Pumpkin seed butter is quickly rising in the ranks of nut and seed butters for its delicious taste, great nutritional profile, and uniqueness. And, it’s perfect for the coming fall season filled with trick-or-treaters, warm hot chocolate, and delicious pumpkin pies!
Now, we’re going to put it in the boxing ring with Nutella, which is a heavy hitter for its delicious chocolate taste and world-wide popularity!
Which spread will be victorious?
We’ll compare them on everything from culinary uses, flavor profiles, nutritional qualities and more, watching them trade blow for blow until just one of these great spreads is left standing…who do you have your bets on?
Let’s jump in!
Comparing pumpkin seed butter vs Nutella
Pumpkin seed butter is made from seeds and has no allergens, while Nutella is made from hazelnuts and has a bunch of other added ingredients, giving it tree nuts, soy, and milk as allergens. You can use pumpkin seed butter in vegan, paleo, and keto diets, while Nutella isn’t suitable for any of those!
Pumpkin seed butter also has a low glycemic index, making it a great choice for keeping your blood sugar levels from spiking – talk to your physician if you have any concerns with that! Nutella’s glycemic index is unknown, but it’s likely high due to the added sugar in it.
| Pumpkin seed butter | Nutella (flavored hazelnut butter) | |
| Taste | Nutty, earthy, slightly sweet | Sweet, chocolatey |
| Texture | Thick or thin, slightly grainy | Smooth, creamy |
| Allergens | None | Tree nuts, milk, soy |
| Vegan? | Yes | No |
| Paleo? | Yes | No |
| Keto? | Yes | No |
| Glycemic index (GI) | Pumpkin seeds=25 | Unknown (likely high due to added sugar content) |
What is pumpkin seed butter?
Pumpkin seed butter is a delicious spread that’s made by grinding down raw or roasted pumpkin seeds. I recommend using roasted seeds when you’re making pumpkin seed butter at home, as that will bring out more flavor. However, you can definitely use raw ones if you don’t want to go through the trouble!
This spread can be thick or thin depending on how it’s processed, but it’s always slightly grainy with a nutty, earthy, and slightly sweet flavor profile! You’ll find sea salt and natural oils in most spreads, which can be fun to experiment with if you’re making the homemade stuff!
What is Nutella?
Nutella is basically a flavored hazelnut butter, and is loved all around the world!
The delicious sweet chocolate flavor and smooth and creamy texture comes from a lot of added sugar, palm oil, and other ingredients that aren’t the healthiest. If you’d like, you can make Nutella at home without adding those kinds of things, or even make a keto Nutella that has a lot less carbs!
Differences between pumpkin seed butter and Nutella
The biggest differences between pumpkin seed butter and Nutella are the texture and taste.
Pumpkin seed butter has a thick or thin texture depending on how it’s processed, but it’s always slightly grainy! Nutella, on the other hand, has a smooth and creamy texture.
Taste-wise, pumpkin seed butter has a nutty, earthy, and slightly sweet flavor profile while Nutella tastes sweet and chocolatey!
They have quite a few differences in their nutritional profiles, which we’ll check out in just a bit!
How to use pumpkin seed butter vs Nutella
Pumpkin seed butter and Nutella can be used in many of the same ways!
Use them as spreads on your toast, waffles, pancakes, muffins, cookies – whatever you want! You can also mix them into your smoothies and oatmeal, or even use them as ingredients when you’re baking – Nutella is especially good in brownies!
Pumpkin seed butter goes especially well in bakes for its nutty and earthy flavor profile, while Nutella excels in sweet desserts like brownies and cookies!
You can use these interchangeably in most cases, but their differing textures and flavors will really affect your dish in different ways!
Nutrition: Pumpkin seed butter vs Nutella
Pumpkin seed butter has a lot of iron, providing you with about 15% of your entire daily iron value in each serving! It also has one of the lowest carb contents out of all nut and seed butters, with just 1 net gram per serving. It also has a wonderful protein content of 9 grams per serving, but only has 1 gram of fiber. Unlike Nutella, it has no sugar in it at all!
Nutella is the opposite, with a really high carb content of 22 net grams per serving. It also has a lot of added sugar, with 19 grams added for a total of 21 grams per serving…that’s a lot of sugar! It’s low in protein, with 2 grams per serving, and it’s slightly higher in calories than pumpkin seed butter.
| Serving size: 2 tbsp | Pumpkin seed butter | Nutella (flavored hazelnut butter) |
| Calories | 180 | 200 |
| Total fat (saturated) | 14 g (4 g) | 12 g (4 g) |
| Total carbs | 4 g | 23 g |
| Net carbs (fiber) | 1 g (3 g) | 22 g (1 g) |
| Total sugars (incl. added) | 0 g | 21 g (19 g) |
| Protein | 9 g | 2 g |
How to store pumpkin seed butter and Nutella
Pumpkin seed butter should be stored in the fridge to extend its shelf-life and prevent it from going rancid too soon. The fridge will also help with oil separation.
Nutella, on the other hand, can be stored at room temperature. Ferrero, the company that makes Nutella, states that it can be stored for up to 12 months after opening without going bad. Keeping it in the fridge will thicken it up if you want that!
Make sure you check their labels for any specific storage instructions and best-before dates!
Pumpkin seed butter vs Nutella: Which is better?
Now, which one of these delicious spreads should you choose?
Pumpkin seed butter has a great and unique flavor along with an awesome nutritional profile. It’s also allergy free, and really versatile in many diets.
Nutella is absolutely delicious, with a sweet and chocolatey flavor that’s absolutely mouth-watering. However, it has some sketchy ingredients that may not be worth it…
Overall, pumpkin seed butter takes the win for its superior nutritional profile, healthier ingredients, lack of additives and artificial flavoring, and dietary versatility!
FAQs
You sure can! Pumpkin seed butter has no nuts in it, which makes for a great alternative to nut butters!
Pumpkin seed butter has an amazing protein content, while Nutella’s protein content is low, making pumpkin seed butter the better choice!
Pumpkin seed butter is the only one here with a low carb content, while Nutella has a really high one, so pick pumpkin seed butter for keto diets.
Nutella has a lot of added sugar, palm oil, and other ingredients that aren’t the best for you, so it’s not a great choice for healthy living – try to enjoy it in moderation!
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