Many years ago, I spent a few weeks holidays in Europe. I hiked, explored beautiful cities, tried local foods, and indulged heavily in an Italian favorite: Nutella. I would eat Nutella for breakfast and dessert, and it was a delicious chocolate treat.
When I got home, I would occasionally buy a jar of Nutella to enjoy. But I was wondering, is Nutella healthy? As I learned more about the ingredients, I realized it wasn't a good option. I created my own recipe for Homemade Nutellabut that often takes more time than I do.
I was determined to find a healthier, pre-made, low-sugar version of this spread.
What is Nutella?
Chocolate hazelnut spreads have been around since the early 1800s, when chocolate was scarce due to import laws. To stretch the chocolate they had, chocolatiers began adding hazelnuts, which were plentiful, to create a spreadable dessert. They called it gianduia, and it remained popular over the years.
During World War II, the availability of chocolate was again affected by rationing. Pietro Ferrero, a chocolate maker in Italy, revived the idea of adding hazelnuts to stretch the 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, I would stack it with donuts and pastries.
Is Nutella healthy?
Based on the ads, you might think Nutella is a health food worthy of a place on your breakfast (and lunch and dinner) table. It doesn't contain many ingredients and they all seem somewhat harmless. Unfortunately, these simple ingredients hide some problems:
Nutella ingredients: sugar, palm oil, hazelnuts, cocoa, skimmed milk powder, whey powder, soy lecithin and vanillin
Sounds like a simple and relatively healthy ingredient, right? At least we can spell them all! Heck, even a 5-year-old can probably pronounce all those ingredients. However, digging a little deeper into the ingredients reveals hidden problems with this spread.
Nutella ingredients
Unfortunately, several ingredients disqualify Nutella from health food status. It has no nutritional value or health benefits. In fact, the amount of added sugar and artificial flavors means it's something to avoid. If you wouldn't eat a candy bar for breakfast or give it to your child, then skipping Nutella is probably a good idea too.
Sugar
The first ingredient is refined sugar… and not a little. Two tablespoons of this chocolate frosting contains 21 grams of sugar or five cubes of added sugar! That's more than most cakes and donuts!
To make matters worse, the sugar is not organic. Nutella uses mostly beet sugar, a highly refined sugar that often contains large amounts of pesticides. Sugar beet is also often GMO. Hardly a healthy meal.
There is a time and a place for consuming sugar (in moderation, of course). But it is important to choose organic and non-GMO sugar.
Palm oil
Palm oil is a healthy fat that is common in many things, including food, detergents and beauty products. This oil grows in the tropics (mainly Southeast Asia) and is often harvested unsustainably. This contributes to deforestation, habitat destruction, water pollution and human rights violations.
Fortunately, not all palm oil harvesting harms the environment. If taken properly, it can be a very nutritious ingredient. Straight palm works to raise awareness of properly sourced palm oil and encourages consumers to choose ethical and healthier options. Nutella uses 100% certified sustainable palm oil that is RSPO certified (one of the few good things about it).
I am Lecithin
Another controversial ingredient in this spread is soy. Unless it comes from an organic source, soy is a heavily sprayed (often GMO) crop. It is processed with hexane, a harsh solvent and gasoline byproduct. Soy also contains xenoestrogens, which are potent endocrine disruptors. Many experts believe that these xenoestrogens may be partly to blame for the increased rate of reproductive problems.
While it is difficult to completely avoid soy lecithin, there are healthier alternatives. For example, sunflower seeds do not have the same problems.
Commercial dairy
Nutella also contains non-organic “skimmed milk powder”. Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with ethically sourced dairy, but that's not what you'll find in Nutella.
Commercially sourced milk comes from cows raised in horrible conditions and fed GMO grains and antibiotics. It is also pasteurized and homogenized. By the time it becomes “milk powder”, it is full of oxidized cholesterol, which is formed during dehydration. This is one of the most harmful types of cholesterol.
Lajthia
Hazelnuts are a wonderful and nutritious food that originated near the Black Sea. Unfortunately, many modern hazelnuts grown in the US and Canada have been 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. It has antioxidants, which are good for heart health. Unfortunately, much of the world's supply is gathered in unethical ways, including child slave labor. It is ironic and sad that forced labor and child slavery produce the things we love.
According to one investigation by the BBCthese child slaves work 80 to 100 hours a week without pay. They are malnourished, receive no education and most will never see their families. About 1.8 million children work in cocoa fields in Ghana and 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.
vanilla
It would be easy to look at this ingredient and assume it's just a technical name for real vanilla… but it's not. Real vanilla extract is basically a solution made from vanilla beans (here's how to do it). It tastes great and even contains some B vitamins.
Vanillin is not so healthy. It is an artificial vanilla flavor combined with sugar or corn syrup. In stores, labels sometimes list it as “imitation vanilla.” It often comes from things like wood pulp…hardly what I want in my food!
Nutella: Health wash?
You're not alone if you thought Nutella was healthy (even though it's not). or 2012 lawsuit condemned Nutella's parent company, Ferrero USA, for making misleading health claims in its advertising and packaging.
The result was a $3 million settlement. The company was forced to refund consumers who had bought it, thinking it was healthy. It also demanded that Ferrero USA 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. Can't we enjoy it in moderation?
And normally, I would say yes, we can enjoy things in moderation. But when it comes to a refined, highly processed mixture of ingredients, I just can't get my head around it.
I created a homemade Nutella recipe that I make in the food processor. But I don't always have time to make it. It's nice to have a healthier, store-bought option. Thankfully, I found Nutiva's Organic Hazelnut Spread – a healthy alternative.
A healthy alternative to Nutella
Nutiva's verified organic, GMO-free, 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 Nutiva spread because it is:
- Much less sugar: 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 sprays contain palm oil and cocoa, which can be problematic if not ethically sourced. All Nutiva 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-3 per serving! (That's more per serving than sardines and tuna contain… and my kids of course prefer chocolate!)
- Organic, Verified Non-GMO and Certified Gluten Free: Other brands are not organic and contain ingredients that may be genetically modified.
- Without milk: We are not vegan, but I prefer a dairy-free alternative when the milk source is commercial dairy.
Delicious ways to eat hazelnut spread
Whether you make your own Nutella or save time and money and buy the pre-made, organic version, there are plenty of delicious ways to eat this spread:
- Dip for Banana Chips: My kids love to dip their banana chips in it.
- In a smoothie: They've found creative ways to use it in smoothies. Their favorites are the Hazelnut Butter Jelly Smoothie and Chocolate Hazelnut Banana Smoothie.
- Filling for pancakes or waffles: My oldest likes to make pancakes for the family on Saturdays. Children sprinkle with this spread and sliced strawberries.
- Mocha coffee: Try mixing a teaspoon of hazelnuts with chocolate spread on coffee for a natural cream.
- Nut butter substitute: Can't have (or don't like) peanut butter or other nut butter? Use this 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 and creamy hot chocolate.
- Pour over ice cream: Warm up some spread and pour over ice cream for a delicious treat!
By exchanging your Nutella
Switching to a healthier version of Nutella allows you to still enjoy this delicious treat without added sugar, artificial flavors and questionable ingredients. I would still recommend enjoying it in moderation. But with a healthier version, at least you'll be enjoying something with more nutrition and less sugar!
You can get Nutiva chocolate spread with hazelnuts here. There are several other healthy options on the market now. I also like this one from Artisana Organics which contains ethically sourced sustainable ingredients. Plus it's sweetened with coconut sugar.
Are you a fan of Nutella? Will you switch to a better alternative?
