# Nutella - most deceptive product on the shelf? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 24, 2013, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nutella-most-deceptive-product-on-the-shelf/651285 "2013-02-24T21:19:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nutella-most-deceptive-product-on-the-shelf/651285/61 "2013-02-25T00:34:26Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > I quoted the “half the people” that I was referring to. I didn’t say, or try to deceive anyone, into thinking that ALL of you hadn’t seen the ads. > > Nice snark, though. See the post above yours. You brought the snark, I responded in kind. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nutella-most-deceptive-product-on-the-shelf/651285/62 "2013-02-25T00:41:05Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > I find it interesting that half the people in the thread who are flabbergasted that anyone would be surprised that Nutella isn’t healthy are also those who _haven’t_ seen ads for it. Isn’t that kind of the point? Those of us who \*have \*seen the ads either thought of it as healthy, or think they want us to think of it as healthy. Those of you are aren’t seeing the ads aren’t deceived. Duh. I just watched a few commercials, and it doesn’t seem to me to be any more misleading than your average sugar-loaded cereal commercial. Anytime I hear anything like “_part_ of a healthy breakfast,” or some advertising BS like that, I assume the worst. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nutella-most-deceptive-product-on-the-shelf/651285/63 "2013-02-25T00:43:47Z")
> [@iftheresaway](#): > > I think the last sentence from your first page (“Nutella and Family”) says it all: “So why not use Nutella® hazelnut spread to turn a balanced breakfast into a tasty one!” Yes, indeed, it does. Nasssty balanced breakfastses. We hates them, we do. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nutella-most-deceptive-product-on-the-shelf/651285/64 "2013-02-25T00:44:42Z")
Like [this commercial](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThIrw_LpuRA). All it’s saying to me is that the kids will eat it and, really, that’s about it. It has hazelnuts, skim milk, and cocoa. (And mounds of sugar.) But, maybe it’s just because I’m particularly cynical, but I do note that no health claims are made. That particular commercial doesn’t even have anything saying “part of a healthy, nutritious breakfast” line in it. Just “breakfast never tasted so good.” ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nutella-most-deceptive-product-on-the-shelf/651285/65 "2013-02-25T00:54:04Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > I find it interesting that half the people in the thread who are flabbergasted that anyone would be surprised that Nutella isn’t healthy are also those who _haven’t_ seen ads for it. Isn’t that kind of the point? Those of us who \*have \*seen the ads either thought of it as healthy, or think they want us to think of it as healthy. Those of you are aren’t seeing the ads aren’t deceived. Duh. I think that many “anti” posts seem to be criticising the product, rather than the advertising, which may be throwing some people. I’ll admit I’m surprised that the generally cynical, worldly-wise SDMB has posters who could be quite so shocked (shocked, I say!) at the sugar content of a chocolate spread, or that its advertising might not make a prominent feature of it. > [@NitroPress](#): > > I see we have the usual number of folks with relatively few summers under their hat defending something they see as normal. The world didn’t used to be 90% shit, kids, and accepting it as normal doesn’t make it right. I’m 50 (a year older than Nutella, it turns out) and I’m pretty sure that in the specific areas of nutritional information and education, and the advertising of breakfast foods in particular, things used to be considerably more shit than they are in these new-fangled times. Oddly, one of things I remember from my long-ago childhood is old issues of Mad magazine (from before I was born) mocking the marketing of sugary crap as healthy breakfast food. It was a transparent ploy in the 50s – are people still falling for it? ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nutella-most-deceptive-product-on-the-shelf/651285/66 "2013-02-25T00:55:11Z")
Sorry. No one can remotely confuse peanut butter and Nutella, it’s like confusing Ricotta and Gouda. Nobody can even imagine it’s a health-conscious thing. It’s delicious as hell. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nutella-most-deceptive-product-on-the-shelf/651285/67 "2013-02-25T01:28:33Z")
