Breakfast lovers keeping an eye on sugar
You want to check the ‘sugar-free’ claim against the amount of sugars per 100 g, rather than relying on the wording on the pack alone.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Consumers keeping an eye on polyols
You want to know whether a biscuit contains maltitol or other polyols, and what warning appears on the packaging.
Families sharing biscuits at breakfast
If ‘sugar-free’ isn’t an absolute requirement, you’ll mainly want to check the ingredients, the number of biscuits and the portion size.
What should you look for when choosing?
If anyone at the table has a relevant allergy, check the ingredients first. Then compare the sugar claim, the sweetener used and the portion you have in mind.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| ‘Sugar-free’ claim | Check the claim and the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g. Under EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, the claim is permitted only when the product contains no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. | If you want to keep your sugar intake low, the nutritional information should support the claim. This is the top priority for around 36% of consumers. |
| Maltitol and polyols | Read the ingredients list and check the amount of polyols per 100 g; look out for a warning on the packaging too. | If you’re keeping an eye on polyols, you’ll want to know which sweetener has been used before choosing. This is the main consideration for around 29% of consumers. |
| Allergens | Check the current ingredients list and allergen information for the variety you’ve chosen. | If someone at the table has an allergy, you’ll want to know what’s in the biscuit first. This check is the deciding factor for around 21% of consumers. |
| Portions for a shared breakfast | Check the number of biscuits, the weight of each biscuit and the nutritional information per 100 g. | For a shared breakfast, you’ll want to work out how many biscuits to put on the table. Portion size is the top priority for around 14% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Confusing ‘sugar-free’ with low fat or low energy
Per 100 g, Céréal Speculoos with almond pieces contains 0.4 g of sugars, but also 404 kcal, 20 g of fat and 12 g of saturated fat.
Compare similar biscuits per 100 g for sugars, energy, fat and any other nutritional values relevant to your choice.
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Overlooking the sweetener used
The Céréal variety contains maltitol and 29 g of polyols per 100 g. Albert Heijn notes that excessive consumption of this product may have a laxative effect.
Read the ingredients list and the warning on the current packaging before choosing a portion.
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Focusing only on sugars when there’s an allergy
The product information for Céréal sugar-free speculoos lists wheat, almond, barley, egg, milk and soya, among other ingredients.
If anyone has a relevant allergy, check the allergens on the current packaging first.
Brands to consider
Céréal
Céréal sells Speculoos with almond pieces labelled ‘sugar-free’.
- Céréal lists 0.4 g of sugars and 29 g of polyols per 100 g.
- The variety contains maltitol, as well as wheat, almond, barley, egg, milk and soya, among other ingredients.
Jumbo
Jumbo lists both the sugar-free Céréal variety and regular Jumbo Bakkers Speculaas.
- Ingredients, allergens and nutritional values are listed for the Céréal variety.
- Jumbo Bakkers Speculaas contains 29 g of sugars per 100 g, so it is not a sugar-free alternative.
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn lists Céréal Speculoos with almond pieces, which is sugar-free, alongside other speculaas and speculoos products.
- The product information for Céréal mentions the sugar claim and includes a warning about excessive consumption.
- Check the claim and nutritional information again for each different variety.
Lotus Biscoff
Lotus Bakeries describes Biscoff as a caramelised speculoos biscuit.
- It offers a different flavour option if ‘sugar-free’ isn’t a requirement.
- Before choosing it as a sugar-free alternative, check the claim and nutritional information on the specific pack.
ALDI / Biscotto
ALDI lists Biscotto Bakkersspeculaas as a regular speculaas option for sharing at breakfast.
- The pack listed contains 600 g and 48 biscuits.
- Only assess whether a product is ‘sugar-free’ by checking the claim and nutritional information on the pack you’ve chosen.
Related Joybuy products
Related products coming soon.
Frequently asked questions
When can a biscuit be labelled ‘sugar-free’?
Under EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, this claim is permitted only if a product contains no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g or 100 ml. For speculaas, check the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g in the nutritional information; the claim alone says nothing about the other nutritional values.
What does ‘sugar-free’ tell you about the nutritional value of Céréal speculoos?
The claim doesn’t tell you everything about its nutritional value. For Speculoos with almond pieces, Céréal lists 0.4 g of sugars, 404 kcal, 20 g of fat and 12 g of saturated fat per 100 g. Check the portion size on the packaging too.
Does Céréal Speculoos with almond pieces contain polyols?
Yes, the variety contains maltitol and lists 29 g of polyols per 100 g. Albert Heijn notes that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect, so check the ingredients and warning on the current packaging.
Which allergens are listed for the Céréal variety?
The product information lists wheat, almond, barley, egg, milk and soya, among other ingredients. If you have a relevant allergy, always check the allergen information on the current packaging of the variety you’ve chosen.