When choosing a pretzel snack with diabetes, what matters most is the amount of carbohydrate in the portion you actually eat, as part of your individual meal plan. According to diabetesDE, special foods for people with diabetes are not necessary. If you also need to avoid gluten or other ingredients, check the relevant labelling and allergen information. ‘Gluten-free’, ‘lactose-free’ or ‘vegan’ tells you nothing by itself about the carbohydrate content.
If you include a savoury snack in your meal plan, you need comparable carbohydrate information for the portion you intend to eat. diabetesDE points out that special foods for people with diabetes are not needed.
For them, an explicit gluten-free label is more useful than assuming a pretzel is suitable because no wheat ingredient is visible. However, the label does not tell you how much carbohydrate it contains.
If you also need to avoid milk, egg, sesame or soya, for example, check the ingredients and may-contain information individually. A ‘free from’ claim does not automatically cover all your requirements.
Start with the portion you plan to eat and its carbohydrate content. Then check any ingredients you need to avoid and compare other nutritional values that matter to you.
| Criteria | What to check | Who should consider this? |
|---|---|---|
| Carbohydrates and portion size | Compare the carbohydrates per 100 g and calculate the amount for the portion you want to eat. The serving size shown on the pack may not match your portion. | If I include a snack in my meal plan, I need to know the carbohydrate content of my own portion. For around 50% of consumers, being able to plan this is the main priority. |
| Gluten and allergens | If you need to avoid gluten, look for an explicit gluten-free label. Also check the ingredients and may-contain information against the ingredients you need to avoid. | If I need to avoid gluten or other ingredients, a single ‘free from’ claim is not enough. Around 30% of consumers prioritise these checks above all else. |
| Other nutritional values | Compare salt, fat and fibre per 100 g, and take your planned portion into account. No single value determines whether a snack is suitable. | When choosing a snack regularly, I want to assess its overall nutritional profile as well as its carbohydrate content. This comparison is the main priority for around 20% of consumers. |
Being gluten-free is a separate product characteristic. Schär lists 72 g of carbohydrates per 100 g for Salinis, while REWE lists 78 g per 100 g for Hammermühle Bio Hafer Brezeln.
Check the carbohydrate content for the portion you plan to eat, and choose according to the gluten labelling if you need to avoid gluten.
A product name like this is no substitute for checking the nutritional information. According to diabetesDE, people with diabetes do not need special foods for people with diabetes.
Instead, compare the carbohydrate and portion information, along with other nutritional values that fit your individual requirements.
A gluten-free snack may still contain other relevant ingredients or have may-contain warnings. Schär lists soya lecithin and possible traces of sesame for Salinis; dm-drogerie markt notes possible traces of egg, sesame and soya for dmBio Mini-Salz-Brezeln.
Check the ingredients, highlighted allergens and may-contain information on every pack.
According to the manufacturer, Schär Salinis contain 2.5 g of salt per 100 g; REWE lists 3.5 g per 100 g for Hammermühle Bio Hafer Brezeln. This information still matters even when a product is gluten-free.
Include salt and the amount you actually eat in your comparison, rather than making your decision based only on the ingredient you need to avoid.
Salinis are an explicitly gluten-free salted pretzel option for people who need this labelling.
Bio Hafer Brezeln are a gluten-free oat option for people who also want to compare fibre content.
The Mini-Salz-Brezeln are another gluten-free option.
REWE also includes REWE frei von Bio Laugensticks glutenfrei among its gluten-free snacks.
No. diabetesDE explains that people with diabetes do not need special foods for people with diabetes. When choosing a pretzel snack, the nutritional information and the portion you actually eat as part of your individual meal plan are more useful than a product name like this.
No, you cannot tell the carbohydrate content from the gluten-free label. Schär lists 72 g of carbohydrates per 100 g for Salinis, while REWE lists 78 g per 100 g for Hammermühle Bio Hafer Brezeln. Calculate the amount for your planned portion using the value on the relevant pack.
Not necessarily. The product information for Hammermühle Bio Hafer Brezeln notes that people with coeliac disease may tolerate gluten-free oats differently. Check the product information and seek professional advice if you have individual medical requirements.
Follow the storage instructions on the pack and reseal it after opening. The product information for Hammermühle Bio Hafer Brezeln recommends storing them in a dry place, away from light and heat.