Behind the viral hazelnut spread’s wholesome image lies a sugar-heavy truth nutrition experts want everyone to know
Nutella has officially left the kitchen counter and entered the history books. This week, a jar of the beloved chocolate hazelnut spread went viral after floating through NASA’s Artemis II spacecraft moments before astronauts broke the record for the farthest distance humans have traveled from Earth. It’s a fitting moment for a product that already dominates Earth-bound pantries — more than 365,000 tons are sold across 160 countries every year, enough to fill nearly 150 Olympic-sized pools.
But long before its cosmic cameo, Nutella built its reputation as an indulgent yet somehow innocent treat. Nutrition experts say that reputation deserves a closer look.
What’s Really Inside Nutella
Despite the hazelnuts pictured on the label, sugar is actually Nutella’s number one ingredient, making up 56 grams per 100 grams. Palm oil follows close behind, giving the spread its signature creamy texture. Skimmed milk powder, reduced-fat cocoa, emulsifiers and flavoring round out the rest. Nutrition experts note that this composition puts Nutella nutritionally closer to a chocolate bar than to a nut butter, since traditional peanut butter is typically around 90% peanuts.
The Sugar and Fat Numbers Behind the Spread
A single 15-gram “happy portion” — roughly a heaped teaspoon — delivers about 80 calories, 4.6 grams of fat and 8.4 grams of sugar. That’s not far from the sugar found in a glazed doughnut. Since adults are advised to cap added sugar at 30 grams daily, just two spoonfuls can eat up more than half that allowance.
Gunter Kuhnle, a professor of nutrition and food science at the University of Reading, has explained that foods this sugar-dense make it easy to blow past daily limits, with excess sugar linked to dental problems, heart disease risk and weight gain. Nutella also clears the threshold for both “high fat” and “high sugar” classifications, landing it in the same energy-dense category as milk chocolate.
Portion control adds another wrinkle. Nutella’s serving size actually shrank over the years after Ferrero successfully lobbied U.S. regulators in 2016 to reclassify the product as a “spread” rather than a “dessert topping.” Even so, experts point out that most people struggle to stop at just one modest spoonful once the jar is open.
How Nutella Compares to Peanut Butter and Chocolate
When stacked against milk chocolate, Nutella is a near match — both hover around 50 to 55 grams of sugar per 100 grams. Dark chocolate fares better nutritionally, typically containing less sugar along with heart-healthy compounds.
Peanut butter, however, tends to win the comparison outright. A typical 15-gram serving offers nearly 8 grams of fat but less than half a gram of sugar, and its fat is largely unsaturated — the kind linked to lower cholesterol. Registered dietitian Sophie Medlin, founder of CityDietitians, has pointed out that peanut butter’s protein and fiber content help people feel fuller longer, making overeating less likely. No such research backs Nutella.
Who Should Be Mindful of Nutella
Because Nutella is low in fiber and protein, it can cause quick blood sugar spikes, something to watch for anyone managing diabetes. People focused on weight loss or heart health may also want to moderate their intake given its saturated fat content. Experts additionally caution against making it a daily habit for children, since sugar-heavy, low-nutrient foods can build a lasting preference for sweetness. And naturally, anyone with a nut allergy should avoid it entirely.
Still, nutrition experts stress Nutella isn’t forbidden fruit. Paired with fiber-rich foods and kept to occasional, modest servings, it can fit into an otherwise balanced diet. The real takeaway, they say, is treating it as a treat — not a pantry staple — regardless of how far its fame has traveled.
Source: Daily Mail
