If you’re looking for genuinely sugar-free flakes for breakfast or a snack, check the nutritional information for the specific product. According to the Voedingscentrum, a product can only be described as sugar-free if it contains no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. Reduced-sugar chocolate sprinkles are not an equivalent alternative if that’s what you need. For example, Céréal Hagelslag puur minder suikers lists 7.7 g of sugars per 100 g. This option is only suitable if reducing sugar is enough for you and you’ve also checked the ingredients and the warning about polyols.
You want a topping that is correctly labelled sugar-free, not just a reduced-sugar option. When choosing flakes or an alternative topping, check the amount of sugars per 100 g. According to the Voedingscentrum, the limit for sugar-free is 0.5 g per 100 g.
You’re looking for chocolate sprinkles with less sugar than a standard option, but they don’t need to be sugar-free. According to Albert Heijn’s product information, Céréal Hagelslag puur minder suikers contains 88% less sugar than standard dark chocolate sprinkles, but still contains 7.7 g of sugars per 100 g and maltitol.
You want chocolate sprinkles for bread, crispbread or dessert, and a relative reduction in sugar is enough for you. Albert Heijn’s product information states that the AH reduced-sugar dark and milk chocolate sprinkle varieties each contain 30% less sugar than their corresponding standard versions; both still contain 43 g of sugars per 100 g.
First decide whether sugar-free is a must. Then compare the sugars per 100 g. If you’re choosing an alternative to flakes, check the ingredients and any warnings on the packaging too.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Genuinely sugar-free | Check the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g. According to the Voedingscentrum, the limit for sugar-free is no more than 0.5 g per 100 g. | For my breakfast or snack, I only want a topping that is genuinely sugar-free; a claim such as ‘less sugar’ isn’t enough. This strict requirement is the top priority for around 45% of consumers. |
| Sugar content | Compare the actual sugar content per 100 g and check which product is used as the basis for any percentage reduction. | If less sugar is enough for me, I want to know how much sugar remains in the chocolate sprinkles I choose and what has been used instead. This is the top priority for around 33% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and use | Check the sweeteners, listed allergens and any warnings that apply to the option you’ve chosen. | When several people in my household use the topping, I mainly want to make sure the ingredients and instructions on the packaging are suitable for us. This matters most to around 22% of consumers. |
According to Albert Heijn, its reduced-sugar chocolate sprinkle varieties still contain 43 g of sugars per 100 g. Céréal Hagelslag puur minder suikers, at 7.7 g per 100 g, also exceeds the limit the Voedingscentrum sets for sugar-free products.
Use a relative reduction to compare similar products, but always check the actual amount per 100 g if you’re looking for a sugar-free option.
According to Albert Heijn’s product information, No Sugar Daddies Choco Chunks original contains 27 g of sugars per 100 g. It’s also chocolate in chunks, not flakes.
If a product contains dates or other fruit ingredients, check both the ingredients list and the nutrition table.
According to Albert Heijn’s product information, Céréal Hagelslag puur minder suikers contains 40 g of polyols per 100 g. The packaging warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
Check the warning on the packaging and consider how much you use.
A lower sugar content alone doesn’t tell you how much energy a product provides per 100 g or per serving.
Alongside sugars, compare the energy value in the nutritional information and consider how much topping you use.
The dark chocolate sprinkles reviewed are aimed at shoppers who want less sugar in their chocolate sprinkles and are happy to have maltitol as an ingredient.
The AH reduced-sugar dark and milk chocolate sprinkle options are for shoppers who want to stick with regular chocolate sprinkles while reducing their sugar intake.
Choco Chunks original is a different kind of chocolate topping, made with ingredients including dates and chicory root fibre; it isn’t a flakes product.
No. ‘Less sugar’ compares one product with another; it doesn’t tell you how much sugar the product actually contains. According to the Voedingscentrum, sugar-free products can contain no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g, so check the nutritional information for the option you’re buying.
No. Albert Heijn’s product information lists 7.7 g of sugars per 100 g for this Céréal option. That’s above the 0.5 g per 100 g limit the Voedingscentrum sets for sugar-free products.
Read the ingredients and the warning on the packaging. According to Albert Heijn’s product information, Céréal Hagelslag puur minder suikers contains 40 g of polyols per 100 g and carries a warning that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
No, not the Choco Chunks original option: Albert Heijn’s product information lists 27 g of sugars per 100 g. They’re also chunks rather than flakes. Judge the product by its nutritional information, not its brand name.
Follow the storage instructions on the specific packaging. According to Albert Heijn’s product information, the AH chocolate sprinkle options mentioned should be stored in a cool, dark and dry place. The Céréal option mentioned should be stored in a dry place at room temperature.
