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What Nutella Leaves Out of Its Commercials

April 7, 2011   64 Comments

Snack Girl would love a breakfast spread that has no artificial colors or preservatives and has 50 hazelnuts per jar that makes my morning easier.

A Nutella Alternative

Wow! What could this magnificent stuff be? Nutella, of course. Made with cocoa, hazelnuts, and LOVE. Your children are going to go bananas for this stuff.

Let us take a good look at their commercial:

and now, their ingredients:

sugar, palm oil, hazelnuts, cocoa, skim milk, reduced minerals whey (milk), lecithin as emulsifier (soy), vanillin: an artificial flavor.

SUGAR! SUGAR! SUGAR! is the first ingredient.

The breakfast that Nutella advocates (a glass of skim milk, orange juice, and Nutella on whole wheat bread) has a whopping 10 teaspoons of sugar per serving.

Try spooning 10 teaspoons of sugar in your mouth and see how your day goes. Or maybe you should just serve your child a Coke for breakfast.

A mom in California is actually suing the maker of Nutella for deceptive advertising see here: NPR Article.

I'm planning on suing Nutella because of the unrealistic depiction of a mother at breakfast time. Where is the ponytail? Why is your shirt so clean? And, why are those children so silent?

Ummm, yeah, so Snack Girl happens to love Nutella, but not for breakfast. It is a treat! With its 21 grams of sugar per 2 tablespoons, I use this stuff rarely.

How does Nutella compare to America's favorite spread, peanut butter? The best peanut butter has just 3 grams of sugar for 2 tablespoons. So, you are adding more than SIX times the sugar by using Nutella.

So let's say you bought Nutella, your kids love it, and now after reading this you are a bit upset. Do I have a solution for you!

Frankly, I don't even want to mention this product because it is so addictive, but I am going to share.

Peanut Butter and Co. has mixed chocolate and peanut butter and, get this, it is only 7 grams of sugar per serving. Somehow, these guys managed to add just a little bit (1 teaspoon) to get a flavor that is just fantastic. (see below)

I bought a jar for $6 (ouch) and while it isn't the healthiest peanut butter around - you will do much better than Nutella. Their ingredients:

Peanuts, evaporated cane juice, cocoa, cocoa butter, palm fruit oil, vanilla, lecithin (from sunflowers), salt.

So, now you are adding a teaspoon of sugar to your breakfast (compared to plain peanut butter) and now you should lose the juice and add some strawberries and I think you are doing pretty great!

What do you think of the Nutella ad? Have you tried "Peanut Butter & Co."?

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64 Comments:

I absolutely LOVE PB& Co and I think it tastes even better than Nutella by a LONG shot. I really love your posts and truth about food. It's so misleading what marketing does.

PB& Co's Mighty Maple is probably one of the best things I've ever tasted :)

My daughter loves Nutella and is allergic to peanuts. Sigh. Insert sad face here.

@Neil :( - could you mix maple syrup into almond butter? OR - mix almond butter into nutella to cut the sugar? I'm just thinking out loud here.

Hmmm. She didn't like almond butter when I had her try it last year, but maybe we could try again...

I love nutella, but started using chocolate Peanut butter, It is hard to find in my area, I may have to order it on line.

Or better yet make our own. Just gotta find a good recipe.

Justin's Nut Butter makes a Chocolate Hazelnut Butter that is divine. Hazelnuts are the first ingredient, and it has 7 g of sugar per serving.

I just whipped up a batch of Almond Butter and Nutella cookies. So I guess according to the commercial they would make a great breakfast... ;) I think for a spread I'd rather use plain peanut butter.

I prefer Nutella to the peanut butter chocolate but do not buy Nutella.....too much sugar!

I found this recipe recently, but have yet to make it.....soon I hope!

in case someone wants to make it, it sure sounds easy in the food processor!

http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2011/02/homemade-nutella-recip…

@Neil: Sunflower seed butter? It has more of the creaminess of peanut butter that almond butter lacks.

And I LOVE PB&Co. Dark Chocolate Dreams! One (SMALL) spoonful is the perfect craving quencher!

