Nutella - Holmen,WI

Honestly, I don't care! I LOVE the stuff! I don't think it's as healthy as they advertise (is anything, really?). But, as with pretty much anything, *in moderation* I think it's fine. There are far worse things I could feed my kids. My ODS actually prefers jelly, but I always want Nutella on my toast. It's especially yummy spread on either graham crackers or toast, topped with strawberries. Just watch the portion size, it's so easy to add a little extra!

I think it is what it is. Basically a spreadable candy.

Over 50 Hazelnuts per 13 oz. Jar – and over 50 teaspoons of sugar too!
Contains No Artificial Colors – but does contain artificial flavors
Contains No Artificial Preservatives – but includes modified palm oil

Not the best choice for a "healthy" breakfast, but then again, neither is a Pop Tart. Treat it as what it is--an occasional treat for breakfast, not an everyday thing. It's crazy-high in sugar!

I do nutella & peanut butter sandwiches for my daughter. I figure there is no more sugar in the Nutella than in Jelly and she gets an extra shot of protein too.

But then there are days when I'm just happy she eats anything.

K.

I dont think its that healthy, I almost bought me a jar till I read the label. Have you tried Almond butter? It's healthy ;)

If you go to the Nutella website, you can read all about it.
Yes, its fine.
www.nutellausa.com

I Ditto Kerri below.

Sure, sugar is in it...NOT corn syrup. Its in peanut butter too.
BUT... it is coupled with protein.
Dietarily.... when eating "sugars" it is best to eat it WITH either a milk/fat or protein... because, it changes how it is processed/broken down in the body. This is how, some people are taught to eat... by food combining.

Kids in Europe, grow up on Nutella... like how kids in the USA grow up on Peanut butter.
My kids, eat Nutella. We all do. As well as Peanut Butter. My Husband, grew up on Nutella.

The thing is... everything in moderation.

To me, Nutella is WAY better... than all that JUNK kids' type cereals that kids eat... the one's colored like radioactive fluorescent colors. Even my kids say "Eeewww" when they see those cereals in someone's grocery cart.

all the best,
Susan

First, Nutella sold in the US does not have the same ingredients as the European version (at least not a year ago when I last bought it). The US version has trans fats. Second, anything that starts with refined sugar is not a healthy choice. I believe Nutella has 4 or 5 times as much sugar than peanut butter. However, if he is a picky eater and putting nutella on whole grained bread or vegetables gets your son to eat something, then it is all relative.
C.

So, I'm mainly German, where Nutella comes from. The purpose of Nutella is to spread it on WHOLE GRAIN breads. In Germany, we have a bread called Vollkornbrot - it is a flourless bread made from just the kernals/seeds. SOOO healthy. Spread with Nutella - kids love it.

My recommendation, use Nutella as a treat to trick your kids into eating awesome bread. Then spread less and less on it over time. All my kids eat nutella. And I love a spoonful when I'm PMSing.

I'm all about health and good nutrition but kids do need their treats. I think a chocolate sandwich is what I would eat if I was on a diet and wanted to cheat, lol. The recipe for Nutella is different from country to country but it's a good product. It has sugar but no HFCS and it has palm oil (not modified in the US) that is not hydrogenated (no transfats according to their website). That's two or three pluses right there. Sugar, in and of itself, is not bad, it is the overabundance of it that is unhealthy.

God bless,

M.

It is chocolatey, but eaten in moderation, it should be fine. In Europe kids often eat it on a slice of French bread for an afterschool snack. I wouldn't feed him on JUST Nutella, but it makes a fine snack after school IMO!

Nutella is junk food. And, with all junk food a little bit in moderation isn't a horrible thing.

Imagine taking a handful of hazelnut truffles from Godiva and melting it down then spreading it on bread. Would you still think it is healthy? Probably not.

Hi M.---Unfortunately Nutella contains a type of trans fat called modified palm oil, as well as added sugars. It also contains milk protein solids, whey. It is NOT healthy. Trans fats lower good cholesterol and raise good cholesterol. Animal proteins, and that includes whey protein, increases the risk of diseases such as heart, cancer, type 2 diabetes and autoimmune disorders.

