February 5: World Nutella Day

It’s no surprise that there are so many Nutella fans out there. Who can resist the allure of chocolate and hazelnut mixed together in a smooth, delicious spread? Whether it’s on bread, in a cake or simply eaten from a spoon, this Italian treat is loved worldwide by people of all ages. American blogger Sara Rosso first discovered Nutella on a trip to Italy in 1994. Thirteen years later in 2007, her love for the chocolate spread hadn’t waned, especially having spent the last several years living in Milan. She decided that a day should be set aside to celebrate and appreciate Nutella, and with the help of  a fellow blogger, Sara launched the first annual World Nutella Day on February 5, 2007. The following year, Michelle of Bleeding Espresso took over as co-host, and the two have been encouraging Nutella lovers across the globe to share their passion for “Italy’s edible treasure.”

We’re pretty passionate about Nutella ourselves here at Healthy Way to Cook. The preservative-free spread contains fat free milk, a hint of cocoa, and of course, roasted hazelnuts. Like most nuts, hazelnuts are high in unsaturated fats and oleic acid to promote heart health and raise levels of HDL (good) cholesterol while lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. The phytochemicals in hazelnuts boost your brain health, improve circulation and reduce allergy symptoms. They’re also a great source of B and E vitamins, potassium, calcium and magnesium. Raw hazelnuts are the best way to reap these numerous health benefits, but today, we say to get your hazelnut fix in Nutella form.

Of course, store-bought Nutella does contain a lot of added sugar, so we encourage you to make your own homemade version (recipe by Healthy Green Kitchen) before digging into the chocolatey spread. We’re advocates of the spoon-to-mouth approach, but if you actually want to make something with it, here are a few recipes from the official World Nutella Day website to get you started:

-Nutella Fudge Pops from Chocolate Covered Katie
-Banana Pear Nutella Bread from Erin’s Kitchen
-Banana & Nutella Milkshake from Turquoise Lemons
-Baked Bosc Pear with Nutella Fondant and Zabaglione from Elra’s Baking
-Nutella Marinated Steaks from Emily Malloy
-Nutella Buckeyes from Gluten Free Canteen
-Eggless Nutella Cookies from Treat & Trick

How do you eat this delicious spread? Follow along on Twitter @NutellaDay for more Nutella love stories.

Images via NutellaDay.com