Many of us want to know what is really in Nutella and in other foods that are marketed as healthy, including those made with GMO foods. Reading labels is a simple habit that helps us make better choices for our children.
Thanks to all the advertising, Nutella has made a name for itself as part of a healthy breakfast. But the truth is that it is a sweet spread and cannot be put on the list of healthy foods. This is not to claim that all the ingredients used in Nutella are bad. Still, there are 4 ingredients that are worth a closer look, especially if the spread is eaten every day.
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Why Think Twice About Nutella?
It contains the following 4 ingredients, and it is good to know about them, especially because children love it:
Sugar
Sugar is the first ingredient on the label, which means there is more of it than anything else in the jar. Critics say that part of the sugar used in such products may come from GMO sugar beets, which are cheaper for companies to use.
Whatever its origin, this is refined, added sugar, and the body does not need it.
Health authorities advise limiting added sugar, particularly for children. A diet high in sugar is linked to weight gain, tooth decay, and other health problems.
Some authors also connect a high sugar intake with mood swings and with topics we have written about, such as anxiety, autism, depression, ADHD, and migraine, but research has not shown that sugar causes these conditions.
Soy
Soy has been a part of Asian food culture for thousands of years. So you may ask why soy in Nutella would be a concern. The difference, critics say, is that Asian civilizations have been eating traditionally prepared soy in small amounts. In the West, we have been eating it in increasingly larger quantities, mostly in processed foods.
Nutella contains soy lecithin, an emulsifier used in very small amounts. Some people prefer to avoid soy because of ongoing debates about its effect on hormones and the thyroid, or because of an allergy. Food safety authorities consider soy lecithin safe. If you want to read more about women’s health, see our article on breast health warning signs.
Skim Milk
Pick up any milk product and you will be charmed by the packaging that shows healthy cows and lush green pastures. The reality can be quite different. The skim milk powder used in processed foods usually comes from large industrial farms, where cows are often fed corn-based feed and may be given antibiotics, all in order to keep the costs down. The white powdered milk may look great, but it is a highly processed ingredient. Besides, some authors point out that the processing of powdered milk can produce oxidized cholesterol, which they describe as a less desirable kind of cholesterol.
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Vanillin
Companies will proudly declare “no artificial colors” on the label. But they do not always point out that the product also contains vanillin – an artificial flavor.
It may sound like vanilla, but it is a compound made to give the taste and smell of vanilla without using real vanilla beans. It is approved for use in food. Still, sweet, strongly flavored foods are very pleasant to eat, which makes it easy to eat more of them than we planned.
Another part of this story is that most of the world’s supply of vanillin is produced synthetically in factories, often from petrochemical raw materials, rather than from vanilla pods.
If you would rather not have your children eating a lot of added sugar and artificial vanilla flavor every morning, keep Nutella as an occasional treat rather than a daily breakfast, or look for a spread with a simpler list of ingredients.
Source: Insider
This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always talk to your doctor about any health concern.