Why is Les Belges Speculoos Pâte à Tartiner Creamy classified as ultra‑processed (NOVA 4) and what specific additives does it contain?

The spread combines refined wheat flour, added sugars, vegetable oils (including palm oil), fully hydrogenated oils, and several functional additives such as sodium bicarbonate (E500/E500ii) as a raising agent, citric acid (E330) as an acidifier, and sunflower lecithin (E322/E322i) as an emulsifier, which together meet the criteria for an ultra‑processed food (NOVA 4).

How does the sugar and salt content in this spread affect a diabetic or hypertensive diet?

With 34 g of sugar per 100 g, the spread can cause rapid blood‑glucose spikes and is unsuitable for strict diabetic meal plans, while the 0.5 g of salt exceeds the average sweet‑spread level and may contribute to elevated blood pressure, making it a poor choice for hypertensive individuals unless consumed in very small amounts.

Based on its ingredient list, is this spread suitable for vegan, keto, halal, or gluten‑free diets?

The formulation contains only plant‑derived ingredients, so it is technically vegan and halal‑compatible, but it includes wheat flour (gluten) and a high amount of sugars and fats, making it unsuitable for gluten‑free or keto diets.

Les Belges • 400 g

Les Belges Speculoos Pâte à Tartiner Creamy

Sugary Snacks

Product Insights

Les Belges Speculoos Pâte à Tartiner Creamy is a sweet spread that falls under the ‘Sugary snacks’ and ‘Sweets’ categories of the PNNS classification. It holds a Nutri‑Score of E and is classified as ultra‑processed (NOVA 4), delivering 34 g of sugar, 7.5 g of saturated fat and 0.5 g of salt per 100 g, which places it among the less health‑friendly options. On the positive side, the spread is made with 60 % speculoos paste, cinnamon and a certified sustainable palm‑oil blend, providing a rich flavor while supporting RSPO‑verified palm oil sourcing.

Nutrient Levels

Traffic light indicators

Fat

high

Saturated Fat

high

Sugars

high

Salt

moderate

Nutritional Values

Values per 100 g

Energy Kcal579 kcal

Fat37 g

Saturated Fat7.5 g

Carbohydrates58 g

Sugars34 g

Comparative Analysis

Compared with the typical sweet spread average of 53.44 g sugar, 10.52 g total fat, 6.99 g saturated fat and 0.36 g salt per 100 g, this product contains less sugar (34 g) but higher saturated fat (7.5 g) and salt (0.5 g) and supplies about 577 kcal, well above the average 373 kcal.

Ingredients

Spéculoos 60% (farine de blé, sucre, huiles végétales (palme*, colza), sirop de candi, poudre à lever: carbonate acide de sodium, sel, cannelle), huile de colza, sucre, huiles végétales totalement hydrogénées (palme*, colza), émulsifiant: lécithine de tournesol, arôme naturel, acidifiant: acide citrique. *Contient de l'huile de palme certifiée durable. www.rspo.org

84%

35%

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