Oliebollen have the image of being very greasy and unhealthy. However, research has shown that an oliebol is not that unhealthy compared to many other products from the cookie and pastry category. Research at Gelderland University has shown that an oliebol contains less saturated fat than a slice of brown bread with low-fat cheese and the number of calories an oliebol contains also appears to be not too bad compared to many other delicacies. Also Dr. Frank stated in his column in the Telegraaf in 2011 that an oliebol is healthier than an egg cake.Source: FaceMePLS, Flickr (CC BY-2.0)

Deep fried doughnut balls

Oliebollen are small dough dishes that are traditionally eaten in the Low Countries (Netherlands and Belgium) during New Year’s Eve. Oliebollen are prepared from a dough made from flour, eggs, yeast, lukewarm milk and sometimes beer. The dough made is then dropped with two spoons into a pan with hot frying fat. This creates a ball of dough. This ball of dough is then fried nicely brown by the hot frying fat.

Smoutebol

In the Netherlands the name oliebol is used, but in Belgium the oliebol is often called “smoutebol”. This name is given to the oliebol because oliebollen used to be baked in smoet. However, the big difference between an oliebol in the Netherlands and oliebol in Belgium is not the name, but the filling. A Dutch oliebol is often filled with raisins, currants, apple or cream, among other things. The Flemish oliebol is generally smaller than the Dutch oliebol and are not filled.

Nutritional values oliebol

The table below shows the nutritional values of a natural oliebol per 100 grams. An average oliebol weighs 75 grams.

Oliebollen are not greasy

Oliebollen are mainly considered an unhealthy delicacy. This is because they are seen as a very fatty snack.In the nutritional values table above we assume a fat percentage of 7.5 grams per 100 grams of oliebol. Yet we cannot easily determine the percentage of fat in an oliebol. The fat percentage of an oliebol is highly dependent on how much frying oil an oliebol absorbs during the frying process. The absorption of the fat in an oliebol depends on the batter composition, oil temperature, preparation time, etc. An average oliebol therefore contains 7.5 grams of fat, but there are also oliebollen that only contain 3.5 grams of fat. Other oliebollen, on the other hand, sometimes contain as much as 23.5 grams of fat. When an oliebol is baked by an expert and good baker, an oliebol should not actually contain that much fat at all. The fat percentage in an oliebol appears to be relatively reasonable. In addition, an oliebol is fried in vegetable oil. Vegetable oil consists largely of (relatively harmless) unsaturated fatty acids. When we compare an oliebol with a brown sandwich with cheese, we come to a shocking discovery. It is not the brown sandwich that we consider healthy, but the oliebol with its unhealthy image that appears to contain the least saturated fat.

Calories

Oliebollen are seen as calorie bombs. But according to experts, this actually turns out not to be so bad. When we compare an oliebol with other delicacies that also belong to the category of cakes and pastries, we sometimes make strange discoveries. For example, an egg cake, which was seen for years by dietitians as a healthy snack, contains 287 kcal per 100 grams and contains more calories than an oliebol.

What is healthier, an oliebol or apple turnover

It is often wrongly thought that an apple turnover is healthier than an oliebol. We know the saying “sweets wisely, eat an apple”. Yet an apple turnover does not appear to be healthier than an oliebol. An apple turnover contains an average of 380 calories. This high number of calories is because an apple turnover consists of a slice of puff pastry that is filled with a mixture of apple, raisins, sugar and cinnamon. A substitute with fewer calories is the apple fritter. An apple fritter is just a piece of apple that is dipped into batter and then fried. An apple fritter contains an average of 190 calories per piece.Source: Eliens, Pixabay

Isn’t an oliebol unhealthy after all?

If we were to look at the above comparisons, we could quickly conclude that an oliebol is healthy. However, this is not entirely true. Oliebollen may contain relatively few calories and saturated fat compared to other delicacies, but oliebollen also contain relatively few useful nutrients. This may include dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals. That is why the same applies to an oliebol as to many other products. Enjoy a delicious oliebol during New Year’s Eve, but eat them in moderation!

read more

• Losing weight: An oliebol is healthier than an egg cake!
• Losing weight and calories: Oliebollen and apple turnovers
• The tastiest recipe for oliebol without milk