You can’t find the exact list of Nutella’s ingredients online. It has to be in descending order from the first (heaviest) ingredient to the last (lightest), as required by law. Well, I went through a lot of trouble to find out what the ingredients are and why Nutella is not good for your kids.
This post was written in 2011. The Nutella website has changed since then so please bear this in mind as you read.
If Nutella had an official website, you’d think it would list all of its ingredients and how many calories each one has, just like most food companies do these days. For example, take a look at the comprehensive Kellogg or Nestle sites where they detail everything. You might not like all of their products, but they give you a lot of information about each one, like what’s in it, how healthy it is, and if it contains any allergens.
Yes these are the ingredients in Nutella but not in their correct order. Nutella wants you to think that their product is mostly made of hazelnuts and cocoa, which sound like two healthy ingredients. So they re-arrange the true order to make a better impression. And leave out the percentage and the correct additive names.
Why try to pretend that something is healthy when it clearly isn’t? The real list of Nutella ingredients makes this very clear. Just accept Nutella for the chocolatey treat it is! Have it on toast, croissant or crepes. Smart marketing draws attention to the few good things and doesn’t say anything about the bad.
Nutella the iconic chocolate-hazelnut spread, is beloved worldwide for its rich indulgent taste. But with so many dietary restrictions today, a common question is does Nutella contain pork?
As a longtime Nutella fan, I decided to investigate the ingredients list and manufacturing process to find out if this sweet treat includes pork products Keep reading for a comprehensive look at what goes into making Nutella, including whether it’s vegan and halal
Breaking Down Nutella’s Ingredients
According to the Nutella website, the main ingredients are:
- Sugar
- Palm oil
- Hazelnuts
- Cocoa powder
- Skim milk powder
- Reduced minerals whey powder
- Lecithin
- Natural vanilla extract flavor
Notice anything missing from that list? Pork is not listed as an ingredient in Nutella. The spread contains no meat products whatsoever.
Let’s briefly cover what each of these ingredients brings to the table:
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Sugar – Makes up the largest percentage of Nutella at over 50%. Provides the sweet flavor.
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Palm oil – Gives Nutella its smooth, creamy texture. Sourced from the fruit of palm trees.
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Hazelnuts – Provides the nutty, chocolatey flavor. Grown in Turkey.
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Cocoa powder – Adds the classic chocolate taste.
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Skim milk powder – Helps Nutella have a longer shelf life. Made from skimmed cow’s milk.
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Whey powder – A byproduct of milk production that maintains spreadability.
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Lecithin – An emulsifier that prevents separation of ingredients.
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Natural vanilla extract – Vanilla flavoring.
As you can see, the ingredients list confirms that no pork products are used to make Nutella. It’s a blend of sugar, vegetable oils, nuts, cocoa, milk, and natural flavors.
How Nutella Is Produced
In addition to the ingredients, it’s important to consider how Nutella is manufactured, as this can impact whether any non-listed ingredients are introduced.
According to Ferrero, Nutella’s parent company, their production process is:
- Hazelnuts and cocoa are finely ground into a paste
- The paste is blended with milk powder and vanilla
- Vegetable oils are mixed in
- The final mixture is micronized into smooth Nutella
During this process, the ingredients are never exposed to substances that would introduce traces of pork. Nutella is made in a dedicated facility free from pork products. The production chain does not include meat ingredients of any kind.
Why Nutella Isn’t Considered Vegan
While great news for those avoiding pork, Nutella does contain milk ingredients. Both skim milk powder and whey powder are derived from cow’s milk, meaning Nutella is not vegan.
Many vegans strictly avoid consuming animals or animal-derived products. Since Nutella relies on dairy components like skimmed milk powder for its signature flavor and shelf life, it does not align with a vegan diet.
Can Muslims Eat Nutella?
What about Muslims who follow halal dietary restrictions in Islam? Well, according to Ferrero:
- None of Nutella’s ingredients are haram (prohibited)
- No alcohol or pork derivatives are used
- Production facilities are halal certified
However, Nutella is not officially halal certified in all countries. For example, it does not have halal certification in the US or Europe, but is certified in places like Malaysia.
Opinions differ between Islamic scholars over whether the natural vanilla extract, which can contain trace alcohol, is acceptable. So while the ingredients themselves are halal, some Muslims may avoid Nutella over potential alcohol traces. Others are fine with it since it is not alcohol-based.
The Verdict: Nutella is Pork-Free
After thoroughly researching the ingredients, manufacturing process, and certification details, I can confidently conclude that Nutella does not contain pork or pork derivatives.
The chocolate-hazelnut spread is made from plant-based oils, cocoa, milk, sugar, and nuts. No pork-related products that would prohibit consumption for Muslims or those avoiding meat are used.
But as with any food, individuals should check Nutella’s labels for the latest ingredients and make dietary choices aligned with their beliefs. With transparency from Nutella’s maker Ferrero however, pork does not appear to be an issue.
A Recap of the Key Facts
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Nutella’s listed ingredients do not include any pork products.
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Ferrero states that the production process does not expose Nutella to pork.
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The spread contains milk powder, meaning it is not vegan.
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Nutella is not universally halal certified, but ingredients are halal compliant.
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Opinions differ within Muslim community over vanilla extract content.
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Individual dietary preferences should guide each person’s consumption choices.
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Overall, Nutella can be considered pork-free for those avoiding meat.
