Many years in the past, I spent a few weeks vacationing in Europe. I hiked, explored stunning cities, tried native meals, and indulged in approach an excessive amount of of an Italian favourite: Nutella. I’d eat Nutella for breakfast and dessert, and it was a scrumptious, chocolatey deal with.
When I bought home, I’d sometimes purchase a jar of Nutella to take pleasure in. But I questioned, is Nutella healthy? As I realized more concerning the substances, I noticed it wasn’t a good option. I created my own recipe for homemade Nutella, however that always takes more time than I’ve.
I used to be decided to search out a more healthy, pre-made, lower-sugar model of this unfold.
What is Nutella?
Chocolate hazelnut unfold has been common because the early 1800s when chocolate was scarce as a result of of import legal guidelines. To stretch the chocolate they did have, chocolatiers began including hazelnuts, which have been considerable, to create a spreadable deal with. They known as it gianduia, and it maintained reputation by the years.
During WWII, chocolate availability was again impacted by rationing. Pietro Ferrero, a chocolatier in Italy, revived the concept of including hazelnuts to stretch chocolate. Thus, Nutella was born. Today, the unfold continues to be very fashionable in Europe and the US.
Unfortunately, the American model comprises a high quantity of sugar and questionable substances. While it was marketed as a healthy breakfast food, because of its high sugar content material, I’d lump it in with donuts and pastries.
Is Nutella Healthy?
Based on the commercials, you might suppose Nutella is a health food worthy of a place in your breakfast (and lunch and dinner) desk. It doesn’t comprise many substances, they usually all appear considerably innocent. Unfortunately, these easy substances are hiding some issues:
Nutella Ingredients: sugar, palm oil, hazelnuts, cocoa, skim milk powder, whey powder, soy lecithin, and vanillin
Seems like easy and comparatively healthy substances, proper? At least we will pronounce all of them! Heck, even a 5-year-old might most likely pronounce all of these substances. However, digging a little deeper into the substances exhibits hidden issues with this unfold.
Nutella Ingredients
Unfortunately, a number of substances disqualify Nutella from health food standing. It doesn’t have any dietary worth or health advantages. In reality, the quantity of added sugar and synthetic flavors means it’s one thing to keep away from. If you wouldn’t eat a sweet bar for breakfast or feed one to your baby, then skipping Nutella might be a good concept, too.
Sugar
The first ingredient is refined sugar… and never a small quantity. Two tablespoons of this chocolatey unfold comprises 21 grams of sugar or 5 cubes of added sugar! That’s more than most sweet bars and donuts!
To make issues worse, the sugar will not be natural. Nutella primarily makes use of sugar from beets, a extremely refined sugar usually containing giant quantities of pesticides. Sugar beets are additionally usually GMOs. Hardly a health food.
There’s a time and a place for sugar consumption (carefully, of course). But it’s important to decide on natural and non-GMO sugar.
Palm Oil
Palm oil is a healthy fats that’s frequent in lots of issues, together with food, detergents, and wonder merchandise. This oil grows within the tropics (principally Southeast Asia) and is usually harvested unsustainably. This contributes to deforestation, habitat destruction, water air pollution, and human rights offenses.
Thankfully, not all palm oil harvesting harms the surroundings. If correctly sourced, it may be a very nutritious ingredient. Palm Done Right works to raise awareness about correctly sourced palm oil and encourages shoppers to decide on moral and more healthy choices. Nutella makes use of 100% licensed sustainable palm oil that’s RSPO licensed (one of the few good issues about it).
Soy Lecithin
Another controversial ingredient on this unfold is soy. Unless it comes from an natural source, soy is a extremely sprayed crop (usually GMO). It’s processed with hexane, a harsh solvent and gasoline byproduct. Soy additionally comprises xenoestrogens, that are potent endocrine disruptors. Many consultants suppose that these xenoestrogens could also be partially responsible for rising charges of reproductive points.
While it’s onerous to fully keep away from soy lecithin, there are more healthy options. For instance, sunflower seeds don’t have the identical issues.
Commercial Dairy
Nutella additionally comprises non-organic “skimmed milk powder.” Don’t get me improper, I’ve no downside with ethically sourced dairy, however that’s not what you’ll discover in Nutella.
Commercially sourced dairy comes from cows raised in horrible circumstances and fed GMO grains and antibiotics. It’s additionally pasteurized and homogenized. By the time it turns into “milk powder,” it’s full of oxidized ldl cholesterol, which kinds during dehydration. This is one of essentially the most dangerous varieties of ldl cholesterol.
Hazelnuts
Hazelnuts are a fantastic and nutritious food that originated close to the Black Sea. Unfortunately, many fashionable hazelnuts grown within the US and Canada are sprayed with business pesticides. Always select natural hazelnuts to keep away from pesticide contamination.
