The respected French magazine 60 Millions de Consommateurs has put 15 hazelnut and cocoa spreads under the microscope, from supermarket basics to premium brands. The results overturn a few assumptions, raise questions about sugar, fats and additives, and even crown an unexpected winner.
How the chocolate spreads were tested
The investigation focused on 15 hazelnut-cocoa spreads, both organic and conventional. The goal was simple: check whether the most heavily marketed jars actually deliver on quality and nutrition.
Experts looked at several criteria:
- hazelnut content (often highlighted on labels)
- number of ingredients and overall recipe complexity
- presence of palm oil or other controversial fats
- traces of pesticides (477 substances screened)
- markers of ultra-processing
Once the lab work was done, taste still had to count. A blind tasting with 62 consumers rated flavour, texture and overall enjoyment without seeing the brand names.
The verdict: price and prestige do not always match nutritional quality, and some “healthy-looking” jars disappoint once analysed.
The flops: spreads that scored worst
At the bottom of the table, several brands stand out for the wrong reasons: long ingredient lists, very high sugar levels and a heavy reliance on additives.
Ovomaltine: last place with 7.4/20
Ovomaltine takes the lowest score in the ranking. The spread contains an impressive number of additives – 24 in total according to the magazine – alongside a high sugar content.
The profile reflects a general trend among the worst-rated products: plenty of “extras” to tweak flavour and texture, rather than a short list built mainly around nuts and cocoa.
Poulain and Jardin Bio étic: disappointing for different reasons
Poulain scores 10/20. The main issue is, again, its sugar content. Even if the taste satisfies some consumers, the nutritional profile pulls the note down.
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Jardin Bio étic, an organic spread, also lands at 10/20. The organic label might reassure shoppers, but the experts judge the recipe as far from beneficial. Organic sugar and organic fats remain sugar and fats, and the final balance does not convince.
Supermarket own brands under the spotlight
Several private-label spreads sit in the lower half of the ranking:
- Kaonuts (Carrefour) – 10.3/20: criticised for palm oil and added sugars.
- Bio Village (E.Leclerc) – 10.8/20: praised for texture and a more moderate fat level, but still judged too sugary.
- Ivoria (Intermarché) – 11.7/20: slightly better, yet still considered heavily loaded in ingredients.
- Choco Nussa (Lidl) – 12.1/20: a relative surprise, with a respectable score compared with its low price.
These examples show that cheap does not always equal worst, but most budget jars still rely on a similar pattern: sugar, vegetable fats, cocoa, a little hazelnut and a number of additives.
Big brands: Nutella doesn’t shine, Lindt takes the crown
Nutella and Pierre Hermé: famous names, mixed results
Nutella remains the best-known spread worldwide, yet it only reaches 11.4/20 in this comparison. The long-standing criticism holds: a lot of sugar and palm oil, with hazelnuts playing a secondary role.
Upscale brand Pierre Hermé does only slightly better, with 11/20. Its spread is less sweet but very rich in fat. One portion delivers about 8 grams of lipids, which weighs on the nutritional score despite its premium positioning.
Lindt: the unexpected winner of the test
According to 60 Millions de Consommateurs, the Lindt spread wins the ranking thanks to a high hazelnut content, no palm oil and a relatively moderate sugar level, all at a reasonable price.
The tasting panel also enjoyed its “just right” sweetness. For consumers hoping for a compromise between pleasure and a cleaner recipe, Lindt emerges as a solid choice in this line-up.
The podium: better options, but still sugary treats
Aside from Lindt, three other products take the highest scores, though none are models of perfect nutrition. They simply strike a better balance compared with the rest.
| Brand | Score (/20) | Key strengths | Main drawbacks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lucien Georgelin | 12.6 | Uses French hazelnuts from Lot-et-Garonne | Still rich in sugars and fats |
| Bonne Maman | 12.5 | Very popular in blind tasting | Recipe could cut sugar |
| Funkie | 12.5 | No added fat, according to the magazine | Remains an energy-dense product |
These jars show that progress is possible: fewer controversial fats, more nuts, sometimes shorter lists of ingredients. Yet they all remain sweet spreads that should stay occasional.
Nutri-Score: labels still lag behind
One striking detail from the investigation is the patchy use of Nutri-Score, the colour-coded nutrition label used in France and other European countries.
Only around half of the spreads studied display a Nutri-Score at all. When present, it often corresponds to the older version of the system, which is now considered too forgiving, especially on sugar. For shoppers relying on that one logo, the information may look better than the latest scientific criteria would allow.
Shoppers cannot assume that a missing Nutri-Score means a healthy product, or that a decent letter grade tells the full story.
Healthier alternatives: from homemade “Nutella” to peanut butter
Making your own spread
Faced with jars full of added sugar, refined fats and additives, nutrition professionals often point to one solution: homemade spread. This route gives full control over the ingredients and allows a less sweet, more nut-focused recipe.
Dietitian Alexandra Murcier suggests using:
- dark chocolate
- sweetened condensed milk (in moderate amounts)
- hazelnut powder
- a little milk
- butter or almond paste
By adjusting the condensed milk, you can slash sugar compared with branded jars and remove palm oil and additives altogether. The key is to stick to a small portion, because nuts and chocolate still contain plenty of calories.
For safety, the mixture should be poured into a clean, sterilised jar and sealed while still warm. Stored at room temperature, it usually keeps for around 10–12 days, and a little longer in the fridge.
Unsweetened peanut butter as a simple switch
Another option is unsweetened peanut butter. It typically contains just peanuts and salt, is far lower in sugar than chocolate spreads, and provides more protein. Spread on wholegrain toast with sliced banana, it gives a breakfast or snack that feels indulgent yet more balanced.
Some brands also offer pure hazelnut or almond butters. These can be mixed with a little melted dark chocolate at home for a quick two-ingredient “gourmet” spread, again without palm oil or emulsifiers.
How often can you really eat these spreads?
From a nutritional standpoint, chocolate-hazelnut spreads fall into the same family as sweets and biscuits. They pack a lot of sugar and fat into a small spoonful. For adults and children, daily consumption can easily push sugar intake above recommended limits, especially when combined with sweetened drinks and desserts.
A practical approach is to treat these spreads as weekend treats or occasional snacks. On other days, toast can be topped with fresh fruit, a thin layer of butter, cottage cheese, or nut butters without added sugars. This rotation reduces overall sugar and energy intake without banning popular products outright.
Key terms and what they really mean on the label
When shopping, a few expressions deserve a closer look:
- “Hazelnut spread”: the name says nothing about the actual percentage of nuts. Check the ingredient list for the real figure.
- “Vegetable oil”: this can include palm oil unless specified. Palm oil is not toxic in itself but usually goes hand in hand with ultra-processed recipes.
- “Organic”: guarantees farming methods, not low sugar or fat. An organic spread can still rank poorly on nutrition.
- “No palm oil”: positive for biodiversity concerns, but the product may still be packed with sugar or other saturated fats.
Reading the small print quickly becomes a habit. Checking sugar near the top of the list, counting how many ingredients appear and looking for a decent nut content helps separate a slightly better jar from the rest.
Originally posted 2026-03-11 02:29:20.