What about just adding some good quality cocoa powder to (any kind) of nut butter? Not sweet enough? Maybe pair it with fruit or just a little bit of honey?

How about that second ingredient: PALM OIL. Palm oil production is responsible for massive rainforest destuction in Indonesia and Malaysia and many species of animals are endangered because of this destruction. Animals like the orangutan will soon become extinct if we keep buying products that contain palm oil. SKIP THE NUTELLA! Buy only natural peanut butter as well. The other junk has palm oil added (Jiff, Skippy, etc.)

Peanut butter has a lot of fat in it though. It's all about moderation. One tablespoon of Nutella isn't going to kill your day. A little sugar and some carbs for breakfast pared with some protein, (eggs, turkey sausage etc.) is going to give you the full you need. Now I'm not saying eat the whole jar for breakfast but I don't think a little will hurt you.

no wonder those kids got so happy and jittery, it's the sugar high! lol

thank u for the info!!

I LOVE PB&Co! :D Such yummy nut butters in so many flavors! hahaha

Can't believe how much sugar Nutella has.....10 tsp? Who needs 10 tsp of sugar at breakfast?

I LOVE Nutella as a treat too, but, never for breakfast. I am more of a savory person.

Actually though 4.2 g = 1 teaspoon so 2 Tbsp has only 5 teaspoons of sugar, not 10. (side note).

http://nutrition.about.com/od/askyournutritionist/f/gramcon…

I am a dork with numbers so I am always converting these things as well to see if it is worth it :)

I agree with you on the mom in the commercials - so funny!

PB&Co ~ LOVE it as a treat too but prefer natural nut butters without anything in them.

Danica

I love PB & Co! Maple, White Chocolate, and Cinnamon Raisin Swirl are delicious. Also, look for them at the Christmas Tree Shop or Ocean State Job Lot in New England for so much cheaper! I've gotten them for 2.99 at both places. Christmas Tree tends to cycle food products out, but I found them a few weeks ago after not seeing them for a while, so I guess they're back for now!

At the Super Target stores in MN (those with a grocery section), you can find PB&Co.for less than $4 a jar. Most locations sell the dark chocolate, white chocolate, and cinnamon raisin flavors. Target's "Market Pantry" line sells an all natural PB that is just peanuts & salt. Just 1 gram of sugar and it costs about $2 a jar.

You should check out "Better N Peanut Butter". 2 tbsp = 2 pts. They also have a chocolate peanut butter (not my favorite). The plain peanut butter is fabulous with cut up fruit. Try is.

I saw Heather Eats Almond Butter (HEAB) post about these peanut butters (made with coconut, and chocolate too if you want) she got to review: http://www.northshoregoodies.net/Products.html

They look awesome!

Whenever I see these commercials I wanna throw something at the TV as they are very deceptive! I mean I'm a label reader so I know but to the mom who doesn't read labels this mess can have them thinking they are doing something wonderful for their kids during the breakfast hour...SO not the case!! Lol

I recently purchased White Chocolate Wonderful for the first time! An itsy bitsy layer on top of a plain rice cake is a great afternoon pick-me-up!

I love the Peanut Butter & Co. Dark Chocolate Dreams. You can get it at Wal-Mart for just over $3 a jar.

I love Nutella, but I didn't understand how they could be touting it as a healthy breakfast product for kids. Clearly, they shouldn't be!

I have chuckled at this ad several times thinking, "Chocolate on whole grain toast? Too good to be true as a healthy breakfast". I recently heard about Naturally More products. Anyone ever heard of them or used them?

http://www.naturallymore.com/products.html

I second Justin's nut butters, they are amazing!!

P.S. My WalMart sells PB&Co peanut butter at a lower price. check it out.

I am so with you on this one. I was looking for an alternative to peanut butter since it was banned from my kids' camps and preschool :( and they love Nutella. But I agree it is a treat, sooo much sugar. Why is it that everyone seems to care about fat but no one is talking about sugar, which is actually what's making us fat?!!! My kids also don't like the almond butter. Anyone have a good nut-free substitute for the classic PB&J?