Cocoa Powder
Cocoa is one other nutritious food that has a place in a healthy diet. It’s bought antioxidants, that are good for coronary heart health. Unfortunately, a lot of the world’s provide is harvested in unethical methods, together with child slave labor. It’s ironic and unhappy that pressured baby labor and slavery produce the treats we love.
According to an investigation by the BBC, these baby slaves work 80 to 100 hours a week with out pay. They’re underfed, don’t obtain training, and most won’t ever see their households. An estimated 1.8 million kids work within the cocoa fields in Ghana and the Ivory Coast.
No matter how good one thing is for my health, I refuse to purchase or eat any product that comes from kids pressured into slavery and inhumane circumstances. Thankfully Nutella makes use of cocoa produced with out baby labor and helps healthy cocoa manufacturing.
Vanillin
It can be straightforward to look over this ingredient and assume it’s simply a technical title for actual vanilla… nevertheless it isn’t. Real vanilla extract is actually a tincture constituted of vanilla beans (here’s how to make it). It has a fantastic taste and even comprises some B nutritional vitamins.
Vanillin isn’t so healthful. It’s an synthetic vanilla taste mixed with sugar or corn syrup. In shops, labels typically listing it as “imitation vanilla.” It’s usually derived from issues like wooden pulp… hardly what I would like in my food!
Nutella: Health Washing?
You aren’t alone in case you’ve thought Nutella was healthy (despite the fact that it isn’t). A 2012 lawsuit convicted Nutella’s guardian firm, Ferrero USA, of making deceptive health claims in its promoting and packaging.
The outcome was a $3 million settlement. The firm was pressured to reimburse shoppers who had purchased it, considering it was healthy. It additionally required Ferrero USA to change its packaging, web site, and advertising to replicate the high sugar content material.
Is There a Healthy Nutella?
I do know you could be considering, Nutella is so scrumptious. Can’t we take pleasure in it carefully?
And usually, I’d say yes, we will take pleasure in issues carefully. But with regards to a mix of refined, extremely processed substances, I simply can’t get on board with that.
I created a selfmade Nutella recipe that I make within the food processor. But I don’t at all times have the time to make it. It’s great to have a more healthy store-bought option. Thankfully, I discovered Nutiva’s Organic Hazelnut Spread — a healthy various.
A Healthy Alternative to Nutella
Nutiva’s natural, non-GMO verified, dairy-free, gluten-free unfold has all of the deliciousness of Nutella with out the dangerous junk. My youngsters take pleasure in this nostalgic deal with carefully!
Our household loves Nutiva’s unfold as a result of it’s:
- Much decrease in sugar: It comprises 40% much less sugar than different choices. The title model comprises 21 grams of sugar per serving dimension. Nutiva has solely 12 grams.
- Ethically sourced: Most hazelnut spreads comprise palm oil and cocoa, which could be problematic if not ethically sourced. All of Nutiva’s substances, together with palm oil and cocoa, are ethically sourced (rainforest and animal-friendly).
- More nutritious: Unlike different manufacturers, this one comprises 450 mg of omega-3s per serving! (That’s more per serving than sardines and tuna comprise… and my youngsters definitely favor the chocolate!)
- Organic, non-GMO verified, and licensed gluten-free: Other manufacturers aren’t natural and comprise substances that could be genetically modified.
- Dairy-free: We aren’t vegan, however I favor a dairy-free various when the dairy source is business dairy.
Delicious Ways to Eat Hazelnut Spread
Whether you make your own Nutella or save time and money and purchase the natural pre-made model, there are such a lot of scrumptious methods to eat this unfold:
- Dip for banana chips: My youngsters love dipping banana chips into it.
- In a smoothie: They’ve discovered inventive methods to make use of 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 household on Saturdays. The youngsters drizzle them with this unfold and sliced strawberries.
- Mocha espresso: Try mixing a teaspoon of chocolate hazelnut unfold into espresso for a natural creamer.
- Nut butter substitute: Can’t have (or don’t love) peanut butter or different nut butter? Use scrumptious chocolate hazelnut unfold in any recipe that requires nut butter.
- Hot chocolate: This recipe is one of the best methods to make a scrumptious, creamy scorching chocolate.
- Drizzle over ice cream: Warm up some unfold and drizzle it over ice cream for a scrumptious deal with!
Swapping Out Your Nutella
Switching to a more healthy model of Nutella means that you can nonetheless take pleasure in this scrumptious deal with with out all of the added sugar, synthetic flavors, and questionable substances. I’d nonetheless advocate having fun with it carefully. But with a more healthy model, at the least you’ll be having fun with one thing that’s bought more dietary worth and fewer sugar!
You can get Nutiva Chocolate Hazelnut Spread right here. There are another healthy choices on the market now too. I additionally like this one from Artisana Organics which options ethically sourced, sustainable substances. Plus it’s sweetened with coconut sugar.
Are you a Nutella fan? Will you turn to a higher various?