Having said that, IF Nutella is a VERY small part of an otherwise plant based diet, a TREAT really, then every once in awhile you might have some. But, for me, if it contains unhealthy ingredients, why eat it? Whole Foods has a couple of different chocolate/hazelnut spreads that do not contain trans fats (partially or fully hydrogentated). Try those instead, if possible. I also recently discovered that Amazon has an extensive 'grocery' store with lots of different foods not normally found in your local grocery store.

Go to www.strongbones.org and www.pcrm.org to learn about the dairy issue as well as the benefits of a plant based diet. And feel free to contact me with questions if you'd like. Hope this helps....oh, and why not try almond or cashew butter? Be sure to try and find it without added oils and sugars. That requires you to stir the nut butter before using and I will sprinkle a bit of stevia powder over a sandwich if someone really has to have it sweeter. But, gradually reduce the added sweetener and simply enjoy the flavor of the nuts all by themselves. Good luck! D.

My son, like yours, would not eat peanut butter at all when he was younger. I didnt want to push it and cause his aversion for peanut butter to become something bigger like an intolerance or allergy. So when he went to kindergarten and their lunch shift was the last (they had a snack break mid-morning) I didn't feel comfortable sending cold meats, etc.

So what I did was give him nutella sandwiches. As the year went on, I gradually mixed more and more creamy PB into it. So by the end of K he was eating nutella flavored/colored PB. 1st grade he still preferred nutella over PB but I bought it less and less (and it had more PB than Nutella in it then). Now he actually prefers PBJ sandwiches over cold cuts or other lunch foods (3rd grade now)

So in that sense, Nutella was great for us. It was his "training wheels" so to speak for PB.

Also, sugar BY ITSELF is NOT healthy, but sugar with protein which is longer lasting and filling is not as bad. (I've forgotten and don't have any nutella on hand now to look at, so I don't know how much protein Nutella has, but probably some, although not as much as PB??)
If there's no protein, all "white" carbs, then their blood sugar spikes and crashes. 'Good carbs' (ie wheat pasta as opposed to white, sweet potatoes as opposed to white potatoes, etc) lasts longer in the body and tides you over the sugar spikes.

I wouldn't live on nutella, but I'd still have it.

True, in Europe Nutella is just like peanut butter in USA! As a child for me, there was no treat as Nutella...mothers tend to give it to their children sporadically, so it is special and very much appreciated! My son is 4 and sometimes he has a Nutella and bread as an afternoon snack at school, just one slice of bread with Nutella spread on top , fruit and a glass of milk. Once a week is not a big deal, he eats fruits an veggies and other healthy foods the rest of the week. I think too much of anything can be bad for you, but everything in moderation makes a good diet. I'd rather for my son to have a slice of Nutella every now and then than juice everyday..or even worse, sodas!!! But this is just the way we grow up here.

http://www.fooducate.com/blog/2009/10/11/the-new-nutella-...

http://motivationalsmartass.com/index.php/2010/01/the-wor...

Nutella, is essentially junk-food. Only 13% of Nutella, is actually hazelnuts. Try Sunbutter, from sunflower seeds. My son loves it. Almond butter, is even better, but I have never tasted it.

No, not good for you, but very good on a spoon....P

Oh gees....
"Healthy", probably not the best choice but my daughter loves it and I like it too. We eat it on toast.

Moderation is the key. My daughter is a health nut, great eater and I have no issue with her having a little Nutella on her toast.

Let your son enjoy a treat! If it helps him expand his eating habits there is nothing wrong with it.

They grow up TOO fast!

On no level is Nutella healthy. It is produces by a Candy Maker ( that should be your first clue) and is full of fat. I would never or have ever given that to my child.

The commercial is misleading isn't it?? They say, " I put it on all kinds of HEALTHY THINGS." It's not healthy, but as a treat here and there, I wouldn't be too worried about it.

My daughter is eating a nutella sandwich now!, growing up in the U.K, it wasn't so much a staple, but a treat, but my daughter is sick, so I am trying to get her to eat something

i grew up with nutella spread on creppes (for breakfast or dinner). i wish my kids loved it. they like peanut butter instead (yuck)

In my opinion, Nutella is the lesser of MANY evils! And Mum4ever's post made me hungry! I miss those beautiful whole grain breads with a little Nutella. YUM!!!!

My husband and I just debated this the other night. We checked the nutritional facts and, compared to regular peanut butter, Nutella has the same amount of calories per serving and less fat.