Is Nutella ultra-processed?

Yes — NOVA 4. The first two ingredients are sugar and palm oil. Despite the hazelnut marketing, it's only 13% nuts. Contains lecithin and synthetic vanillin.

Is peanut butter healthier than Nutella?

Whole-nut peanut butter (just peanuts) is NOVA 1 with no added sugar, while Nutella is NOVA 4 with 56% sugar. Calories are similar, but the nutritional quality is vastly different.

What is the glycemic index of nutella?

Nutella has a glycemic index of 55, which is classified as Medium GI. Nutella has a medium GI of around 55. Despite being high in sugar, the fat content from hazelnuts slows glucose absorption.

Glucose: HighNOVA 4

How Many Calories for Nutella?

A 15g tablespoon of Nutella has around 80 calories. At 539 kcal per 100g, Nutella is extremely calorie-dense. It's NOVA 4 ultra-processed — the first two ingredients are sugar and palm oil, not hazelnuts.

Calories by preparation

Method	Calories	Protein	Fat	Carbs	NOVA
1 tablespoon (15g)A 'thin spread' — most people use 2-3x this	80	0.9g	4.7g	8.6g	4
Thick spread on toast (30g + 1 slice)Nutella + white bread = double NOVA 4	282	5.5g	11g	39g	4

Nutrition per 100g

Nutrient	Per 100g	Per serving
Energy	539 kcal / 2255 kJ	539 kcal
Protein	6.3g	6.3g
Carbohydrates	57.5g	57.5g
of which sugars	56.3g	—
Fat	30.9g	30.9g
of which saturated	10.6g	—
Fibre	3.4g	—
Salt	0.11g	—

Serving size: 1 tablespoon (~15g) · Source: Tesco product page, October 2025

Glucose impact

Glycemic Index

High

Glucose risk

Nutella is 56% sugar by weight. Even a tablespoon delivers 8.6g of fast-absorbing sugar. On white toast, the combined glucose load is very high.

Processing level

NOVA 4 (ultra-processed)

Nutella's ingredient list: sugar (first ingredient), palm oil (second), hazelnuts (13%), cocoa, skimmed milk powder, whey powder, lecithin, vanillin. Multiple UPF markers — lecithin, vanillin (synthetic vanilla), whey powder.

Nutella at Tesco

Source: Tesco product page, October 2025

Nutella Hazelnut Chocolate Spread 200G

£2.35*

Nutella Hazelnut Chocolate Spread 350G

£2.89*

Nutella Hazelnut & Chocolate Spread 630G

£5.25*

Nutella & Go! Hazelnut Chocolate Spread and Breadsticks Snack Pot 1 x 48g

£1.35*

Nutella & Go! Hazelnut Chocolate Spread and Breadsticks Snack Pot Multipack 2 x 48g

£2.2*

*Prices were correct at the time of collection and may have since changed. Check Tesco.com for current pricing.

What to watch for when shopping

Nutella is NOVA 4 - sugar is the first ingredient (56%), followed by palm oil, then hazelnuts (13%). A 15g tablespoon has 80 kcal and 8.4g of sugar. Whole-nut spreads with just hazelnuts (Meridian, Pip & Nut) are NOVA 1 with similar calories but no added sugar. The calorie difference is small - the processing difference is huge.

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