You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t enjoy the flavor of Nutella. From croissant fillings to waffles, cocktails, ice cream, and even by the sneaky spoonful, Nutella is a firm favorite. What happens if you’re allergic to Hazelnuts though? Or eschewing a diet high in sugar? What options are there for you to enjoy so you need not miss out?
What Is Nutella Exactly And Why Is It Considered Unhealthy?
Nutella originates from Italy and was first introduced in 1964 by chocolate and confectionery giant Fererro. The sweetened cocoa spread quickly became a worldwide sensation, it is now so popular that Nutella’s website claims you could circle the earth 1.8 times with the jars of Nutella that are produced in just one year.
Nutella came about post-WWII when cocoa became increasingly scarce. As a solution to this, Michele Fererro created a new product, blending hazelnuts into a paste and mixing with small amounts of cocoa.
Since then the ingredients have changed and grown in number to bring about what we now know as Nutella.
An in-depth review of the ingredients by Healthline shows just how little nutritional value Nutella offers. It contains, in order of highest to lowest amount:
Sugar - Either beet or refined cane sugar, depending upon its country of manufacture. Sugar is its largest component.
Palm oil - A type of vegetable oil that comes from the fruit of the oil palm tree. Palm oil gives the product its trademark creamy texture and spreadability. If you’re environmentally conscious, palm oil production is a major cause of deforestation.
Hazelnuts - 100% pure hazelnut paste. Each jar contains the equivalent of around 50 hazelnuts.
Cocoa - The majority of the cocoa beans used in Nutella come from Western Africa. They are processed into a fine powder and mixed with the other ingredients and give the spread its chocolatey taste.
Skimmed milk powder - Made by removing water from pasteurized non-fat milk. Powdered milk has a much longer shelf life than regular milk, and does not require refrigeration.
Soy lecithin - Soy lecithin is an emulsifier derived from soybeans, it helps to keep ingredients from separating, maintaining the spread’s smooth and uniform texture.
Vanillin - A flavor component found in vanilla bean extract. Nutella contains a synthetic form of vanillin, therefore it must be listed as an artificial ingredient.
Nutella is advertised as a hazelnut spread, however, sugar is listed first on the ingredient label. Indicating that sugar, not hazelnuts, is its primary ingredient, comprising 57% of its weight. And while Nutella would like for their product to be classified as a spread in the same category as peanut butter or jam, it is currently listed as a dessert topping.
What’s In A Tablespoon?
According to Nutella’s website, in a single tablespoon of Nutella you are consuming:
As you can see, it is predominantly sugar, fat, and carbohydrates with negligible amounts of calcium and iron. So while we won’t argue with you that it’s delicious, it’s also really unhealthy to consume regularly.
How Common Are Hazelnut Allergies?
Hazelnut allergies are more common than you might realize, in fact, Hazelnuts are one of the most common tree nut allergies. So just as much as peanut butter alternatives are necessary, so are healthy Nutella alternatives.
Tree nut allergies affect between 0.5% and 1% of the American population, this is on par with peanut allergies. Yet peanut allergies are often more catered for than tree nut allergies.
What Alternates Are There To Nutella?
Chocti Ghee Spread
Made from date syrup, chocolate, vanilla bean ghee, coffee oil, and guaraná seed powder, Chocti Ghee Spread, a popular Nutella substitute, is nut-free but made on a production line that may also handle peanuts and tree nuts. It also contains dairy so not suitable for many allergy sufferers. It is high in fat, sugar, and carbohydrates making it on par health-wise with Nutella.
NuttZo Organic Chocolate Power Fuel
Nuttzo is manufactured on equipment shared with peanuts. If tree nut and peanut allergies aren’t a concern for you and it’s more about reduced fat and sugar content, then this option from NuttZo may work for you.
Don’t Go Nuts Chocolate Soy Butter
Soy is a known allergen and many peanut allergy sufferers are also allergic to soy, as they are both in the legume family.This product is free from the other major allergens including tree nuts, peanuts, dairy, eggs sesame, and gluten.
Why Chocolate 5 Seed Butter Beats Them All
Beyond The Equator Chocolate 5 Seed Butter is the perfect Nutella alternative, easily beating out the competition. It is free of the top 8 allergens and made on a completely nut-free production line.
Our Chocolate 5 Seed Butter is nutritionally dense, high in protein, and low in both sugar and carbohydrates. Making it suitable for both the ketogenic and paleo diets.
Chocolate 5 Seed Butter:
- Has 75% less sugar than Nutella.
- Is smooth and creamy just like Nutella.
- Is vegan, gluten-free, and Non-GMO certified.
Chocolate 5 Seed Butter Ingredients
As you can see from our ingredients, we use no filler ingredients or unnecessary additives. Just the very best that nature has to offer.
Roasted Sunflower Seed, Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips (Cane Sugar, Unsweetened Chocolate, Cocoa Butter), Chia Seed, Brown Cane Sugar, Hemp Hearts, Flax Seed, Pumpkin Seed, Natural Flavors, Salt, Vitamin E.
Great Taste, Guilt-Free, Zero Allergens
Choosing to put your health first or protect yourself or your family from allergens doesn’t have to mean going without. A simple switch to our Chocolate 5 Seed butter not only satiates those chocolate spread cravings but gives you added superfood nutrition.
Use it in smoothies, baked into cakes and slices, spread on toast or pastries, the list is endless! Chocolate 5 Seed Butter means you can absolutely have your cake and eat it too - and you can even feel good about eating it. Make the switch today.