I wonder why the ad copy talks about the ingredients as including, “the combination of roasted hazelnuts, skim milk and a hint of cocoa.” Cocoa comes before the skim milk in the ingredients list, so if there’s just a hint of cocoa, there must be only the faintest suggestion of milk. And the nutrition panel indicates that the stuff has virtually no vitamins in it. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nutella-most-deceptive-product-on-the-shelf/651285/68 "2013-02-25T01:34:46Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I wonder why the ad copy talks about the ingredients as including, “the combination of roasted hazelnuts, skim milk and a hint of cocoa.” Cocoa comes before the skim milk in the ingredients list, so if there’s just a hint of cocoa, there must be only the faintest suggestion of milk. And the nutrition panel indicates that the stuff has virtually no vitamins in it. I have to admit, the “hint of cocoa” I did :dubious: at, but at the same time, I’m shocked that hazelnuts are above cocoa in the ingredients list. I would have bet my life that it was mostly chocolate/cocoa with hazelnut flavor. I’ve been having Nutella for almost 20 years now, and I would describe it as a chocolate spread with hazelnuts, not a hazelnut spread with chocolate, yet it seems hazelnuts are more prominent than cocoa. (ETA: But, if you count the sugar, palm oil, cocoa, and milk as part of the “chocolate spread,” then my description would be right.) ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nutella-most-deceptive-product-on-the-shelf/651285/69 "2013-02-25T02:32:55Z")
> [@NitroPress](#): > > Other than being somewhat high in sodium (and like sugar, what product doesn’t have a heapin’ helpin’ of salt tossed in to whammy your taste buds…) Hamburger Helper isn’t a particularly egregious product. Dry pasta, spices and flavorings, and the all-important soy extender. Practically health food by packaged food standards. > > The point here is that we’re all wise and insightful and blessed by the shroud of Cecil, so maybe I’m the last in the crowd to notice the craptasticness of Nutella. (Frankly, I can’t remember ever hearing of the stuff beyond maybe two years ago… I think there is a strong push in recent years to move it from the junk-and-jelly shelf to the healthy breakfast shelf next to Pop-Tarts.) > > I just about guarantee, though, that if you were to stop and interview every person who put a jar in their basket, you’d find a huge proportion who have fallen for the vaguely healthy insinuations and would be surprised to have it pointed out to them that it’s on a level with ice cream syrup and canned frosting. That can’t help but disturb me. Wait is it on the shelf near the “healthy” peanut butter (where the marshmallow creme used to be), or is it on the healthy breakfast shelf next to the–what the fuck? Did you say Pop Tarts? Listen, maybe you should sit down. I’ve got some bad news. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nutella-most-deceptive-product-on-the-shelf/651285/70 "2013-02-25T02:45:36Z")
> [@NitroPress](#): > > From the Nutella site: > > > [@](#): > > > > **Over 50 Hazelnuts per 13 oz. Jar > > Contains No Artificial Colors > > Contains No Artificial Preservatives** > > ingredients: sugar, palm oil, hazelnuts, cocoa, skim milk, reduced minerals whey (milk), lecithin as emulsifier (soy), vanillin: an artificial flavor. > > Christ on a pogo stick. I assumed you were joking (never tasted the stuff) and I _know_ how prevalent sugar is in grocery foods, but… the sugar outweighs the nuts? And then - St. Cecil preserve us - so does the palm oil? And despite boldface lines 1 and 2, it ends with an artificial flavor? So? A flavor is not a color or a preservative. It’s not like natural vs artificial is a particularly cromulant argument anyway. There are plenty of natural things that can kill you and plenty of artificial things that can be beneficial. The buttload of sugar in the stuff while they act like it’s healthfood in the commericals, yeah, there you’ve got a good point. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nutella-most-deceptive-product-on-the-shelf/651285/71 "2013-02-25T03:24:22Z")
> [@Alan\_Smithee](#): > > The advertising may be deceptive, but I’ve never seen any ads. I don’t see anyone actually tasting the stuff, or even seeing it, and thinking it’s healthy. That’s almost verbatim what I was going to say. The stuff is way, way too sweet and greasy to mistake for something healthy. ---
