If you’re looking to buy less sugar on your weekly shop, don’t rely on the name taaitaai alone. Product information from Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS lists 38.594 to 39 g of sugars per 100 g for the regular varieties reviewed. If the flavour of taaitaai is what matters to you, compare the nutritional values per 100 g and check the portion size and allergens too. A spiced cake with a lower-sugar claim is a different type of biscuit, not taaitaai.
You want to pick up something sweet, but you’re looking for a demonstrably lower sugar content. Compare like-for-like products per 100 g, and if a product claims to contain less sugar, check what it’s being compared with.
You choose taaitaai for several occasions or to share. In that case, the pack size and stated portion size matter, along with the nutritional values per 100 g.
You need a product labelled gluten-free and also check the other allergens on the label. Gluten-free doesn’t, in itself, tell you anything about the sugar content.
First decide whether less sugar, traditional taaitaai or gluten-free suitability is your main priority. Then compare products that meet that requirement. Spiced cake with a lower-sugar claim isn’t taaitaai.
| What to look for | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Demonstrably less sugar | Compare the ‘of which sugars’ value per 100 g for like-for-like products. If there’s a claim, check what it’s being compared with too. | I only want to choose a biscuit for my weekly shop if I can compare its sugar content. For around 50% of consumers, demonstrably less sugar comes first. |
| Traditional taaitaai to share | Check the net weight, stated portion size and sugars per 100 g. | When I buy a bag for several occasions, I mainly want the familiar taste of taaitaai and a suitable quantity. For around 30% of consumers, traditional flavour and sharing are the top priorities. |
| Gluten-free suitability | Check the current pack for a gluten-free label, allergens, warnings about possible traces and sugars per 100 g. | I need to avoid gluten and want to know which other allergens the biscuit contains. For around 20% of consumers, gluten-free suitability is the first requirement. |
Product information from Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS lists 38.594 to 39 g of sugars per 100 g for the regular varieties reviewed. A larger bag doesn’t change the sugar content per 100 g.
Compare like-for-like products using the ‘of which sugars’ value per 100 g, and assess any claim alongside its stated basis for comparison.
According to Albert Heijn’s product information, its gluten-free Maître Mathis taaitaai contains 41 g of sugars per 100 g. The gluten-free label answers a different shopping question.
If you need to meet both requirements, check the gluten-free label and allergens as well as the nutritional information on the current pack.
Albert Heijn and Jumbo’s product pages use portion sizes of 11 g and 14 g respectively. This means the per-portion values aren’t based on the same serving size.
Compare per 100 g first. Then use the portion size to work out how much a stated portion is for your occasion.
Ingredients and nutritional information can change. This is particularly important if you’re choosing based on sugar content or allergens.
Check the packaging of the product you actually buy, even if you’ve read the online product information beforehand.
Albert Heijn’s own-brand taaitaai comes in a 500 g pack. The product page lists its ingredients, allergens, portion size and nutritional values.
Jumbo’s product page describes a 500 g pack of its own-brand taaitaai, with details of the ingredients, allergens and nutritional values.
PLUS’s own-brand taaitaai is described as a 500 g bag, with ingredients, allergens and nutritional values listed on the product page.
ALDI describes a 500 g pack of taai-taai.
Dirk lists 1 de Beste Mini taai taai in a 500 g pack.
Compare the sugars per 100 g in like-for-like products. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends using this basis because portion sizes can vary. If there’s a lower-sugar claim, check what the product is being compared with too.
Read the claim alongside its basis for comparison and the nutritional information. The Snelle Jelle spiced cake described by Albert Heijn compares its claim with average spiced cake and lists 24 g of sugars per 100 g. That doesn’t make it taaitaai or a direct comparison with a specific bag of taaitaai.
No. The gluten-free label says nothing about the sugar content. Albert Heijn’s product information lists 41 g of sugars per 100 g for its gluten-free Maître Mathis taaitaai. Check the sugar content separately if it matters to your choice.
Always check the allergens and warnings about possible traces on the current packaging of the variety you choose. The regular products reviewed list ingredients including wheat or rye. The gluten-free Maître Mathis variety lists milk and lupin and warns of possible traces of egg, nuts and sesame.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging you buy. For its taaitaai, Albert Heijn recommends storing it in a cool, dry place and putting the biscuits in a sealed tin once opened. PLUS recommends storing its variety in a cool, dry and dark place.
