From the classic peanut butter, cocoa and pistachio spreads to the more unusual flavours of well-known snacks or biscuits: there is a wide range of spreads available on supermarket shelves in a variety of flavours, formats and recipes.

Loved by adults and children alike, spreads are among the most popular products for breakfast and afternoon snacks, but have you ever wondered whether they are healthy or not?

If you read the very long list of ingredients, you can see that, in most cases, sugar is among the first ingredients, followed by butter and vegetable fats of various origins (palm oil, rapeseed oil, coconut oil, etc.) and salt. In some cases, especially among cheap spreads, it is easy to find products that also contain flavourings, emulsifiers, preservatives and sometimes colourings.

These are obviously ultra-processed products that are not very healthy, but are hard to give up because they are tasty, versatile and easy to consume.

Are there tasty and healthier alternatives to traditional spreads?

Nuts have been included in the list of so-called "SMART FOODS" in the SmartFood programme (https://smartfood.ieo.it/), a research project promoted by the EIO (European Institute of Oncology) which deals with the correct scientific dissemination of protective dietary factors and promoting research on "foods that contain molecules capable of activating longevity genes and slowing down the ageing process and related diseases, evaluating their effectiveness through clinical trials". Containing important nutrients, including unsaturated fats, plant proteins, fibre, minerals, vitamins and antioxidant compounds, nuts have become an integral part of the diet of all those interested in a healthy diet.

Increased consumer interest in nuts has led the food industry to consider new ways of offering them, and a variety of tasty and original alternatives have appeared on the market, ranging from bars to pure nut spreads.

At Nuturally we offer a new category of spreadable creams made only from organically grown nuts. The production process starts with the careful selection of raw materials, which are left natural or roasted. The next step is for the nuts to be finely ground to create a creamy mixture. No additives, flavourings, emulsifiers, sugar or salt are added as they would alter the nutritional value and natural taste of the product.

Nuts creams are available in eleven varieties:

• Roasted Organic Cashew Cream with no added sugar: a cream with an intense taste, which is obtained by the manufacturing of the best roasted cashews. The roasting process emphasises the refined flavour that is typical for cashews, to surprise even the most discerning palates. 
• Roasted Organic Italian Hazelnut Cream with no added sugar: only hazelnuts of Italian origin, from the hazelnut groves of Lazio. They are harvested and carefully roasted before being ground to a creamy consistency. As soon as you open the jar, you will immediately experience the unmistakable scent and characteristic flavour of the best roasted hazelnuts. 
• Roasted Organic Macadamia Cream with no added sugar: roasted macadamia nuts are finely grounded to obtain a silky mixture with a delicate taste. With its enveloping flavour, the macadamia cream captivates from the first taste. 
• Roasted Organic Pecan Cream with no added sugar: roasted pecan nuts are carefully grounded and manufactured until a cream with a rich and enveloping taste is obtained. The light texture blends perfectly with the unmistakable aromatic notes of pecans. 
• Organic Pistachio Cream with no added sugar: made by grinding raw peeled pistachios, the cream will delight you with a delicate taste and aroma for an incredible tasting experience. Thanks to the unique flavour of natural pistachios, it is perfect for both savoury and sweet recipes. 
• Roasted Shelled Organic Almond Cream with no added sugar: carefully ground and roasted to bring out the sensational aromatic flavour of organic shelled almonds. For those who love almonds and want to find them in cream in their most classic version. 
• Italian Pine Nut Cream with no added sugar: carefully selected and ground Italian pine nuts produce a velvety cream with a delicate flavour that makes it ideal for all your creations in the kitchen. When you open the jar you will smell the unmistakable fragrance of freshly harvested pine nuts. 
• Organic Italian White Almond Cream with no added sugar: almonds from only Sicilian almond groves are harvested and processed until a dense mixture with a delicate aroma and flavour is obtained. Herbaceous sensations are accompanied by slightly bitter notes, characteristic of the almond. 
• Organic Pistachio & Almond Cream with no added sugar: the best peeled organic almonds and shelled organic pistachios are carefully selected, ground, then skillfully mixed by our nut experts, in order to obtain a sensational organic pistachio and almond cream. The resulting cream stands out for its excellent texture and a taste perfectly balancing the sweetness of almonds and the richness of pistachios. 
• Roasted Organic Peanut Cream with no added sugar: the previously roasted peanuts are finely ground to allow the oily part of the fruit to be mixed with the dry part. This results in a cream with a smooth texture and roasted notes.
• Roasted Organic Cashew & Coconut Cream with no added sugar: our first mix of 100% nut and dried fruit creams, made with organic cashews and coconut that are carefully selected, roasted and ground to perfection. Sweet coconut hints and cashew creaminess combine together to create a stunningly balanced flavour. 

A peculiar feature of these nuts creams is the separation of the oily part contained in nuts from the thick part: after a few days of “rest” inside the jar the separation between the oily part and the solid part can already be observed. There is no need to worry, this phenomenon is completely natural and is the proof that no emulsifiers or thickeners are added that would prevent the separation. To solve the problem, you just have to blend for a few seconds to obtain a soft and silky cream.

100% spreadable Nuts Creams are very versatile: they can be simply spread on toast for breakfast, or they can be used as basis for a fresh pesto to season a dish of pasta or they can be used in tasty and original recipes, both sweet and salty.

The only limit with 100% Nuts Creams Nuturally is your fantasy!