The Harvard School of Public Health’s “Nutrition Source” looked at muffins recently and had some interesting things to say. According to the article many of the fats in muffins are from plant oils and are therefore unsaturated fats and heart healthy.

The reduction in these fats leaves the muffin mostly sugar and white flour based which our body processes quickly.  This could conceivably cause a feeling of hunger again in a shorter time period than the higher fat muffin.

They recommend reducing the size of your muffin when baking it yourself and to hold back on adding sugar. You can use whole grain based flour and “pour on the oil” – plant, canola, extra virgin olive and other oils will make the muffin moist and make it a heart healthier snack.

The other helpful food that the Harvard School of Public Health and the Culinary Institute of America recommended for use to design a more healthful muffin was nuts. Adding some chopped nuts will provide extra protein and they are another source of healthy fats.

They go on to say that you can make nut flour with a food processor by grinding up “whole nuts such as almonds” to make an even more healthful muffin.  Using almonds to make other snacks enjoyable and more healthful is just one of many ways this heart healthy food can be added to your current diet.