Bornean orangutan: 35 – 45 years

More than 100,000 Critically Endangered orangutans have been killed in Borneo since 1999, research has revealed. Scientists who carried out a 16-year survey on the island described the figure as “mind-boggling”. Deforestation, driven by logging, oil palm, mining and paper mills, continues to be the main culprit.

Your Nutella Is Killing Orangutans. Your favourite Italian chocolate-hazelnut spread is suspected to be responsible for the endangerment of Borneo Orangutan monkeys. Palm oil contributes to deforestation in Borneo and Sumatra, the only two places on Earth where orangutans live. Orangutans are endangered!

Nutella’s active ingredient Palm Oil is the culprit here. Multinationals including Pepsico, Unilever, Nestle have been using palm oil in large quantities in their products and as a result, almost 70% everyday products in your house contain palm oil.

Palm oil contributes to deforestation in Borneo and Sumatra, the only two places on Earth where orangutans live. Trees are cut down for Palm Oil Plantations, but these trees are the Orangutan’s home. Nutella contains Palm Oil, by eating this product we are contributuing to hurting the Orangutan species.

The company has been widely criticized for using palm oil in products, which continues to fuel the demand for palm oil plantations. In 2015, France’s minister of the environment made a bold statement, declaring that consumers should stop eating Nutella if they want to help save the rainforest.

On their website, Nutella claims to produce and harvest sustainable palm oil. Nutella has joined different organizations and partnered up with multiple groups that all ensure sustainability and environmentally friendly palm oil. They claim to protect forests and not cause any more deforestation.

In the United States, Ferrero, maker of Nutella, was sued in a class action lawsuit for false advertising that led some to believe that Nutella carries nutritional and health benefits, being touted as ‘part of a nutritious breakfast’. They were sued for healthwashing!

High in Fat and Calories Since Nutella is sweet and creamy, it may be hard for some people to stick to the serving size, making it easy to consume an excessive number of calories from Nutella. Eating one or two servings of it every day could lead to weight gain over time, especially for a child.

Palm oil is an emotive product. Interestingly, Ferrero – and Nutella in particular – has a very strong sustainable palm policy, and Nutella only uses segregated, sustainable palm oil.

Apart from sugar and fats, Nutella is rich in chocolate. Chocolate contains addictive substances; one of these substances is tryptophan. But, it’s the sugar and fat that gives it the properties we love so much. Made with palm oil, Nutella is easily spread on pretty much anything.

In layman’s terms, Nutella isn’t the healthiest chocolate spread option in the market, and it’s generally advertised as a pseudo-healthy sweet spread. Let’s take a deeper dive into the ingredients in this chocolate “treat.” The first and main ingredient is sugar; in fact, sugar makes up 55% of Nutella (source)!

The French eat a LOT of Nutella While most of the world loves Nutella, France is particularly keen on it. The country reportedly eats a quarter of all the pots that are produced. That’s about 75,000 tonnes of Nutella eaten in France each year.

Is Ferrero, the Italian company that makes Nutella, selling a product that can kill people? The answer: No.

1. Nocciolata Organic Hazelnut Spread with Cocoa & Milk. Made using the Rigoni family recipe, this spread is certified organic, and made with all natural, raw ingredients. And if you’ve been looking for hazelnut spread without palm oil, you’ve found it.

The Definitive Ranking of Nutella Alternatives

• Nocciolata. This self-described “organic hazelnut spread with cocoa and milk” won our hearts because it boasts a perfect blend of chocolatey and nutty flavors.
• Barefoot and Chocolate.
• Natural ChocoDream.
• Hershey’s.
• Hey, Hey Hazelnut!
• Justin’s.
• Rawmio.
• NutiLight.

All three of the new Hershey’s spreads are great, but some are even better than others. In a side-by-side comparison with a spoonful of Nutella, both spreads were almost equally tasty, but Nutella has a bit more hazelnut flavor. It’s also smoother and more glossy.

Remember, this spread is packed with sugar. Dr. Besser says, “There are NO benefits for diabetics to eat this product. However, if they want to enjoy a small amount as part of a balanced diet — go right ahead.”

Fabalous Organic Chocolate Spread (Hazelnut & Cocoa Chickpea Spread) Vegan, Dairy Free, No Palm Oil, Less Sugar, More Protein 200g.