Choose an organic pretzel for marathon training based on verifiable organic certification, the carbohydrates in your planned portion, and its ingredients and allergens – not just the word ‘natural’. A larger pretzel could work as part of a planned meal, while a small pack of pretzel snacks is easier to portion out. You’ll need to test during training whether you can tolerate a pretzel while running; it doesn’t replace fluids.
If you’re planning longer or more intense sessions, the amount of carbohydrate in the portion you actually intend to eat matters. Compare it with the rest of your fuelling plan rather than looking only at the nutritional values per 100 g.
If organic certification matters to you, check the label on the specific pack. The EU organic logo, control body code, origin information and ingredients list each answer different questions from the nutritional information.
A small pack of pretzel snacks can be handy on the go. A pretzel that needs baking, on the other hand, requires preparation; check the pack size, cooking instructions and allergens before buying.
First, decide when you want to eat the pretzel. Then check the carbohydrates in your planned portion, and look separately at organic certification, salt and ingredients.
| Criteria | What to check when buying | Who should pay particular attention |
|---|---|---|
| Carbohydrates and timing | Carbohydrates per 100 g and in the planned number of pretzels or pack; whether you’ll eat it before, after or during your session. | If I’m planning a long run, I want to know how the portion I actually eat fits in with the rest of my fuelling plan. Around 42% of consumers are likely to prioritise carbohydrate planning. |
| Organic certification | The EU organic logo, control body code, origin information and ingredients list on the specific pack. | It matters to me that the product’s organic credentials can be checked, rather than relying on a general description. For around 33% of consumers, this evidence is likely to be the main buying criterion. |
| Ingredients and practicality | Allergens, salt per portion, pack size and, where applicable, salt to sprinkle on top and cooking instructions. | Anyone who wants to take a snack along or bake a pretzel before training needs a suitable format and should check the ingredients. This practical fit is likely to come first for around 25% of consumers. |
According to the European Commission, the EU organic logo stands for certified organic production. It doesn’t tell you how many carbohydrates to plan for or whether you can tolerate a pretzel while running.
Check organic certification and your fuelling plan separately: the label on the pack on one hand, and portion, timing and fluids on the other.
Ditsch describes its organic pretzel as weighing 110 g; Mogli Spelt Pretzels are listed at REWE in a 50 g pack. If you eat the whole pretzel or pack in each case, you’ll be consuming different amounts.
Work out the carbohydrates and salt for the amount you actually plan to eat. A value per 100 g doesn’t tell you what’s in a portion.
On REWE’s product page for Mogli Organic Demeter Spelt Pretzels, spelt is explicitly described as a type of wheat. The type of grain alone doesn’t make a pretzel a gluten-free alternative.
If you need to avoid gluten or certain grains, check the full ingredients and allergen information for the specific product.
Ditsch’s organic pretzel is described as a pre-proofed dough piece supplied with a sachet of salt. For a product that needs baking, preparation and any extra salt you use affect when and how you can eat the pretzel.
Follow the instructions on the pack, allow time for preparation and decide whether to use the salt provided.
Ditsch describes an organic pretzel as a pre-proofed dough piece weighing 110 g, supplied with a sachet of salt. The documented sales unit contains 80 pieces.
Mogli Organic Demeter Spelt Pretzels, listed at REWE, are a snack product in a 50 g pack, not a pretzel to bake.
REWE is included here as a retailer to consider: its frozen pretzel products category also shows organic options.
These two Alnatura packs contain pretzel snacks for a planned snack portion. Compare the information on the specific pack and think about when you want to eat them; this selection isn’t a substitute for a tested drinking and fuelling plan for long runs.
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The 125 g pack could suit you if you’re planning spelt pretzel snacks with sesame as a snack portion. Check the organic certification, ingredients and allergens on the specific pack; spelt isn’t a gluten-free alternative.
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The 125 g pack is another option if you’re looking for wholegrain salted pretzels as a planned snack. Check the organic certification and work out the nutritional values for the portion you intend to eat; remember to check the salt and allergens too.
Check the label on the specific pack, especially the EU organic logo, control body code and information about the origin of the agricultural raw materials. According to the European Commission, the EU organic logo may only be used on appropriately certified products; the word ‘natural’ is no substitute.
No, a solid pretzel doesn’t replace fluids. If you want to eat one during a long run, test in training whether you can tolerate the portion and how it fits into your drinking and fuelling plan.
No, spelt isn’t a gluten-free alternative. For the Mogli product listed by REWE, spelt is explicitly identified as a type of wheat; always check the ingredients and allergen information on the specific pack when choosing a product.
Allow time to prepare them before your planned meal and follow the instructions for the product you buy. EDEKA advises that one listed bake-at-home product should only be eaten once fully cooked; don’t assume the same preparation instructions apply to other pretzels.