By Paul Rothbart
Originating in Italy during the Second World War, Nutella has been popular in Europe for decades. In recent years it has caught on in the U.S. Traditionally marketed as a dessert topping (it's manufactured by a chocolate company) it has become a bread spread that people use on toast and in place of peanut butter. The health benefits of peanut butter are well known. Nutella tastes good. Is it healthy too? Let's take a closer look.
What's In It?
Nutella has a simple list of ingredients. Its unique flavor comes from hazelnut paste and cocoa. It also contains skim milk powder, soy lecithin, and vanillin. Vanillin naturally comes from vanilla beans, but Nutella uses a synthetic variety. Its creamy texture comes from the addition of palm oil. A two-tablespoon serving contains 200 calories, 21 grams of sugar, and 12 grams of fat. It also has small amounts of protein, iron, and calcium. This is not much nutrition and many of the ingredients are bad for your health.
Sugar
Nutella tastes sweet because it contains a large amount of sugar. A serving of Nutella contains more sugar than an equally-sized serving of chocolate cake frosting. Excess sugar can be very harmful. It has been linked to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, liver disease, and cognitive decline. It's especially bad for children as the American Heart Association recommends no more than 25 grams of sugar a day and Nutella has 21 in a serving.
Calories and Fat
A serving of Nutella is small but contains 200 calories. Because people love its taste, many consume more than one serving at a time. Those calories add up fast. They provide little nutrition and can easily lead to being overweight or obese.
Nutella is also heavy in unhealthy fats. One of its main ingredients, palm oil, is loaded with saturated fats. These can contribute to cardiovascular disease. While it is OK to consume some palm oil, it should be in small amounts. Given its popularity, the palm oil content of Nutella can easily reach an unhealthy level.
It Is Not A Peanut Butter Substitute
Nutella should not be used as a substitute for peanut butter or any other nut butter despite the hazelnuts in it. It does not have anywhere near the nutritional content of nut butters and is much higher in sugar and fat.
Nutella has caught on worldwide with its creamy texture and sweet taste. Having some in moderation can be done without serious health damage. But it should be used as a dessert spread, just as it is marketed. Treat it like cake, candy, or any other sweet. Don't make it a regular part of your diet.
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FAQs
Calories and Fat
Is Nutella actually healthy? ›
If you are actually looking for a healthy spread, Nutella is not it. You are better off running some hazelnut through your food processor and adding a little honey and pinch of salt. Toss in some cacao if you want the chocolate vibe.
Is there a healthier version of Nutella? ›
Pyure Hazelnut Spread: The Leading Alternative to Nutella
In contrast, Pyure Hazelnut Spread emerges as a low-carb and low-sugar alternative. Its standout feature is its extraordinary 90% reduction in sugar compared to Nutella, with just two grams per serving.
Is it OK to eat Nutella daily? ›
In two tablespoons of Nutella, there are 21 grams of sugar which are about 5 teaspoons. The American Heart Association recommends not to consume more than 6 teaspoons of sugar per day, which is 25 grams.
Is Nutella high quality? ›
Our attention to quality for more than 60 years
Quality is as important to us as it is to you, and that's why we guarantee high quality standards for every plant in the world that produces Nutella®.
Is Nutella healthier than peanut butter? ›
While Nutella might win in terms of sweetness and indulgence, peanut butter is the clear winner from a nutritional standpoint. It's not just a healthier choice; it's a versatile food that supports a healthy lifestyle.
Is Nutella better than avocado? ›
Avocado has 20 important nutrients and provides antioxidants and health-protective fat, she said. Nutella contains more additives — including sugar — than it does hazelnuts, she said. "Comparing these two is like comparing 1 cup of fresh blueberries (85 calories) to 10 gummy bears (85 calories)," she said.
Which is better Hershey or Nutella? ›
And despite near identical ingredients between the two competitive spreads, the overall assertion was unnamious: Hershey's 'lacks the intensity of flavor that Nutella provides,' as Sadie Whitelocks explained, giving it a four out of ten.
Is Nutella full of sugar? ›
Nutella contains 10.4 percent of saturated fat and 58% of processed sugar by weight. A two-tablespoon (37-gram) serving of Nutella contains 200 calories, including 99 calories from 11 grams of fat (3.5 g of which are saturated) and 80 calories from 21 grams of sugar.
Is Nutella OK for diabetics? ›
With 58% being sugar, it's really not a great choice to add to a diet complicated with diabetes.
Nutella. Nutella is billed as a hazelnut spread, but let's be real: we're all in it for the chocolate. But the inclusion of cocoa powder means Nutella has a bit of caffeine in it, with a 2-tbsp serving totaling about 3 mg.
Is Nutella bad for cholesterol? ›
Contains a high level of saturated fat
For this reason it has long been known as a "bad" fat that raises the "bad" cholesterol, LDL.
Who buys the most Nutella? ›
According to the Ferrero company's statistics, France is considered to be the largest consumer of Nutella in the world where over 25% of the world's production is consumed and produced each year.
Who eats the most Nutella? ›
While most of the world loves Nutella, France is particularly keen on it. The country reportedly eats a quarter of all the pots that are produced. That's about 75,000 tonnes of Nutella eaten in France each year.
Does healthy Nutella exist? ›
Fine & Raw Oat Milk Chocolate Hazelnut Butter Spread. Fine & Raw uses organic ingredients and oat milk to create a truly addictive and smooth healthy Nutella alternative. Fine & Raw also uses locally homegrown hazelnuts from Oregon and is dairy and gluten-free.
Is Nutella good or bad for weight loss? ›
If you're looking to lose weight, Nutella may not seem like the best option due to its high calorie and sugar content. However, Nutella can still be included in your diet in moderation as part of a well-balanced meal plan. You can use it to sweeten up desserts or to add flavor to healthier food choices.
Is Nutella a processed food? ›
It is a highly-processed snack food product made from palm oil, lots of white sugar, and powdered milk, all three of which are ultra-processed ingredients themselves. It's not a great option if you're trying to eat food that's actually food. This is, arguably, what makes it delicious.
