The Real Reason We’re All Addicted to Nutella

We know they don't actually recommend spooning it from the jar directly into our mouths, but nevertheless, Nutella has always been strangely addictive.  The chocolate spread, which has been a store cupboard staple since 1964, is a blend of hazelnuts, cocoa, palm oil and skimmed milk. The wholesome advertising markets it as a breakfast food, you know, like juice or cereal. But it's not, is it? The truth is (and sorry, this may break your heart but don't pretend like you're surprised) that a standard jar of Nutella contains over 227g of sugar - that's more than half the contents of a 400g jar. It's 57 cubes. A two-tablespoon (37g) serving of Nutella contains 200 calories, 11 grams of fat and 21 grams of sugar. The latest WHO guideline recommends adults and children reduce their daily intake of free sugars to less than 10 per cent of their total energy intake. Experts advise a further reduction to below five per cent or roughly 25 grams (six teaspoons) per day 'would provide additional health benefits'. Let's be honest here. We're not going to let this news dissuade us from our pancakes and French toast, but we might swap the shop-bought version for this four-ingredient homemade version for mid-week. Do you have a Nutella addiction? Join the conversation on Twitter @HerFamilydotie #Nutella.