Another great alternative is PB2 chocolate peanut butter. It only has one gram of sugar for a 2T serving. It comes in regular peanut butter or peanut butter/chocolate. The ingredients are very simple: Roasted peanuts, sugar and salt. The chocolate has cocoa powder in it. Both are yummy and won’t bust a gut!

You can purchase it on-line and view nutrition information here:

http://store.bellplantation.com/Chocolate-PB2-s/1.htm

@Melinda My son is allergic to peanuts and tree nuts. He ate Sunbutter for the first time today and liked it! Pretty excited to have another protein source since there is so much he won't eat! He's almost 3, so I hope he will eventually like more things and outgrow some of his allergies. But it would make a good PB&J!

My favorite grocery store makes peanut butter in the store, in those large grinders. They have one grinder dedicated to "Nutella" -- all it has in it is hazelnuts and chocolate chips. So, I bet you could make the easiest Nutella in the world at home, if you had a good food processor or blender, some hazelnuts, and some chocolate or cocoa. Then you have a lot more control over how much sugar goes in.

it's better for a body than Jam, jelly, or preserves. it has protein! good info, thanks. & certainly children shouldn't be having it for breakfast, but some people need to relax.

I love Nutella and though I have served it for breakfast it is a very special occasion thing like Christmas morning and then with oat crepes and fruit. However, now Justin's makes one that is better, still a little sugary but better. I'm sure it's a little pricier but it's still a treat so it's worth it.

I've never tried Nutella because of all that sugar. I heard they advertised that you get 1 hazelnut per serving (not sure if it's true--just what I heard) but I don't think 1 hazelnut is going to do anything whatsoever

@Courtney: Yes, peanut butter does contain fat, but the healthy fats. Out of 16g of total fat, there's only, 2-3g of saturated fat and 0g trans fat then it's 12g of monounsaturated fat and 1 or 2g polyunsaturated fat.

We love Nutella in this house, esp when I ground up sunflower seeds and mix them in and we dip apples! Yum!

The first and only time I tasted Nutella I thought it tasted like chocolate frosting. Not something I thought would be good for me on my morning toast. But liking a TV ad is no excuse for not bothering to understand what food labels mean.

I'm sorry but this stuff is nasty. I bought some last year to try and it was so gross and way too sweet. Another example of how advertisers trick us!

Are you honestly thinking about sueing Nutella? That is just ridiculous. The commercial didn't lie-people just need to read the label for themselves if they care or eat that much Nutella. You dont have to eat a lot, give it to your kids everyday,all the time. Maybe mix it in with regular pb&j or put it on some crackers and give them 3 or so.

I use to like Nutella but now find it way too sweet - like so many other things. I have heard of peanut butter & co and the comments about their dark chocolate peanut butter sound like a match made in heaven. Now I just need to find it at a store near me !!!

Who's suing Kellogg's or General Mills for their high sugary cereals and misleading ads?

Vermont Peanut Butter Good Karma Dark Chocolate PB - 4g sugar for 2 tablespoons and ingredients are Organic peanuts, semi sweet dark chocolate, low sodium sea salt, 100% pure whey protein isolate

Thank You! The first time I started to buy Nutella and looked at the ingredients I knew it was a no-go. I use PB&Co instead.

I have been making my own protein 'nutella' for years. I add protein powder (usually chocolate fudge, but sometimes cookies and cream), hazelnuts, sweetener, extract (vanilla, maple etc), sometimes sugar free syrup (davinci) and voila. I love experimenting with Pecans/Walnuts/Almonds or any nut. It is healthier, cheaper, tastier and a lot more fun to customize!

Barbara

My personal trainer told me about PB&Co. I like the maple flavor. There is also Naturally Nutty on the web. The have flavored nut butters and seed butters that are all natural and out of the world. They add flax and hemp to their butters!

thanks for the info, but c'mon. why would you eat 2Tblspoons of nutella if it has so much sugar. um... a little goes a long way. try having 1tsp(that's a sixth of the serving) on whole grain bread w/ fave, healthy, low sugar, natural nut butter... hmmmm...? how 'bout that. people allergic to peanuts can't do the PB&co or can they. & PB&J (classic & lots o' sugar, but no protein). guess what has protein... Nutella

I mean moderation, really! sorry. for the rant. I really do like your blog. but it seems to focus on the negative.

