Nutella is delicious. But nutritious; it’s suspicious.
Nutella is a very popular chocolate hazelnut spread. It is used on waffles, toast, and pancakes. It is eaten by the spoonful – who needs the extra bread calories, right? (LOL) Like anything bad for you, Nutella can be ok, if you eat it a few times a week sparingly.
However, I always have to lift up my “it depends on sign.” Because in fit and unfit individuals, unhealthy choices most times have a more significant impact on unfit individuals. Healthy options must significantly outweigh your unhealthy choices. Your healthy options create a protection mechanism, whereas unhealthy choices leave the door open for diseases to enter.
With that being said, let’s see what is healthy and unhealthy about Nutella.
Nutella Nutritional Facts
- 200 calories
- 11 grams of fat – 3.5 grams are saturated
- 21 grams of sugar
- 15 mg of sodium
- 2 g of protein
Two tablespoons of Nutella is 37 grams and 200 calories.
Nutella Ingredients
Nutella Sugar- 21 grams
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.
The average American consumes between 15 and 20 teaspoons of sugar per day, and the reason chronic disease is very high in the USA. Consuming too much sugar causes and leads to childhood obesity, obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
You see, why I say depends. It depends on how much sugar you already eat each day in comparison to the total allowance recommended and whether you exercise or not to help combat disease.
Palm Oil
Fresh Palm oil is rich in antioxidants and contains vitamin E. Vitamin E prevents and reduces your risk of heart disease and cancer. So, palm oil can be good to keep your body strong, your immune system healthy, and supports your brain and heart. It also improves the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. Palm oil is high in saturated fat. However, your body needs about 20-25 grams of saturated fat per day. What really makes something bad for you is consistent and excessive consumption.
The truth about palm oil and most oils is that they become detrimental to your health when treated with heat. And, when cooked with heat, the opposite effect happens; it denaturalizes the oil. A carcinogenic toxic substance is formed when palm oil is treated at about 200 degrees Celcius and above. The denaturalization of oils from being heated leads to cancer, atherosclerosis, and heart disease, rather than preventing them. Reheated/heated palm oil is different than fresh palm oil.
However, the company says they process and cook Nutella under 200 degrees Celcius.
Soy Lecithin
Soy lecithin is an emulsifier. It prevents ingredients from separating to make Nutella smooth and easy to spread. It’s a fatty substance derived from soybeans. It is found in practically all dietary supplements, ice cream, dairy products, and margarine. The good news is that the amounts are so small that you do not need to be worried about it.
Hazelnuts
Nutella uses 100% pure hazelnut paste. About 50 hazelnuts can be found in one jar of Nutella. Hazelnuts are good for your health.
Cocoa
7.4 percent of the jar is cocoa powder.
Skimmed Milk Powder
8.7 percent of the jar is skim milk powder.
Vanillin
Vanillin is a synthetic flavor for vanilla bean extract. This artificial flavor is harmless.
Sugar is Nutella’s highest ingredient, followed by palm oil. Nutella is free of high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, preservatives, and hydrogenated oils.
What is bad about Nutella is how much you eat and how often. Your body needs time to break down complex things like saturated fats, oils, etc. If you have diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, you probably should avoid or eat it sparingly. The more efficient your body is with fitness and health, the better it is at eliminating substances. Being fit is not an absolute determination to avoid disease but is close to it. Fitness helps burn off and eliminate foods and substances, regulate the body’s systems, and release disease prevention hormones. That’s why I always say it depends.
However, suppose you eat Nutella every day. In that case, it is not healthy for you or anyone, and you will find yourself consuming excessive calories and substances that lead to disease. On the other hand, if you eat it every so often with an active lifestyle, then you can enjoy it. As for children, eating a tablespoon or more every day will lead to weight gain and contribute to childhood obesity and diabetes.
Understand, Nutella is not an everyday spread. It is a desert. In the United States, Ferrero, the company that makes Nutella, was sued for false advertising. Their marketing-led its consumers to believe that Nutella was a part of an everyday nutritious breakfast. In April 2012, Ferrero paid 3 million dollars as a settlement in a class-action lawsuit.
The smartest way to enjoy Nutella is through moderation.
For more information on nutrition, fitness, health, and training, check out my Youtube channel, The Balance
