how well the sweeteners are tolerated.
When: if your main aim is to avoid added sugar.
Trade-off: the product may still contain sugars; Albert Heijn lists 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g for Verkade San Francisco zero.
When: if you’re looking for something for regular snack times during the holidays; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends fruit and vegetables for children.
Trade-off: this won’t satisfy the same craving as a sweet biscuit as a treat.
| What to consider | What to check | Who does this matter to? |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars and claims | Compare ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g and per biscuit; don’t read ‘no added sugar’ as ‘sugar-free’. | If I want to keep an eye on sugar in particular, I want to know what’s behind the wording on the packaging. Around 36% of consumers put this check first. |
| Where it fits into your snack routine | Check energy, saturated fat, salt and fibre alongside the sugar figure; decide whether the biscuit will remain an occasional treat. | On ordinary days during the holidays, I don’t want a biscuit to become the default snack. Around 36% of consumers put this consideration first. |
| Allergens and polyols | Read the current allergen information, ingredients and any warnings about sweeteners. | If my child has a known allergy or sensitivity to polyols, the first thing is to make sure the biscuit is suitable for them. For around 18% of consumers, this is the first thing they check. |
| Portion convenience | Check the portion size and the number of biscuits in the pack for your planned treat. | For a day out, I want to be able to decide in advance how many biscuits to take. Around 10% of consumers give this practical consideration top priority. |
A biscuit with no added sugar can still contain sugars. Albert Heijn lists 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g for Verkade San Francisco zero.
Compare the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g and, if needed, work out how much that means for the portion you plan to serve.
A low sugar figure doesn’t tell you how much energy, saturated fat, salt or fibre a biscuit contains. For example, Albert Heijn also lists 465 kcal per 100 g for AH Digestive 0% sugar.
Read the nutrition information as a whole and decide in advance whether this is an occasional treat.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, large amounts of polyols can cause digestive problems. Product packaging may also carry a warning about a possible laxative effect if eaten in excess.
Check the ingredients for substances such as maltitol or isomalt, and read the warnings on the packaging.
Ingredients can vary between products. For example, Jumbo’s product information lists wheat among the ingredients in Céréal biscuits, as well as other allergens depending on the variety.
For each variety, check the current allergen information and details of possible cross-contamination on the packaging.
The own-brand AH Digestive 0% sugar is an example of a biscuit where you can look at the sugar figure alongside the rest of the nutritional information.
The coconut and speculoos-almond varieties show why you should compare biscuits with no added sugar by flavour and portion size.
San Francisco zero is an example that shows the difference between ‘no added sugar’ and the amount of sugars in a product.
A low sugar figure alone doesn’t make a biscuit an obvious everyday choice. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends fruit and vegetables as snacks for children. If you want to give your child a biscuit as a treat, check the portion size and the rest of the nutritional information too.
No. A biscuit with no added sugar can still contain sugars. For example, Albert Heijn lists 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g for Verkade San Francisco zero; the ‘of which sugars’ figure shows how much the product contains.
Read the ingredients and check for any warning about a possible laxative effect if eaten in excess. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, large amounts of polyols can cause digestive problems. Always check the allergen information for the variety you choose too.
