Nutella -- Is It, or Isnt It

Nutella -- Is It, or Isn't It Photo Via: https://3dprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/3dp_nutellalock_nutella_jar.jpg So in recent news, everything causes cancer. Just joking … but not really. According to some recent controversy, Nutella (yes, the hazelnut goodness that we are all obsessed with) has potentially cancer-causing ingredients. Which for many is pretty alarming news, especially for a food that’s so high-profile and so well liked in general. College students are especially worried (mostly because Nutella is life, but also because it’s a staple in our diets that we aren’t prepared to get rid of). According to a recent report from the European Food Safety Authority (leave it to Europe to ruin a good thing), Nutella could be dangerous to your health. And this is big, as the EFSA is equivalent to our FDA. In other words, it’s a big deal. But should you stop purchasing that spreadable goodness? That’s where the controversy comes into play. According to the report, palm oil, one of the main ingredients in Nutella (the reason for that creamy, flavorful spread), is the dangerous component that’s potentially cancer-causing. Palm oil, of course, isn’t limited to just Nutella, but also baked goods (like pastries and cakes) and margarine (butter, for those of us that need it spelled out). And, to make matters even more difficult, it’s not necessarily the palm oil that’s of concern, but how it’s processed and heated. Basically, you refine the oil, which changes its color and eliminates its smell. So this is why processed foods containing this ingredient are in question. To process the foods, you heat the palm oil to temperatures over 392 degrees Fahrenheit, which creates a “potentially carcinogenic contaminant” that creates the health concern. So really, it’s not until you process the palm oil that it becomes “potentially” dangerous. Again, this is a controversy at the moment, and conclusive evidence isn’t available yet. Basically, the issue is that it isn’t possible to determine how much of the “contaminant” is in the processed product and then, to make matters even more difficult, there is no way to tell how much of this contaminant individuals are consuming. So while there is a possibility that the carcinogenic is being created, it’s unclear whether the food is safe to eat, or if it’s actually harmful. To put this into perspective, the EFSA didn’t recommend banning palm oil, and they didn’t make any comments on heating the ingredient to over 200 degrees Celsius. In other words, don’t throw out all of your Nutella just yet. On top of this, Nutella does use palm oil, but it processes at temperatures that fall below the 200 degree Celsius mark. In fact, Nutella is combined at low temperatures specifically to decrease the number of contaminants. So of the processed foods, Nutella might be the safest at the moment. And it helps that the EFSA also didn’t mention Nutella processing. This debate is surfacing now in the U.S., but in Europe, this has been ongoing for several years. People have debated back and forth about the dangerous effects of palm oil, and a few supermarket chains have removed palm oils from their store brand products, just in case. And the fact that it’s surfacing here now doesn’t validate the study in any way everyone is still very unclear whether palm oil products are bad for your health. So essentially, the EFSA is releasing the report to keep everyone informed and to give consumers a choice as to whether or not they want to consume the product. Until there is definitive evidence that suggests otherwise, Nutella is pretty much safe. Of course, it still isn’t healthy, so don’t forget that it’s a product that’s very high in sugar and very low in protein (of course, this won’t stop us, but it’s good to know nonetheless). But in the meantime, be vigilant when it comes to the ingredients in your food, as more and more ‘bad items are popping up in studies across the globe. What it comes down to is this: know what you’re putting into your body, and, just in general, try to eat healthy. Fruits and vegetables are always good, non-processed foods are preferable and you don’t have to avoid processed food entirely, but don’t limit your diet to Pizza Rolls and Lean Cuisines. If you do, you aren’t doing your body any favors. Essentially, don’t let these studies scare you away from any foods, but keep an eye out for new studies as well because, in the world of science, anything can change at any point in time, so the more you are aware of what’s going on, the better. In the meantime, sit back, get some homework done and snack on that Nutella we both know you have hidden in the back of your pantry. Because you deserve it.