Philatelist? Stamps. Numismatist? Coins. But, what do you call someone who collects jars of food? Epulorcaconferst? (My apologies to any Latin experts out there who might be critiquing my root word selection…)
I’m a woman on a mission, and it’s a chocolatey one. As a lover of the taste of Nutella and a hater of its Nutrition Facts, I’ve had my eye out for any and all chocolate-hazelnut spreads, with the hopes that I might come across some healthier alternatives. When I originally tackled this problem last year, I settled on Justin’s Chocolate Hazelnut Butter Blend, and I stand by that recommendation. But, the last 12 months have brought me some new contenders so I thought it was time to revisit the world of this sweet, fudgey stuff. And, it just so happens that February 5 is World Nutella Day. Now that’s a holiday I think Americans can get behind.
Nutrient Comparison
Information is for a 2 tablespoon serving.
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Hey, Hey Hazelnut! Askinosie Chocolate Hazelnut Spread
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Choc & Nut Hazelnut-Cashew Nut-Cocoa Organic Spread
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Dundee Orchards Chocolate Huckleberry Hazelnut Butter
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| Calories |
200 |
200 |
190 |
180 |
| Total Fat |
11 g |
16 g |
10 g |
10 g |
| Saturated Fat |
3.5 g |
4 g |
5 g |
3 g |
| Sodium |
15 mg |
0 mg |
5 mg |
14 mg |
| Total Carbohydrate |
22 g |
14 g |
19 g |
40 g |
| Dietary Fiber |
1 g |
2 g |
4 g |
2 g |
| Sugars |
21 g |
8 g |
9 g |
not listed |
| Protein |
3 g |
4 g |
6 g |
4 g |
Ingredients
It’s strange that with such similar ingredients, the finished products can be so different. And we need to remember that straight nut butter without added sweeteners and chocolate would be a smarter choice nutritionally. As you can see from the table above, the fat’s generally lower when the carbohydrate and sugar are higher. But the clear winner here for taste and healthy components is Hey, Hey Hazelnut! Askinosie Chocolate Hazelnut Spread; deeply, richly chocolate and oh so creamy. It’s made from: hazelnuts (oil and butter), cocoa powder, organic sugar, and roasted cocoa nibs. They call it bean-to-jar (they make it all from scratch) and it’s vegan. Weirdly, even though the company is in Springfield, MO, they source their hazelnuts from Holmquist Orchards, right up north of me in Lynden, Washington.
Cost and Availability
Here’s the bad news. The Hey, Hey Hazelnut! is $13 for 6.5 oz. and it’s hard to source. You can buy it from their online store, but the cheapest shipping option adds $16. Egad! It might be worth it to give them a call so they can find the retailer nearest you. I got my jar in Seattle at Sugarpill. (Update 2020: Unfortunately I can’t find the product on their website anymore. Very sad. I think it’s been discontinued.)
Can’t I Do It Better?
If you’re feeling crafty, you can always make your own, end up with a less processed product and be in control of the sugar yourself. I made the Homemade Mocha Nutella (Vegan, Refined-Sugar Free) from the Oh She Glows blog and it was sumptuous. (Thanks Angela!) I’ve also taken a shine to the Not-Tella recipe in the Veganomicon cookbook. (Thanks Isa and Terry!)
Hoodwinked By Chocolate
It seems like there are more chocolate spreads making their way to store shelves, and I’ve been quickly hoarding all of them into my cart. But on closer inspection, once I got them home, I realized they don’t have one stinking hazelnut in them. If you’re thinking about branching out in the spread department, of those pictured below, the Wild Squirrel definitely wins the nutrition contest. But, Justin’s makes a Chocolate Almond Butter that beats them all.
Left to right: Trader Joe’s Cocoa Almond Spread, Peanut Butter & Co. Dark Chocolate Dreams, Natural Nectar Dark Choco Dream, and Wild Squirrel Chocolate Sunflower Seed Almond Butter.
I plan to continue my gluttonous quest, and I just did a quick web search for other brands. Be warned Nutkao, Loacker, Jif, Jem and Rapunzel…I’m coming for you.