GREAT idea. I really like almond butter. "mix almond butter into nutella to cut the sugar?"

if that mom has time for a lawsuit, then she has time to figure out how to feed & properly nourish her kids w/o "buying into" advertising & realize that advertising is just that.

The first time I saw that Nutella commercial I laughed out loud. Talk about "spin"! Nutella is CHOCOLATE spread with a hint of hazelnut, not hazelnut spread with a hint of cocoa. Come on. Anyone who has tried it knows that - and can see the ad as a total joke. Chocolate for breakfast is not heathy. The fact that someone is going to SUE Nutella over this is completely ridiculous. It's like the woman who sued McDonald's for her spilling hot coffee on herself. (Luckily she won that case, but it was still a total joke.) I think people need to use their brains and not believe advertising, which is only in place to sell product. I think if Nutella had been advertised back in the 70s and 80s when sugar cereals were popular, the depiction of the product would have been more realistic. I love Nutella, but I would only ever have it for dessert - and very infrequently at that.

I have never tried Nutella, but couldn't you just add cocoa powder to your healthy peanut butter and get a good result?

That commercial drives me crazy, too! Why not crack open a can of chocolate frosting, mom? Nutella is only marginally better. Justin's makes some great nut butters -- my fave is the almond maple. I buy it in the 2T packets from Amazon. Costs a little more but it's totally portion controlled.

It really is all about label reading but i dont have a problem with Nutella. We get it on occasion and my kids love it. But i dont keep a lot of sugary junk in my house and my kids are way active so its ok for a once in a while indulgance. The commercial is misleading if your not smart enough to not check it out. All parents should be label watching not believing what they see or hear

I grew up in Italy (Nutella is to Italians what Peanut butter is to Americans) and it was a staple in my home as a child. BUT for my kids, heck no! They have tasted it before as a cultural thing but I was addicted to it and now I avoid it! God that stuff is good though!

I make my own nutella alternative with Peter Pan, Cocoa, Skim Milk & Honey. I mix it to taste, so I don't have an actual recipe. My children think it's magic, they've never had nutella, but love the idea of chocolate for breakfast.

I just read this and thought Oh no I just bought Peanut Butetr & Co Dark Chocolate Nut Butter and then you recommend it, sheesh, that was a scare! I never like Nutella, not a hazzlenut person.

Thank you SO much for mentioning the SUGAR as the first ingredient! That is one of those commercials that I have to talk to almost everytime I see it. ARGHHH!!! I love treats as much as the next treat loving gal,

as long as it's not pretending to be healthy.

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my kids and I love Justins Chocolate Hazelut Butter!! Ingrdients:Dry Roasted Hazelnuts, Dry Roasted Almonds, Organic Evaporated Cane Sugar, Organic Cocoa,Organic Cocoa Butter, Organic Palm Fruit Oil, Vanilla, Sea salt. Has 7g Sugar for 2 Tbsp.

I an a Nutellaholic, have to have a large spoonful a day, just a spoonful, every morning. Bad or not bad, I do not care, I love, love it and life is too short to worry about it. I grew up having Nutella and will continue to eat it until I can.

Great article :)

It's high time the advertising gurus actually flexed some muscle and put a stop to this kind of false advertising. The advert states that Nutella contains some skimmed milk, hazlenuts and cocoa powder.....but the two main ingredients are sugar and oil. Surely it should be illegal to only mention the 3 'best' ingredients and casually ignore the two massively unhealthy main ones?! I think any advert listing ingredients should have to do so in the order on the label, and mention their percentages. That would stop them in their tracks...

Askinosie has a hazelnut choc spread that is divine and has the nuts as the first ingredient

How's that lawsuit working out for you, eh?

Nutella...oh... This is so perfect!

It’s the best

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