Chia Seed Butter vs Nutella: The Ultimate Verdict 

I love chia seeds, especially in my pudding or smoothies! But, did you know that there’s a delicious chia seed butter that boasts just as much fiber and healthy fats?

It’s true! Chia seed butter isn’t just a nut butter alternative, but a wonderful stand alone spread that you definitely need to check out!

Now, we’re going to compare that unique spread to something you’ve very likely heard of, and probably even eaten: Nutella!

This chocolate hazelnut spread is one of the most popular spreads in the entire world, being a household name at this point! It’s absolutely delicious, but there are a couple of things I think you should know when deciding between these two…

We’ll compare these two spreads side-by-side, raising a magnifying glass to them to see the nitty gritty details of both. And then, you’ll see which one is best for you!

Let’s check it out!

Comparing chia seed butter vs Nutella

Chia seed butter and Nutella are quite different when it comes to taste, with some differences in texture as well – but we’ll get into that later! Chia seed butter has no allergens which is awesome, but Nutella has tree nuts (from the hazelnuts), soy, and milk as allergens. Nutella also isn’t suited for vegan, paleo, or keto diets, while chia seed butter fits into all of those!

Chia seed butter has a low glycemic index, making it ideal if you’re watching your blood sugar levels. Nutella’s glycemic index is unknown, but it’s likely high due to having a ton of added sugar in it. Talk to your physician if you have any concerns about your blood sugar levels spiking with these!

	Chia seed butter	Nutella (flavored hazelnut butter)
Taste	Mild, nutty	Sweet, chocolatey
Texture	Creamy, slightly crunchy	Smooth, creamy
Allergens	None	Tree nuts, milk, soy
Vegan?	Yes	No
Paleo?	Yes	No
Keto?	Yes	No
Glycemic index (GI)	30	Unknown (likely high due to added sugar content)

What is chia seed butter?

Chia seed butter is a creamy spread made from chia seeds. They’re simply blended together with several other ingredients in a way that you can easily make at home! Different brands sometimes use different ingredients, with the chia seed butter we’re referencing here containing milk thistle oil.

I’ll mention it again because it’s so great, but chia seed butter has no allergens! That makes it a great spread to try if you have a nut allergy and can’t enjoy something like peanut butter.. 

What is Nutella?

Nutella is the mega-popular chocolate hazelnut spread, which is essentially just a flavored hazelnut butter. 

It has a delicious taste, which unfortunately largely comes from a lot of added sugar and palm oil, along with other less-than-healthy ingredients. However, you can make Nutella at home without a lot of those ingredients, and even make a keto Nutella that drops the many carbs that are in regular Nutella!

Differences between chia seed butter and Nutella 

The biggest differences between chia seed butter and Nutella are their flavors and textures.

Chia seed butter boasts a mild and nutty flavor, while Nutella swings in with a chocolate and very sweet taste. 

Texture-wise, chia seed butter has a creamy and slightly crunchy texture to it, while Nutella has that famous smooth and creamy consistency that just seems to melt off a knife!

You’ll find some big differences in terms of nutrition between these two, but we’ll jump into that shortly!

How to use chia seed butter vs Nutella

Both these spreads have some awesome uses, and can both be used in basically all the same ways! 

Chia seed butter has a slightly thicker texture that you can use as a binding agent in recipes that call for it, and its nutty taste with the creamy and grainy texture goes great mixed into different things like smoothies and oatmeal! You can even use it as an ingredient in your bakes!

Nutella can be used in many of the same ways, going great as a stand alone spread on anything you want a sweet and chocolate taste to. It’s also a great addition to desserts, going well in something like brownie batter! I recommend you try dipping strawberries in it or drizzling it over a banana in ice cream!

Nutrition: Chia seed butter vs Nutella 

Chia seed butter has one of the highest fiber contents of all nut and seed butters with 10 grams per serving, making it a wonderful choice! It also has a lot of healthy fats, with no unhealthy saturated fats! It only has 2 grams of protein, which is the same as Nutella, but it has considerably less calories with 164 per serving. You’ll love to hear that chia seed butter also contains omega-3 fatty acids, which are awesome for heart and brain health. 

Nutella has quite a high carb content, with 22 grams of net carbs per serving. It also has A TON of added sugar, adding 19 grams for a total of 21 grams per serving. That’s a little concerning, as we generally try to limit that stuff. 

Serving size: 2 tbsp	Chia seed butter	Nutella (flavored hazelnut butter)
Calories	164	200
Total fat (saturated)	14 g (0 g)	12 g (4 g)
Total carbs	12 g	23 g
Net carbs (fiber)	2 g (10 g)	22 g (1 g)
Total sugars (incl. added)	0 g	21 g (19 g)
Protein	2 g	2 g

How to store chia seed butter and Nutella

Chia seed butter should be stored in the fridge to help prevent it from going rancid early. The fridge will also help avoid oil separation – try storing it upside down or give it a stir before putting it in the fridge to help keep the oil from separating as well!

Make sure to check the label for any specific storage instructions and best before dates!

Nutella, on the other hand, is fine at room temperature, and can be stored for up to 12 months after opening according to Ferrero, the company that makes Nutella. Putting it in the fridge will thicken it up a little, if you’re interested in that!

Chia seed butter vs Nutella: The ultimate verdict

So, it all comes down to this…

On the one hand, you have chia seed butter with a great fiber and omega-3 content, as well as a unique texture and taste that pairs really well with a lot of things!

Then, you have Nutella, which is an amazingly delicious spread – although that delicious flavor unfortunately comes with some sketchy ingredients. 

Which one wins?

I recommend chia seed butter between these two, as it has a way better nutritional profile and diet versatility, along with being nut-free and quite tasty!

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