Sunbutter is one of the most well-known nut-free spreads, used in place of peanut butter, almond butter, and many more popular powerhouse nut butters. It’s great especially for those with allergies, and boasts a creamy texture that you usually don’t find in seed butter!
Nutella, on the other hand, is one of the world’s most beloved food products, being sold all around the globe as a chocolatey hazelnut spread that’s hard to put down!
Now, these two spreads obviously have a lot going for them – but how do they fare against one another?
In this article, we’ll uncover all the details you need to find out whether sunbutter or Nutella is better!
Let’s jump in!
Comparing sunbutter vs Nutella
Sunbutter and Nutella both have smooth and creamy textures that melt off the knife when you spread them – it’s absolutely awesome! They also share a high-carb content, making them unsuitable for keto diets. However, you can use sunbutter for vegan and paleo (if it’s unsweetened) diets, whereas Nutella also strikes out with those.
Sunbutter has no allergens, while Nutella has tree nuts, milk, and soy, along with a much higher glycemic index (due to the added sugar). The glycemic index for sunbutter is much lower, making it more ideal if you don’t want your blood sugar levels spiking – make sure to talk to a physician if you have any concerns!
| Sunbutter | Nutella (flavored hazelnut butter) | |
| Taste | Intense, earthy, roasted | Sweet, chocolatey |
| Texture | Smooth, creamy | Smooth, creamy |
| Allergens | None | Tree nuts, milk, soy |
| Vegan? | Yes | No |
| Paleo? | Yes (if unsweetened) | No |
| Keto? | No | No |
| Glycemic index (GI) | Sunflower seed=35 | Unknown (likely high due to added sugar content) |
What is sunbutter?
Sunbutter (also known as sunflower butter), is made by grinding roasted sunflower seeds into a smooth and creamy spread. It’s also completely allergy free, making it a great choice for many people not able to enjoy nut butters!
It’s also really easy to make sunbutter at home, as the only other ingredient is a bit of salt!
What is Nutella?
Nutella is basically a chocolate and sweetened version of hazelnut butter.
A lot of that sweetness comes from a ton of added sugar, with palm oil and other less-than-healthy ingredients added to enhance the taste and texture.
Thankfully, you can easily make your own Nutella at home without a lot of those ingredients, or you can make a keto Nutella if you want a low-carb version! The only thing is that these recipes taste a little different because we’re cutting out a lot of the unhealthy ingredients, but it’s still a delicious way to satisfy your sweet tooth!
Differences between sunbutter and Nutella
The biggest difference between sunbutter and Nutella is their flavor.
Sunbutter has an earthy and roasted flavor to it that’s uniquely its own, while Nutella has a chocolatey and very sweet taste – it’s also very distinct, as you can tell the difference between Nutella and a different brand’s chocolate spread quite easily!
A quick reminder – Nutella has tree nuts, soy, and milk as allergens, while sunbutter has none at all.
Their nutritional differences are also very different from one another, but we’ll check that out in just a bit!
How to use sunbutter vs Nutella
Sunbutter and Nutella are both smooth and creamy, making their uses almost identical!
Try using them as a spread on toast, pancakes (Nutella is amazing there), waffles, add them to your smoothies for a tasteful twist, mix them into your oatmeal and yogurt, or use them as dips!
My favorite way to use Nutella is to dip strawberries in them, put them in the fridge, and then enjoy them once the Nutella is cooled down and thickened up!
The thing to remember is that their flavor profiles are very different from one another, so the overall dish will change quite a bit if you use them interchangeably. That could open up a lot of culinary doors though!
Nutrition: Sunbutter vs Nutella
Sunbutter is full of healthy unsaturated fats while being low in bad saturated fats, and has some fiber content – 2 grams per serving. It also has a great amount of protein. Some brands add sugar to enhance the taste, so make sure to check the label!
Nutella has a ton of carbs in it, boasting 22 grams of net carbs per serving. It also has a shocking amount of sugar, with 19 grams added to combine for a total of 21 grams in just 2 tablespoons!
| Serving size: 2 tbsp | Sunbutter | Nutella (flavored hazelnut butter) |
| Calories | 200 | 200 |
| Total fat (saturated) | 17 g (2 g) | 12 g (4 g) |
| Total carbs | 6 g | 23 g |
| Net carbs (fiber) | 4 g (2 g) | 22 g (1 g) |
| Total sugars (incl. added) | 3 g (3 g) | 21 g (19 g) |
| Protein | 7 g | 2 g |
How to store sunbutter and Nutella
Sunbutter and Nutella are both fine at room temperature – a cool and dry place is preferable, and you can put them in the fridge if you want to thicken them up.
Nutella is said to last around 12 months after opening according to Ferrero, the company that makes Nutella. I recommend reading the label for best before dates and storage instructions for both spreads!
Sunbutter vs Nutella: Which is better?
What these two spreads are each meant to do, they do really well.
Sunbutter provides a spread that’s very close in texture to nut butters, but is completely allergen free.
Nutella is very chocolatey and sweet, giving lots of flavor to whatever you pair it with – especially desserts.
But, which one is better?
Nutella is definitely better if you need to add a chocolatey and sweet flavor profile to something, but the negative ingredients and nutritional profile are hard to look past. Therefore, sunbutter is the better spread for providing good health benefits, a delicious and versatile taste, and greater versatility in special diets.
FAQs
Almond butter is usually considered the best spread for health reasons due to its high vitamin E, mineral, and monounsaturated fat content, which are all great for overall health.
You sure can! Sunbutter has absolutely no nuts in it, making it a great substitute to nut butters like peanut butter and Nutella.
No, Nutella is made from hazelnut butter with many other ingredients such as refined sugar, cocoa, palm oil, and more.
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