Hazelnut butter facts for kids

Hazelnut butter is a yummy food spread made by crushing and blending hazelnuts. It's quite popular in Europe. You might also know it as an ingredient in many chocolate spreads, like the kind you put on toast!

Hazelnut butter comes in two main types: crunchy (with little bits of hazelnuts) and smooth. It can be made from hazelnuts that are either raw (not cooked) or roasted (cooked).

Because hazelnut butter has natural fats, the oil can sometimes separate. This is normal! Just give it a good stir before you use it to mix the oils back in. After you open a jar, it's a good idea to keep it in the fridge. This helps keep it fresh and slows down the oil from separating again.

What's in Hazelnut Butter?

Hazelnut butter is packed with good things for your body!

Healthy Fats and Vitamins

It has a lot of healthy fats called monounsaturated fats. These fats, like oleic acid, are good for your heart. They can help reduce "bad" cholesterol (called LDL). Hazelnut butter is also a great source of dietary protein, which helps your muscles grow, and vitamin E, which is important for your skin and immune system.

Raw vs. Roasted Hazelnuts

Some people who follow a "raw food" diet believe that hazelnut butter made from unroasted (raw) hazelnuts is even healthier. They think it has more good stuff, like special enzymes, that might be lost when hazelnuts are roasted.

If you use raw hazelnut butter, it's often suggested to keep it in the fridge both before and after opening. This helps stop it from going bad or getting a strange taste.

A Great Alternative to Peanut Butter

Hazelnut butter can be used in many of the same ways as peanut butter. It's also a fantastic choice for people who have peanut allergies.

Did you know? Hazelnut butter has more than twice as much vitamin E as peanut butter! It also has more of those healthy fats that help lower cholesterol.