Update: This post is actually #2 in what ended up being a Nutella trilogy. Check out the other posts here:
#1: A Nutrition Review of Nutella and Other Chocolate-Hazelnut Spreads
#3: A Nutrition Review of Nutella and Other Chocolate-Hazelnut Spreads: Part 3
Please weigh in with your recommendations…are there any other chocolate-hazelnut spreads that hold a candle to the original?
Kristine Duncan, Registered Dietitian
I’m a Registered Dietitian, the author of Veg Girl RD, and a vegetarian who loves to eat. I’m a nutrition nerd who teaches at the University of Washington and Skagit Valley College. I also write about nutrition professionally for magazines and books. If you want to know more, check out my About page.
19 thoughts on “A Nutrition Review of Nutella and Other Chocolate-Hazelnut Spreads: Again”
Hello christine, You’re lucky for all the options! I live between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia and all we have available is Nutella or some cheap local alternative that tastes like wax 🙁 so I have been missing my chocolate spread treat. I’m gonna give the homemade spread a try. Thank u for the recipe 🙂
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Loved reading your review and comparison! Thanks.
Do you know which one have no palm oil?
Great question. Of the hazelnut products listed in this post the only one with palm oil is Nutella. All three other products in the chart are palm oil-free.
I also mention that I like Justin’s and it does use organic palm fruit oil.
(In case you were asking about the non-hazelnut chocolate spreads, too, the Cocoa Almond Spread and Dark Choco Dream both list “non-hydrogenated palm and/or canola oil”, so it could be yes or no. The Dark Chocolate Dreams has palm oil but the Chocolate Sunflower Seed Almond Butter does not.)
Happened upon this today. I imagine you’re always looking for more? This summer we had Cinnamon Daddy Mactella in Hawaii, which is probably really high in fat since it’s made with macadamia nuts. But it’s all sourced right there and it’s delicious! http://madrechocolate.com/Shop.html#widget32
I am indeed always looking for more. It’s amazing how many different ones are out there. Thanks for the tip! Wonder if this justifies a “business trip” to Hawaii? 🙂
I also wrote up on hazelnut spreads on my blog here: http://modernmuckraker.com/american-nutella-sadly-has-gmos-my-quest-to-find-an-alternative/
Im going to try the spreads on your post and I hope you do the same with the ones I reviewed!
All the best!
Hi James. We’re of like minds I think. I just read your post and I’m excited to try and track down some of the products you found. Thanks for stopping by.
Looking for a product that does not include palm oil. Can you recommend one?
Thanks. Checkout the blog post below.
The dangerous ingredient you’re eating—and don’t even know it
By Gretel H. Schueller, December 7, 2012 – 11:12am
http://www.eatingwell.com/blogs/health_blog/the_dangerous_ingredient_you_re_eating_and_don_t_even_know_it?socsrc=ewfb1216133
Hi Cat. Justin’s is my favorite, but it has palm oil. So, I’d probably say Askinosie Chocolate Hazelnut Spread for one without palm oil, but it’s hard to find.
Or, I’d suggest Rigoni di Asiago Nocciolata. It’s got a texture similar to Nutella, but uses sunflower oil instead of palm oil. The drawback is that it’s high in sugar like Nutella, but more affordable and more widely available than Askinosie. Happy spreading!
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Hi!
You should try our Dark Hazelnut Spread! It has 0 SUGAR, 1 NET CARB, and is gluten free, vegan, paleo, kosher, and NON GMO! Check it out on our website, golofoods.com and also on our retail website, healthylifeseasons.com! Email me if you have any questions!
Thanks, Lindsey!
Hi, Have your tried Hope Foods Dark Chocolate Spreads. If you get on their website, they have a comparison with Nutella. Their products are certified organic, certified kosher, non-gmo verified and don’t contain all the junk the other brands have. You can find them in Whole Foods and other natural grocery stores in the refrigerated section – no preservatives to make them shelf stable. The only chocolate spread I will feed my family!!! Healthy and Delish!!
Hi Christine. Thanks so much for the suggestion! I will definitely put it on my list to try.
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