**Author:** ![April\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@April\_R](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/April_R)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nutella-most-deceptive-product-on-the-shelf/651285/72 "2013-02-25T03:43:51Z")
I ended up with a bad case of thrush after consuming at least two spoon fulls of Nutella daily for 3 weeks in my first trimester, because the high sugar content threw off the balance of naturally occurring yeast in my mouth and my comprised immune system from being pregnant and on antibiotics for a week couldn’t bring it back into balance naturally. I am now turned off Nutella forever. ☹ x 1000 ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nutella-most-deceptive-product-on-the-shelf/651285/73 "2013-02-25T04:00:41Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I wonder why the ad copy talks about the ingredients as including, “the combination of roasted hazelnuts, skim milk and a hint of cocoa.” Cocoa comes before the skim milk in the ingredients list, so if there’s just a hint of cocoa, there must be only the faintest suggestion of milk. And the nutrition panel indicates that the stuff has virtually no vitamins in it. What’s next? Complaining that beer ads don’t mention “it’s mostly water, folks”? ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nutella-most-deceptive-product-on-the-shelf/651285/74 "2013-02-25T04:10:37Z")
> [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](#): > > What’s next? Complaining that beer ads don’t mention “it’s mostly water, folks”? No, I think everyone pretty much knows what’s in beer, and the beer manufacturers aren’t encouraging us to think that it’s something else. More analogous would be creating some kind of soft drink that’s mostly water and sugar and marketing it as “a beer beverage in the great tradition of craft brewing”. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nutella-most-deceptive-product-on-the-shelf/651285/75 "2013-02-25T04:11:46Z")
I don’t think you get analogies. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nutella-most-deceptive-product-on-the-shelf/651285/76 "2013-02-25T05:07:40Z")
I always steal Nutella packets from the Delta SkyClubs when I’m traveling and bring them home for the kids (don’t rat me out!). I freely admit that I assumed it was a chocolate-y nut butter and not 100% unhealthy. This thread has been educational, no more stolen Nutella for the kiddos! ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nutella-most-deceptive-product-on-the-shelf/651285/77 "2013-02-25T05:21:22Z")
Well, at least it has sugar and palm oil instead of high fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated soybean oil. I tried it once, waaay too sweet for my palate. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nutella-most-deceptive-product-on-the-shelf/651285/78 "2013-02-25T05:24:11Z")
> [@August\_West](#): > > I always steal Nutella packets from the Delta SkyClubs when I’m traveling and bring them home for the kids (don’t rat me out!). Don’t worry, considering the cost of the ingredients they actually make the stuff out of as opposed to the ingredients you thought you were getting, you probably don’t owe them more than about a dollar for your depredations all told. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nutella-most-deceptive-product-on-the-shelf/651285/79 "2013-02-25T05:33:20Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > Don’t worry, considering the cost of the ingredients they actually make the stuff out of as opposed to the ingredients you thought you were getting, you probably don’t owe them more than about a dollar for your depredations all told. Thanks, I probably should have mentioned that the little packets are free, they just discourage you from leaving with them with little signs that mention that they should be consumed within the club. Now I know why the rugrats are so happy when I bring them home, it’s a packet of frosting! ---
**Author:** ![Pitchmeister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pitchmeister/32/3459_2.png) [@Pitchmeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pitchmeister)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nutella-most-deceptive-product-on-the-shelf/651285/80 "2013-02-25T07:56:31Z")
I find it just a little bit ironic that, while Americans in general seem to be wary of the nanny state and put great value in individual responsibility, many people in this thread (supposedly also Americans) are not presuming their fellow citizens to be smart enough to recognize that Nutella is NOT health food. (But then again, this is the country that brought you: “Caution: Bevearage may be hot”.) I believe the line about making a balanced breakfast taste good nails it - they don’t say they make the breakfast balanced, quite the opposite. Great, now I’m hungry for a Nutella sandwich. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nutella-most-deceptive-product-on-the-shelf/651285.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nutella-most-deceptive-product-on-the-shelf/651285.md?page=5)