If you’re looking for a strictly sugar-free biscuit, choose one with no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g; according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, that’s the threshold for making this claim. AH Digestive 0% sugar is an option if you’d like a larger pack to keep at home. Individually wrapped Céréal Mini Cakes are handy to take with you, but they’re cakes, not biscuits. Check the ingredients, allergens and full nutritional information for both.
You want to choose a biscuit based on its sugar content per 100 g, not just a prominent claim such as ‘zero’ on the front of the pack. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre sets the threshold for the ‘sugar-free’ claim at no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g.
Individually wrapped portions can be practical during lectures or on moving day. Just check what type of product you’re buying: individually wrapped Céréal Mini Cakes are cakes, not biscuits.
A sugar claim doesn’t tell you anything about allergens or the sweeteners used. So check the ingredients list, allergen information and any warning about polyols for each product.
If you’re a student looking for something to eat in the morning or on the go after moving, start by checking the sugar claim. Then see whether the packaging and ingredients suit how you plan to use it.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Truly sugar-free | Compare the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g with the 0.5 g per 100 g threshold the Netherlands Nutrition Centre gives for ‘sugar-free’. ‘No added sugars’ is a different claim. | If I’m specifically looking for a sugar-free biscuit, I don’t want to rely on the word ‘zero’. Around 44% of consumers put this sugar threshold first. |
| Portions and how you’ll use it | Check the pack size and whether the portions are individually wrapped. If you’re choosing something for breakfast, compare the rest of the nutritional information per 100 g too. | On busy days, I want to be able to take something with me without having to portion it out first; around 33% of consumers put convenience first. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredients list, allergen information and any warnings about polyols on the packaging. | If I need to avoid certain ingredients, I want to know what’s actually in the product. Around 23% of consumers put this check first. |
According to Albert Heijn, Verkade San Francisco zero contains 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g. That’s above the 0.5 g per 100 g threshold the Netherlands Nutrition Centre gives for ‘sugar-free’, even though the product is presented as having no added sugar.
Check the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g before deciding whether a product suits your needs.
‘Sugar-free’ doesn’t describe the full nutritional value of a product. For example, Albert Heijn lists 465 kcal and 20 g of fat per 100 g for AH Digestive 0% sugar. Those figures tell you more about the product than the sugar claim alone.
Check the full nutritional information and think about how the biscuit will fit into your breakfast.
Albert Heijn lists 14 g of polyols per 100 g for AH Digestive 0% sugar; Jumbo lists 33 g per 100 g for Céréal Mini Cakes. Both products carry a warning that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
Check the ingredients and warnings on the packaging, and consider how much you plan to eat.
AH Digestive 0% sugar is a biscuit sold in a 400 g pack.
The products discussed here are speculoos and almond biscuits and individually wrapped Mini Cakes. The Mini Cakes are not biscuits.
San Francisco zero is a tea biscuit for anyone specifically looking for a product with no added sugar.
Lotus Mini Zero ontbijtkoek is a bar of spiced breakfast cake, not a biscuit.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, a solid food must contain no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g to make the ‘sugar-free’ claim. Check the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g on the packaging and compare it with this threshold.
No. A product with no added sugars may still contain sugars. For example, Albert Heijn lists 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g for Verkade San Francisco zero; that’s above the threshold the Netherlands Nutrition Centre gives for ‘sugar-free’.
An individually wrapped portion is practical to take with you, while a larger pack suits anyone who wants to keep biscuits at home. Céréal Mini Cakes are individually wrapped, but they’re cakes, not biscuits; AH Digestive 0% sugar is a biscuit sold in a 400 g pack. If you’re choosing something for breakfast, check the full nutritional information, not just the sugar claim.
Some products containing polyols carry a warning that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect. Albert Heijn lists 14 g of polyols per 100 g for AH Digestive 0% sugar, while Jumbo lists 33 g per 100 g for Céréal Mini Cakes. Read the warning and ingredients on the packaging before choosing a portion.
