Who is this choice relevant to?

Runner who needs carbohydrates during long training sessions

You want to know whether a chocolate biscuit provides enough carbohydrates per portion at the right time, and whether it’s pleasant to eat while running.

Sugar-conscious runner looking for a chocolate biscuit

You want to compare sugar content without treating ‘zero’, ‘no added sugars’ and ‘sugar-free’ as if they mean the same thing.

Runner who pays attention to tolerance or allergens

As well as sugar, you check polyols, fat, fibre and the allergens listed on the pack before eating a biscuit around a training session.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide whether you’re looking for a biscuit as a snack or need carbohydrates while running. Then compare the nutritional information per portion, the ingredients and when you plan to eat it.

What to consider What to check when buying Who is this most important for?
Carbohydrates during long training sessions Compare carbohydrates per 100 g and per portion; consider whether the portion is practical to eat while running. If I want to take on carbohydrates during a long, intense training session, the portion needs to be suitable for that. This is the most important factor for an estimated 31% of consumers.
Tolerance Check the polyols, fat and fibre, and try an unfamiliar portion during an easy training session first. If I have a sensitive stomach, I don’t want to try an unfamiliar biscuit for the first time just before a long run. Tolerance is the top priority for around 25% of consumers.
Sugars and claims Check ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g; assess ‘no added sugars’ separately from ‘sugar-free’. If I’m looking for a strictly sugar-free option, I want to see how much sugar the biscuit actually contains. This is the main priority for an estimated 25% of consumers.
Allergens and dietary requirements Check the allergens present and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the current packaging; assess the sugar content separately. If I need to avoid certain ingredients, the right recipe matters more than the name on the front of the pack. Around 19% of consumers give this check the highest priority.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming ‘zero’ means ‘sugar-free’

    According to the Voedingscentrum, a solid product labelled ‘sugar-free’ can contain no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. Albert Heijn lists 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g for Verkade San Francisco zero, despite the ‘zero’ label.

    Compare the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g rather than relying solely on the wording on the front of the pack.

  • Assuming a sugar-free biscuit is automatically suitable as sports fuel

    ‘Sugar-free’ tells you nothing about the amount of carbohydrates in each biscuit or how practical it is to eat while running. For endurance exercise lasting 1 to 2.5 hours, the Voedingscentrum recommends 30 to 60 g of rapidly absorbed carbohydrates per hour.

    Compare the carbohydrates per portion with how much you want to take on during your training, and choose something you’ve tried while running beforehand.

  • Trying polyols for the first time around a hard training session

    Products containing polyols may carry a warning that excessive consumption can have a laxative effect. Albert Heijn includes this warning for Verkade San Francisco zero.

    Read the ingredients and warnings, and try a small portion on an easy training day first.

  • Overlooking allergens in a sugar-conscious biscuit

    A sugar claim doesn’t tell you which grains or other allergens a biscuit contains. Even a gluten-free or lactose-free option should be checked separately for other ingredients.

    Check the current allergen information and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the pack every time you buy it.

Relevant brands to compare

Céréal

Céréal makes several chocolate biscuits with varying sugar content, so the exact product variant matters.

  • Jumbo lists 0.5 g of sugars, 60 g of carbohydrates and 24 g of polyols per 100 g for Céréal Minder Suikers Choco Delight Puur. This sugar content falls within the limit the Voedingscentrum gives for ‘sugar-free’.
  • Jumbo lists 29 g of sugars per 100 g for the separate Céréal Glutenvrije & Lactosevrije Chocoladekoekjes. So gluten-free and lactose-free don’t also mean sugar-free.

Verkade

Verkade San Francisco zero is a biscuit you can use to compare the ‘no added sugars’ claim, not a confirmed sugar-free chocolate biscuit.

  • Albert Heijn lists 0% added sugar and 75 g of carbohydrates per 100 g for this biscuit.
  • The product also lists 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g and contains maltitols. The packaging carries a warning that excessive consumption can have a laxative effect.

Lotus Biscoff

Lotus Biscoff with chocolate is a standard chocolate biscuit to compare with sugar-conscious options.

  • Lotus Bakeries lists 68.2 g of carbohydrates per 100 g for the chocolate variant.
  • The same variant lists 39.6 g of sugars per 100 g, so it isn’t suitable if you’re looking for a strictly sugar-free option.

Related products on Joybuy

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Does ‘no added sugars’ mean the same as ‘sugar-free’?

No. A product with no added sugars may still contain sugars. According to the Voedingscentrum, a solid product labelled ‘sugar-free’ can contain no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. Check the ‘of which sugars’ figure to be sure.

Can I eat a sugar-free chocolate biscuit during a long training session?

You can if it’s practical for you to eat and you tolerate it well, but sugar-free doesn’t mean one biscuit will provide enough carbohydrates. For endurance exercise lasting 1 to 2.5 hours, the Voedingscentrum recommends 30 to 60 g of rapidly absorbed carbohydrates per hour. Compare this with the amount per portion.

Why do biscuits sometimes carry a warning about a laxative effect?

This warning may be related to polyols in the product. For Verkade San Francisco zero, Albert Heijn states that excessive consumption can have a laxative effect. Check the packaging, and don’t try an unfamiliar product for the first time during a long training session or race.

When is a biscuit suitable around a run?

A biscuit is better suited to a planned time to eat than as a large, unfamiliar portion just before an intense run. The Voedingscentrum recommends eating a meal around 2 to 3 hours before exercise. If you’re having a biscuit closer to your training session, consider the portion size and the amount of fat and fibre.

Is a gluten-free chocolate biscuit also sugar-free?

Not automatically: gluten and sugars are separate characteristics of a product. Jumbo lists 29 g of sugars per 100 g for Céréal Glutenvrije & Lactosevrije Chocoladekoekjes. So check both the allergen information that’s relevant to you and the ‘of which sugars’ figure.