# Are English Digestive biscuits food or medicine? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 24, 2018, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-english-digestive-biscuits-food-or-medicine/821843 "2018-09-24T17:10:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![TPWombat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbce88/32.png) [@TPWombat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TPWombat)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2018, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-english-digestive-biscuits-food-or-medicine/821843/41 "2018-09-30T10:37:30Z")
> [@blob](#): > > Get Hobnobs, they’re delish. Also, [the ultimate dunking biscuit](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwAYglwe3HU) 30 second Peter Kay link, SFW ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2018, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-english-digestive-biscuits-food-or-medicine/821843/42 "2018-09-30T12:54:08Z")
In discussing biscuits in depth I’ve found [this site](http://www.nicecupofteaandasitdown.com/) incredibly helpful. It hasn’t been updated for about 10 years, but remains a standard source. The search box leads to more than 200 results on digestives. ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2018, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-english-digestive-biscuits-food-or-medicine/821843/43 "2018-09-30T14:22:15Z")
> [@TPWombat](#): > > Also, [the ultimate dunking biscuit](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwAYglwe3HU) > > 30 second Peter Kay link, SFW Funny, but in reality, the Hobnob is one of the worst for dunking. [According to rigorous scientific testing](https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/best-biscuit-tea-dunking-bourbon-shortbread-jammie-dodger-study-a8310596.html) the best dunker is the Bourbon. ---
**Author:** ![Eclipse\_Chaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Eclipse\_Chaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eclipse_Chaser)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2018, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-english-digestive-biscuits-food-or-medicine/821843/44 "2018-09-30T15:48:58Z")
> [@Busy\_Scissors](#): > > The digey is / was a craftily marketed biscuit - like others have said it seemed to have a wholesome, healthy, plain vibe to it when we were kids, when really it’s just a sugary snack. I say ‘was’ because now we’re all more aware of sugar in the diet [now that we’re all fat], but attitudes were different then [when we were all thin]. > > I live near a Mcvities factory - very pleasant aroma, think it’s the jaffa cakes though, not sure if the digestive is crafted there. Is that the one in north west London? I had my first holiday job there many years ago, on the production line! I remember the baking aroma which used to (and still does) hang over the neighbourhood. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2018, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-english-digestive-biscuits-food-or-medicine/821843/45 "2018-09-30T16:53:55Z")
> [@Edward\_The\_Head](#): > > They do seem to have [sodium bicarbonate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digestive_biscuit) in them. I always eat them like a normal cookie, multiple at a time. I would guess that was added to make them rise a bit. Otherwise you’d be eating digestive hardtack. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-english-digestive-biscuits-food-or-medicine/821843.md?page=2)