Many years ago, I spent a few weeks vacationing in Europe. I hiked, explored beautiful towns, tried local foods, and indulged in way too much of an Italian favorite: Nutella. Iād eat Nutella for breakfast and dessert, and it was a delicious, chocolatey treat.
When I got home, Iād occasionally buy a jar of Nutella to enjoy. But I wondered, is Nutella healthy? As I learned more about the ingredients, I realized it wasnāt a good option. I created my own recipe for homemade Nutella, but that often takes more time than I have.
I was determined to find a healthier, pre-made, lower-sugar version of this spread.
What is Nutella?
Chocolate hazelnut spread has been popular since the early 1800s when chocolate was scarce because of import laws. To stretch the chocolate they did have, chocolatiers started adding hazelnuts, which were abundant, to create a spreadable treat. They called it gianduia, and it maintained popularity through the years.
During WWII, chocolate availability was again impacted by rationing. Pietro Ferrero, a chocolatier in Italy, revived the idea of adding hazelnuts to stretch chocolate. Thus, Nutella was born. Today, the spread is still very popular in Europe and the US.
Unfortunately, the American version contains a high amount of sugar and questionable ingredients. While it was marketed as a healthy breakfast food, due to its high sugar content, Iād lump it in with donuts and pastries.
Is Nutella Healthy?
Based on the commercials, you may think Nutella is a health food worthy of a place on your breakfast (and lunch and dinner) table. It doesnāt contain many ingredients, and they all seem somewhat harmless. Unfortunately, those simple ingredients are hiding some problems:
Nutella Ingredients: sugar, palm oil, hazelnuts, cocoa, skim milk powder, whey powder, soy lecithin, and vanillin
Seems like simple and relatively healthy ingredients, right? At least we can pronounce them all! Heck, even a 5-year-old could probably pronounce all of those ingredients. However, digging a little deeper into the ingredients shows hidden problems with this spread.
Nutella Ingredients
Unfortunately, several ingredients disqualify Nutella from health food status. It doesnāt have any nutritional value or health benefits. In fact, the amount of added sugar and artificial flavors means itās something to avoid. If you wouldnāt eat a candy bar for breakfast or feed one to your child, then skipping Nutella is probably a good idea, too.
Sugar
The first ingredient is refined sugarā¦ and not a small amount. Two tablespoons of this chocolatey spread contains 21 grams of sugar or five cubes of added sugar! Thatās more than most candy bars and donuts!
To make matters worse, the sugar is not organic. Nutella mainly uses sugar from beets, a highly refined sugar often containing large amounts of pesticides. Sugar beets are also often GMOs. Hardly a health food.
Thereās a time and a place for sugar consumption (in moderation, of course). But itās important to choose organic and non-GMO sugar.
Palm Oil
Palm oil is a healthy fat thatās common in many things, including food, detergents, and beauty products. This oil grows in the tropics (mostly Southeast Asia) and is often harvested unsustainably. This contributes to deforestation, habitat destruction, water pollution, and human rights offenses.
Thankfully, not all palm oil harvesting harms the environment. If properly sourced, it can be a very nutritious ingredient. Palm Done Right works to raise awareness about properly sourced palm oil and encourages consumers to choose ethical and healthier options. Nutella uses 100% certified sustainable palm oil thatās RSPO certified (one of the few good things about it).
Soy Lecithin
Another controversial ingredient in this spread is soy. Unless it comes from an organic source, soy is a highly sprayed crop (often GMO). Itās processed with hexane, a harsh solvent and gasoline byproduct. Soy also contains xenoestrogens, which are potent endocrine disruptors. Many experts think that these xenoestrogens may be partially to blame for rising rates of reproductive issues.
While itās hard to completely avoid soy lecithin, there are healthier alternatives. For example, sunflower seeds donāt have the same problems.
Commercial Dairy
Nutella also contains non-organic āskimmed milk powder.ā Donāt get me wrong, I have no problem with ethically sourced dairy, but thatās not what youāll find in Nutella.
Commercially sourced dairy comes from cows raised in terrible conditions and fed GMO grains and antibiotics. Itās also pasteurized and homogenized. By the time it becomes āmilk powder,ā itās full of oxidized cholesterol, which forms during dehydration. This is one of the most harmful types of cholesterol.
Hazelnuts
Hazelnuts are a wonderful and nutritious food that originated near the Black Sea. Unfortunately, many modern hazelnuts grown in the US and Canada are sprayed with commercial pesticides. Always choose organic hazelnuts to avoid pesticide contamination.
