Last updated 21st August 2016. A digestive biscuit, sometimes described as a sweet-meal biscuit, is a semi-sweet biscuit, usually known in American English as a “cookie”.
The term “digestive” is derived from the belief that they had antacid properties due to the use of sodium bicarbonate.
The typical digestive biscuit contains the following ingredients;
- coarse brown wheat flour which gives it its distinctive texture and flavor,
- sugar,
- malt extract,
- vegetable oil,
- wholemeal,
- raising agents (usually sodium bicarbonate, tartaric acid and malic acid)
- salt
Dried whey, oatmeal, cultured skimmed milk and/or emulsifiers such as DATEM may also be added in some varieties. (source)
So can hamsters eat digestive biscuits?
Yes they can have a nibble of them, but don’t give them a lot as they are too sweet for them.
Too much sweet food can be bad for hamsters and so a few small pieces that they can hold in their paws should suffice for them on a very occasional basis.
