94% of Americans have at least one jar of peanut butter in their home. They eat an average of 4.35 pounds of it per person.
Another popular nut spread came around thanks to the company Ferrero during WWII. They wanted to combat the cocoa shortage and ground hazelnuts into a chocolate spread to make it go further. It was known as Nutella.
The chocolatey spread was later considered a health food. It seemed like an alternative to fatty peanut butter, but this may not have been the right choice.
Read on to learn the answer to that age-old question, is Nutella healthier than peanut butter?
What’s In Nutella?
Nutella’s ingredient list includes, in this order:
- Sugar
- Modified palm oil
- Hazelnuts
- Cocoa
- Skim milk
- Reduced minerals whey from milk
- Soy lecithin
- Vanillin
The first ingredient in the list is present in the highest amount. That means that Nutella is primarily made of sugar. Palm oil is a vegetable oil full of saturated fats that can raise “bad” LDL cholesterol and contribute to heart disease.
What’s In Peanut Butter?
The choice between Nutella or peanut butter is also a brand battle. The former includes several products under one name, but the other comes from various companies.
Jif has roasted peanuts as the top ingredient and contains 2% or less of hydrogenated vegetable oils, mono and diglycerides, molasses, sugar, and salt. Skippy contains roasted peanuts, hydrogenated vegetable oil, and salt. Peter Pan has roasted peanuts, sugar, hydrogenated vegetable oil, and salt. Smuckers lists only peanuts and salt.
Peanuts are a great source of protein and healthy fats, and vegetable oils are also high in healthy fats. Hydrogenated oils are the worst ingredients because they can increase heart disease and LDL cholesterol.
Is Nutella Healthier Than Peanut Butter?
The best way to compare peanut butter vs Nutella is to look at the back of the container. It’ll tell you the ingredients and nutritional values. These differ from brand to brand, but there are a few that work across the board.
The major difference between the two spreads is their sugar levels. Most Americans consume over 17 grams of extra sugar, double the recommended amount. A single serving of Nutella has 21 grams, while peanut butter has less than 10, depending on the brand.
There’s a clear winner in the peanut butter vs. Nutella protein battle, and it’s even used as a meat alternative for vegetarians. You can even increase these values by buying high-protein peanut butter.
The difference in the peanut butter vs. Nutella calories battle depends on which brand you choose. The sweet hazelnut spread may allow for a larger serving, but its caloric content tends to be higher.
Saturated fats are the unhealthy variety. Peanut butter has fewer of them and fewer carbohydrates.
It also has more vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients. These include:
- Niacin
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin D
- Iron
- Calcium
- Potassium
- Phosphorous
- Magnesium
- Zinc
The short answer to the question, “is Nutella healthier than peanut butter” is no. They both have positive and negative qualities, but the chocolatey spread’s high sugar, calorie, and carbohydrate content makes it better as an occasional treat.
What Other Foods Are Healthy?
Are you looking for the perfect nut spread and wondering, is Nutella healthier than peanut butter?
They both use nuts, but the added sugar in Nutella is its greatest downfall. Peanut butter also has more protein and nutrients. Read the rest of our content for tips on finding the healthiest and most delicious additions to your diet.