If you’re buying chocolate sprinkles for an older person, you can choose a variety with less sugar, but don’t confuse this with sugar-free: the Céréal and AH varieties described here still contain sugar. Compare the nutritional information per 100 g and per portion, and check Céréal’s warning that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect. If someone has a reduced appetite or is losing weight unintentionally, their overall nutritional intake needs attention; simply choosing a lower-sugar option isn’t enough to make the right decision.
You want to carry on enjoying rusk with chocolate sprinkles, but are looking for a variety with less sugar. Check the nutritional information per 100 g as well as how much you spread on your rusk: a pack labelled ‘less sugar’ isn’t automatically sugar-free.
You want to know how sweet toppings fit into your personal diet. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that a dietitian can offer tailored advice if you have diabetes; a label such as ‘less sugar’ is no substitute for that advice.
You’re shopping for someone who eats very little or is losing weight unintentionally. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, getting enough energy, nutrients and fluids is important for older people. So don’t judge breakfast solely by the amount of sugar in the topping.
Start with the reason for buying it: are you mainly looking for less sugar in the chocolate sprinkles, or is the appetite of the person you’re buying for a bigger concern? Then check that the taste, ingredients and allergens suit them.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar content | Compare the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g and consider the portion you use, too. Check whether the chocolate sprinkles contain sugar and sweeteners. | If I want less sugar in my chocolate sprinkles, I need to be able to distinguish ‘less sugar’ from ‘sugar-free’. An estimated 46% of consumers prioritise reducing sugar. |
| Appetite and nutritional intake | Look out for prolonged periods of eating very little or unintended weight loss; speak to a GP if you suspect malnutrition. | If someone has a poor appetite, I want the person I’m shopping for to keep eating enough, rather than judging the topping on its sugar content alone. For around 36% of consumers, nutritional intake is the most important factor. |
| Taste and tolerance | Read the ingredients and allergen information, and check for any warning about polyols; choose a variety that suits the person eating it. | If the taste isn’t right or an ingredient isn’t suitable, a lower sugar content won’t help me with this purchase. An estimated 18% of consumers put taste and practical suitability first. |
Albert Heijn lists 7.7 g and 15 g of sugars per 100 g for the Céréal varieties described here; for the AH reduced-sugar varieties described, the figure is 43 g per 100 g in both cases. So all these varieties still contain sugar.
Read the ‘of which sugars’ line in the nutritional information and check the ingredients of the variety you’re buying.
The Céréal varieties described here contain maltitol. Their product information warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
Bear this warning in mind when deciding on a portion, and check the ingredients if you’re looking for a variety without maltitol.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, older people may find it difficult to get enough energy and nutrients, particularly when they’re ill or have a reduced appetite. A lower sugar content doesn’t tell you whether the breakfast as a whole is suitable.
If you suspect malnutrition, contact a GP; a dietitian can help with individual dietary questions.
The milk and dark chocolate sprinkle varieties described here differ in the information they provide about milk, lactose and soya. The flavour name alone doesn’t tell you enough about allergens.
If you have an allergy or intolerance, check the label on the specific pack before buying and eating it.
The milk and dark chocolate sprinkles described here are reduced-sugar varieties that contain maltitol.
The AH reduced-sugar milk and dark chocolate sprinkles described here are alternatives if you want to compare lower-sugar options within this product range.
The Venz milk chocolate sprinkles described here are a conventional milk variety, not a reduced-sugar option.
No, not the varieties described here. Albert Heijn lists 7.7 g of sugars per 100 g for Céréal dark chocolate sprinkles, 15 g for Céréal milk chocolate sprinkles and 43 g for both of the AH reduced-sugar varieties described. Check the nutritional information on the pack you’re buying.
Consider the chocolate sprinkles as part of their personal diet, rather than relying on the words ‘less sugar’. Check the nutritional information, ingredients and portion size on the label. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that a dietitian can offer tailored advice if you have diabetes.
The Céréal varieties described here contain maltitol and state that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect. Bear this warning in mind when choosing a topping and portion size.
No, you can’t tell from the combination of rusk and chocolate sprinkles. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority discusses added iodine in bakery products in connection with baker’s salt. Check the ingredients of the specific rusk; information about the chocolate sprinkles won’t tell you which salt was used in the rusk.
No, the sugar content of the topping doesn’t tell you enough about the breakfast as a whole. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre highlights the importance of getting enough energy, nutrients and fluids as you get older. If there’s unintended weight loss or a suspicion of malnutrition, discuss it with a GP.