Cocoa Powder
Cocoa is another nutritious food that has a place in a healthy diet. Itās got antioxidants, which are good for heart health. Unfortunately, much of the worldās supply is harvested in unethical ways, including child slave labor. Itās ironic and sad that forced child labor and slavery produce the treats we love.
According to an investigation by the BBC, these child slaves work 80 to 100 hours a week without pay. Theyāre underfed, donāt receive education, and most will never see their families. An estimated 1.8 million children work in the cocoa fields in Ghana and the Ivory Coast.
No matter how good something is for my health, I refuse to buy or consume any product that comes from children forced into slavery and inhumane conditions. Thankfully Nutella uses cocoa produced without child labor and supports healthy cocoa production.
Vanillin
It would be easy to glance over this ingredient and assume itās just a technical name for real vanillaā¦ but it isnāt. Real vanilla extract is essentially a tincture made from vanilla beans (hereās how to make it). It has a wonderful flavor and even contains some B vitamins.
Vanillin isnāt so wholesome. Itās an artificial vanilla flavor combined with sugar or corn syrup. In stores, labels sometimes list it as āimitation vanilla.ā Itās often derived from things like wood pulpā¦ hardly what I want in my food!
Nutella: Health Washing?
You arenāt alone if youāve thought Nutella was healthy (even though it isnāt). A 2012 lawsuit convicted Nutellaās parent company, Ferrero USA, of making misleading health claims in its advertising and packaging.
The result was a $3 million settlement. The company was forced to reimburse consumers who had bought it, thinking it was healthy. It also required Ferrero USA to change its packaging, website, and marketing to reflect the high sugar content.
Is There a Healthy Nutella?
I know you might be thinking, Nutella is so delicious. Canāt we enjoy it in moderation?
And normally, Iād say yes, we can enjoy things in moderation. But when it comes to a blend of refined, highly processed ingredients, I just canāt get on board with that.
I created a homemade Nutella recipe that I make in the food processor. But I donāt always have the time to make it. Itās great to have a healthier store-bought option. Thankfully, I found Nutivaās Organic Hazelnut Spread ā a healthy alternative.
A Healthy Alternative to Nutella
Nutivaās organic, non-GMO verified, dairy-free, gluten-free spread has all the deliciousness of Nutella without the harmful junk. My kids enjoy this nostalgic treat in moderation!
Our family loves Nutivaās spread because itās:
- Much lower in sugar: It contains 40% less sugar than other options. The name brand contains 21 grams of sugar per serving size. Nutiva has only 12 grams.
- Ethically sourced: Most hazelnut spreads contain palm oil and cocoa, which can be problematic if not ethically sourced. All of Nutivaās ingredients, including palm oil and cocoa, are ethically sourced (rainforest and animal-friendly).
- More nutritious: Unlike other brands, this one contains 450 mg of omega-3s per serving! (Thatās more per serving than sardines and tuna containā¦ and my kids certainly prefer the chocolate!)
- Organic, non-GMO verified, and certified gluten-free: Other brands arenāt organic and contain ingredients that may be genetically modified.
- Dairy-free: We arenāt vegan, but I prefer a dairy-free alternative when the dairy source is commercial dairy.
Delicious Ways to Eat Hazelnut Spread
Whether you make your own Nutella or save time and money and buy the organic pre-made version, there are so many delicious ways to eat this spread:
- Dip for banana chips: My kids love dipping banana chips into it.
- In a smoothie: Theyāve found creative ways to use it in smoothies. Their favorites are hazelnut butter and jelly smoothie and chocolate hazelnut banana smoothie.
- Topping for pancakes or waffles: My oldest likes to make pancakes for the family on Saturdays. The kids drizzle them with this spread and sliced strawberries.
- Mocha coffee: Try blending a teaspoon of chocolate hazelnut spread into coffee for a natural creamer.
- Nut butter substitute: Canāt have (or donāt love) peanut butter or other nut butter? Use delicious chocolate hazelnut spread in any recipe that calls for nut butter.
- Hot chocolate: This recipe is one of the easiest ways to make a delicious, creamy hot chocolate.
- Drizzle over ice cream: Warm up some spread and drizzle it over ice cream for a delicious treat!
Swapping Out Your Nutella
Switching to a healthier version of Nutella allows you to still enjoy this delicious treat without all the added sugar, artificial flavors, and questionable ingredients. Iād still recommend enjoying it in moderation. But with a healthier version, at least youāll be enjoying something thatās got more nutritional value and less sugar!
You can get Nutiva Chocolate Hazelnut Spread here. There are some other healthy options on the market now too. I also like this one from Artisana Organics which features ethically sourced, sustainable ingredients. Plus itās sweetened with coconut sugar.
Are you a Nutella fan? Will you switch to a better alternative?