The Bottom Line
Does Nutella contain pork? After analyzing the ingredients list, manufacturing process, and sourcing details, the answer appears to be no.
Nutella’s smooth, creamy texture comes from sugar, vegetable oils, cocoa, hazelnuts, and milk products. No meat ingredients, including pork, are used at any point according to the maker Ferrero.
For Muslims, Hindus, or anyone avoiding pork, Nutella is likely okay to eat. But as always, carefully read the label and research the latest information to ensure compliance with your dietary needs.
When in doubt, opt for brands with kosher, halal or vegetarian certifications. But overall, Nutella can be considered a pork-free indulgence by most standards.
Nutrition facts
In order to fill in the rest of the blanks, here is the Nutella nutrition panel from the website that did match the label:
Fat, total 30.3 g
Fat, saturated 10.0 g
Carbohydrate, total 54.7 g
Twenty grams is equal to one tablespoon, which is about the same amount of spread you’d use on two slices of bread.
Think of Nutella as chocolate in spreadable form. With 30 per cent fat and almost 55 per cent sugar, Nutella almost mirrors chocolate in its composition. In fact, Nutella is more akin to milk-chocolate-with-hazelnuts. To see how the two compare in terms of weight, put Nutella and Cadbury Milk Chocolate with Hazelnuts next to each other.
| Nutrient | Nutella | Hazelnut chocolate |
| Energy | 2175 kJ | 2320 kJ |
| Fat, total | 30.3 g | 37.0 g |
| Fat, saturated | 10.0 g | 14.6 g |
| Carb, total | 54.7 g | 45.5 g |
| Sugars | 54.7 g | 44.4 g |
| % hazelnuts | 13% | 23% |
Did you notice that the chocolate block has less sugar than Nutella and more hazelnuts than Nutella alone? Less sugar, more nuts!
Nutella provides very little in the way of good nutrition. Not much protein, fibre, vitamins, minerals – the nutrients we are lacking. We don’t need more sugar and fat.
Any good points? Yes. Nutella is low in sodium as are many sweet foods. And it’s a concentrated food that makes it easy for kids who are chronically underweight and already eat a healthy diet to get more calories.
The true list of Nutella ingredients
In order to find out the truth about Nutella’s ingredients, I had to buy a jar of it. Due to food laws, you can quickly see what the product is really made of when you look at the back of the label:
| Sugar, vegetable oil, hazelnuts (13%), cocoa powder (7.4%), non-fat milk solids, emulsifier (soy lecithin), flavour (vanillin) |
Its list of ingredients is very revealing. They MUST be listed on the label in order of decreasing weight, starting with the heaviest and ending with the lightest.
The first ingredient is sugar, not hazelnuts. The next is “vegetable oil,” not cocoa. The next is hazelnuts. The next is cocoa solids. The last ones are non-fat milk solids, soy lecithin, and vanilla flavor.
The real amount of hazelnuts in Nutella is only 13%, so it has more sugar and fat than fruit. Don’t be fooled by the advertising. Here’s what I’ve unearthed about the ingredients. And it really took a bit of detective work.
Sugar Sugar is the first ingredient and thus the main by weight of all the Nutella ingredients. In fact Nutella is 55 per cent sugar! That puts Nutella on a par with chocolate.
Plant-based oil: The plant-based oil is palm oil, a semi-solid fat that makes Nutella spreadable. At least this was disclosed on the website (see below). The company says they used a hydrogenated oil up until a few years ago, but in 2006 they switched to palm oil to cut down on the trans fat. Even though palm oil doesn’t have trans fat, it does have a lot of saturated fat, which is bad for you. It’s a no-win oil choice that many manufacturers face.
Cocoa Cocoa solids (or powder) gives Nutella its chocolatey taste.
Emulsifier: Soy lecithin is a common emulsifier that keeps the nuts, chocolate, sugar, and oil well mixed and stops them from separating while the chocolate sits on the shelf for months. Nothing sinister about it. It’s one of my safe additives (unless you’re allergic to soy).
Flavour (vanillin) This is not vanilla or vanilla extract such as you use at home. Most likely, the synthetic form of vanillin is the same as the natural form, but it is much cheaper. Vanillin is the main flavoring in vanilla beans, but it’s not very interesting.
What’s not present At least there’s no artificial colours or preservatives, no corn syrup and no added salt.
Foods/Drinks Muslims CANNOT have?! #shorts
FAQ
Is Nutella halal or haram?
Does Nutella have gelatin?
What is Nutella made of?
Is Nutella meat free?
Are the ingredients in Nutella in the correct order?
Yes these are the ingredients in Nutella but not in their correct order. Nutella would like you to believe that their product is composed mainly of hazelnuts and cocoa (two healthy-sounding ingredients). So they re-arrange the true order to make a better impression. And leave out the percentage and the correct additive names.
Is Nutella a healthy food?
You probably know Nutella as a highly-addictive, incredibly tasty, and potentially healthy spread that toes the line of breakfast food and dessert. The hazelnut-cocoa product, which officially made its way overseas in the 1980’s, could be the most popular food ever imported from the EU.
What’s in Nutella’s iconic product?
Here’s all they tell you about what’s in their iconic product: Yes these are the ingredients in Nutella but not in their correct order. Nutella would like you to believe that their product is composed mainly of hazelnuts and cocoa (two healthy-sounding ingredients). So they re-arrange the true order to make a better impression.