Nutella Hazelnut-Cocoa Spread (15g portion pack) — ENGINEERED
Munch or Dump rates Nutella Hazelnut-Cocoa Spread (15g portion pack) by Nutella ENGINEERED — score 30/90.
Sugar and palm oil are the top two ingredients and make up over half the jar. This is a lab-built dessert paste, not the 'quality hazelnut' spread the marketing sells.
Why this verdict
- Sugar is the #1 ingredient, refined palm oil is #2 — together over 50% of the product
- Added sugar plus refined oil is the classic hyper-palatable, engineered-for-craving combo
- Contains vanillin, a synthetic (artificial) flavor
- Only 13% hazelnuts and 7.4% cocoa despite marketing that centers them
- NOVA group 4 — an ultra-processed food
Ingredients (7)
- Sugar (moderate) — Added refined sugar; spikes blood sugar and turns a milky base into a dessert.
- Palm Oil (concerning) — Refined oil, second-largest ingredient. High in saturated fat and paired with sugar to make the spread hyper-palatable.
- Hazelnuts (13%) (safe) — Real nuts with healthy fats, but only 13% of the product despite being the headline ingredient.
- Skimmed milk powder (8.7%) (safe) — Adds some protein and calcium; a minor, benign component.
- Fat-reduced cocoa (7.4%) (safe) — Real cocoa provides flavor and some antioxidants, but present in small amount.
- SOY LECITHIN EMULSIFIER (moderate) — Emulsifier that keeps the oil and solids from separating. Common and low-risk, but a sign of engineering.
- VANILLIN (moderate) — Synthetic vanilla flavoring used to boost palatability. Not a health hazard, but it is an artificial flavor.