CHOCOLATE SPREADS
GOOD: Low salt
BAD: High fat; high carb; saturated and
hydrogenated fats; added sugar
PORTION GUIDE: Chocolate spreads
usually contain a blend of cocoa, milk
products, sugar and vegetable oils. Many
also contain hazelnuts.
Nutella is about 70 per cent saturated
fat and sugar.Is it actually chocolate?
In a nutshell: no. Chocolate contains
cocoa butter, chocolate spreads don’t.
This is because cocoa butter solidifies at
room temperature. making it impossible
to spread. Chocolate also contains more
cocoa, with many brands only being about
seven or eight per cent cocoa.HAZELNUTS
Hazelnuts are uniquely high in good
monounsaturated fats and some protein, as
well as vitamin E and folate. Unfortunately
they only make up a small amount of
chocolate spread nutrition. Nutella, for
example, contains 13 per cent hazelnuts.WALNUT
Walnuts have been proven to boost brain
function and reduce cholesterol. They
contain omega-3 fats as well as folate
and fibre.
Walnut butter tends to be crumbly and
less soft and spreadable than other nut
butters. It can have an intense woody or
‘green’ taste.
COCONUT BUTTER
Clean-eating hero coconut butter can be
substituted for butter as a spread and in stir-
fries. While the mainstream dietetic counsel
pooh-poohs coconut oil as heart unfriendly
- it’s a saturated fat – a recent University of
California study found that it was preferable
to polyunsaturated soybean oil, which
caused more weight gain, adiposity, diabetes
and insulin resistance in a comparative trial.
JUDGMENT
“Nut butters are a good source of
protein and good fats, some better
than others. Try and choose a nut
butter without too much oil, salt or
sugar added,” says McGrice.
Avoid using butter and nut butter
together as they can add up to the
calories in an entire sandwich.SWAP
“Try a dukkah and olive oil blend on
bread, or a tablespoon of nut butter
with slices of apple on toast.”YEAST SPREADS
GOOD: Low carb; low fat; protein
BAD: High salt
PORTION GUIDE: A serve of yeast spread
is around five grams, or a level teaspoon.VEGEMITE, MARMITE, PROMITE
They’re black and strongly flavoured, but
that’s where the similarities between yeast
pastes end. Despite similar names, these
spreads have distinct nutrition profiles.
Vegemite is the highest in protein
and lowest in sugar, but contains almost
no fibre.
Marmite is marginally lower in protein
and contains more than double the sugar,
but is much higher in fibre.
Promite is higher than both in sugar
and salt, lower than both in protein and
contains almost no fibre.SALT
A serving of yeast spread provides about
10 per cent of your daily sodium intake.VITAMINS
Yeast spreads are a good source of B
vitamins and folate. A serve of Vegemite
contains about 50 per cent of your
thiamine and folate requirements.JUDGMENT
“There really isn’t a lot of nutritional
value in chocolate spreads,” says
McGrice.SWAP
“Try a chocolate and milk drink instead;
chocolate and chocolate spreads
tend to be quite moreish and keep
us coming back for more and more,
a hot chocolate or Milo is a far more
satisfying option. Alternatively, add
some fresh strawberries on top for
vitamin C, fibre and antioxidants”JUDGMENT
“Only those on low salt diets need to
avoid these spreads,” says McGrice.SWAP
“Add some cottage cheese or low
fat cheese slices and tomato to your
Vegemite toast for added protein.”
It also goes well with tomato and
avocado, which is a source of good fats.