People with a strict sugar-free requirement
You only want to serve biscuits whose nutrition information lists no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. Chocolate flavour is a separate requirement: a sugar-free biscuit without chocolate won’t meet it.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Hosts looking to share snacks
You’re looking for biscuits you can put out and share while you play. It’s important to check the number of portions, allergens and any warnings on the packaging beforehand.
Chocolate lovers with less strict sugar requirements
You prioritise chocolate flavour and are also considering products with no added sugars. Check the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g to find out whether a biscuit is also sugar-free.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether ‘sugar-free’ is an absolute requirement. Then compare only biscuits that also suit your preferred chocolate flavour and the people you’ll be sharing them with.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar claim | Check the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre defines ‘sugar-free’ as no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. | If I only want to serve sugar-free biscuits, I need to be able to check the nutritional value. An estimated 40% of consumers put this requirement first. |
| Sharing with the group | Check the number of portions per pack and read the allergen information before putting the biscuits out. | While we’re playing, I want to be able to share the biscuits and consider my guests’ needs. For around 30% of consumers, this is their top purchasing priority. |
| Chocolate flavour and sweeteners | Check that the product is a chocolate biscuit, and read the ingredients and any warnings about sweeteners. | I’m specifically looking for chocolate flavour, but I also want to know which sweeteners the biscuits contain if people are eating several. An estimated 30% of consumers put this consideration first. |
Common mistakes
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Reading ‘no added sugars’ as ‘sugar-free’
These claims don’t mean the same thing. Verkade lists 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g for San Francisco Zero, a biscuit with no added sugars.
If sugar-free is an absolute requirement, compare the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g with the maximum of 0.5 g specified by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre.
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Putting out a plate of biscuits without reading the warning
Albert Heijn warns that excessive consumption of AH Digestive 0% suiker may have a laxative effect. This is worth bearing in mind if guests have several biscuits over the course of the evening.
Read the ingredients and warnings on the packaging, and keep portions manageable when sharing the biscuits.
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Treating every chocolate product as a chocolate biscuit
A soft chocolate cake isn’t a biscuit. And chocolate flavour doesn’t tell you how much sugar a product contains: Lotus Bakeries lists 39.6 g of sugars per 100 g for Lotus Speculoos with chocolate.
First choose the type of product you want, then check the sugar information for that specific product.
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Checking allergens only once everyone is at the table
When snacks are shared, guests need to be able to check which ingredients are relevant to them; a sugar claim won’t tell them this.
Ask about allergies in advance and keep the packaging with the latest ingredient and allergen information next to the biscuits.
Brands to consider
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn’s AH Digestive 0% suiker is described as a sugar-free biscuit containing sweeteners.
- An option to consider when a sugar-free biscuit matters more than chocolate flavour.
- This isn’t a chocolate biscuit. Albert Heijn also warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
Céréal
Albert Heijn includes Céréal Chocolate chip cookie zonder suikers in its range of biscuits for people watching their sugar intake.
- The product name fits the search for a chocolate biscuit with no sugars.
- For this specific biscuit, check the nutritional values per 100 g, ingredients, allergens and any warnings on the packaging. Information about a Céréal chocolate cake doesn’t necessarily apply to the cookie.
Verkade
Verkade San Francisco Zero is a biscuit with no added sugars, not a chocolate biscuit.
- The product information makes it possible to compare ‘no added sugars’ with ‘sugar-free’.
- Verkade lists 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g. This means the biscuit doesn’t meet the maximum of 0.5 g per 100 g that the Netherlands Nutrition Centre specifies for ‘sugar-free’.
Lotus
Lotus Speculoos with chocolate is a chocolate-containing biscuit, but it’s not a suitable example for a strictly sugar-free choice.
- The chocolate variety shows why you need to assess the product type and sugar content separately.
- Lotus Bakeries lists 39.6 g of sugars per 100 g for this variety.
Related products on Joybuy
Related products coming soon.
Frequently asked questions
Does ‘no added sugars’ mean the same as ‘sugar-free’?
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ‘sugar-free’ means no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. A product with ‘no added sugars’ may still contain sugars. So check the ‘of which sugars’ figure in the nutrition information.
Why do sugar-free biscuits sometimes carry a warning about a laxative effect?
This warning may be linked to the sweeteners used, including polyols. Albert Heijn includes it for AH Digestive 0% suiker. Read the warning on the product you choose and keep portions in mind if guests continue snacking as they play.
Can I serve Verkade San Francisco Zero as a sugar-free chocolate biscuit?
No, not if you need both chocolate flavour and a strict sugar-free option: San Francisco Zero isn’t a chocolate biscuit, and Verkade lists 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g. The product is labelled ‘no added sugars’, which the Netherlands Nutrition Centre explains is a different claim from ‘sugar-free’.
What should I check before putting biscuits on the table?
Check the current packaging for ingredients, allergens and warnings, as well as the amount of sugars per 100 g if sugar-free is important. Keep the packaging with the snacks so guests can check the information for themselves.