Home bakers looking to avoid added sugar
You want to choose which sweetening ingredients and decorations go into your taaitaai. Check the whole recipe: classic recipes from Albert Heijn Allerhande and Jumbo use both soft brown sugar and honey.
Who are these options for?
Consumers comparing sugar content
You’d rather buy a mix or ready-made taaitaai and want to know how much sugar a product contains. Compare the nutritional information per 100 g and check the ingredients list too; each tells you something different.
Bakers with allergy or gluten requirements
You need to check specific ingredients as well as your sugar goals. Check allergens and sugars separately: according to Albert Heijn, Maître Mathis gluten-free taaitaai also contains milk and lupin.
What should you look for when choosing?
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Added sugar | Read the full ingredients list, including that of any decorations. Voedingscentrum counts honey and syrups added for sweetness as added sugar. | If I want to bake taaitaai without added sugar, I don’t want to use honey or syrup without realising it. Avoiding added sugar would be the top priority for around 36% of consumers. |
| How easy the dough is to handle | Choose a recipe that works with the ingredients you plan to use, and test any changes in a small batch first. | When adapting dough, I want to know whether it will still be easy to handle and turn out with the texture I want. Ease of handling would be the main consideration for around 29% of consumers. |
| Allergens and ingredients | Check the allergen information on the current packaging. If you use a sweetener, check which type it is too. | If I need to avoid certain ingredients, I want to know what the product contains first. For around 21% of consumers, finding a suitable match for their ingredient requirements would be the most important consideration. |
| Convenience when buying or baking | For a mix or ready-made product, compare the sugars per 100 g and check which components are included in the mix. | If I’m short on time, I’m looking for a ready-to-use mix or ready-made taaitaai that fits my sugar goals. Convenience would be the deciding factor for around 14% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Replacing only the soft brown sugar
Albert Heijn Allerhande and Jumbo’s taaitaai recipes also contain honey. So simply leaving out the soft brown sugar won’t make a recipe free from added sugar.
Before baking, check all the sweetening ingredients, including any icing or other decorations.
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Assuming gluten-free means less sugar
Being gluten-free tells you something different about a product from its sugar content. Albert Heijn lists 41 g of sugars per 100 g for Maître Mathis gluten-free taaitaai.
Check the allergen information and the ‘of which sugars’ line as separate parts of the label.
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Not checking which sweetener is used
According to Voedingscentrum, consuming a large amount of polyols can cause wind and diarrhoea. So the type of sweetener matters, as well as the flavour you’re looking for.
Read the ingredients list if you choose a product with sweeteners, and bear your own tolerance in mind.
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Assuming a product page guarantees availability
Albert Heijn says its Homemade taaitaai baking kit is no longer in its range; Jumbo says the own-brand taaitaai mentioned is no longer available online.
Check current availability before basing your baking plans on a specific product, and read the packaging again when you buy it.
Brands as a guide
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn has a taaitaai recipe on Allerhande and provides product information for a taaitaai baking kit.
- The Allerhande recipe shows that it uses both soft brown sugar and honey.
- For the prepared Homemade baking kit, Albert Heijn lists 44 g of sugars per 100 g and says the kit is no longer in its range.
Jumbo
Jumbo offers a classic taaitaai recipe and information about a ready-made own-brand option.
- The recipe shows that both honey and soft brown sugar are part of the classic method.
- According to Jumbo, the own-brand taaitaai mentioned contains 38,8 g of sugars per 100 g and is no longer available online on the product page.
Maître Mathis
Maître Mathis makes a gluten-free taaitaai option, for which Albert Heijn provides product information.
- The gluten-free label is relevant if that’s a specific product feature you’re looking for.
- Albert Heijn lists 41 g of sugars per 100 g for this option and names milk and lupin as allergens.
Related Joybuy products
Related products coming soon.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use honey to make taaitaai without added sugar?
No, not if you want to avoid added sugar. Voedingscentrum counts honey added as an ingredient as added sugar; check a recipe for other sweetening ingredients too.
Does gluten-free taaitaai automatically contain less sugar?
No. Albert Heijn lists 41 g of sugars per 100 g for Maître Mathis gluten-free taaitaai. To meet your sugar goals, check the nutritional information for the specific option, separately from its gluten-free label.
How can I compare the sugar content of taaitaai?
For packaged products, compare the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g and check the ingredients list too. For a baking mix, check whether the nutritional information applies to the mix or the prepared product.
What should I look for when choosing a sweetener for taaitaai?
Check which type of sweetener you’re using and whether the recipe is designed for it. Voedingscentrum says sweeteners provide no or fewer calories than sugar, while consuming a large amount of polyols can cause wind and diarrhoea. Using a different sweetener also doesn’t guarantee the same dough texture.