A Muffin Makeover: Dispelling the
Low-Fat-Is-Healthy Myth
Low-Fat Approach to Eating Hasn’t Reduced Obesity or
Made People Healthier
New Recipes for Healthier Muffins Using Whole Grains,
Healthy Fats
Boston, MA — Dozens
of studies, many from Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH)
researchers, have shown that low-fat diets are no better for health
than moderate- or high-fat diets—and for many people, may be worse.
To combat this “low
fat is best” myth, nutrition experts at HSPH and chefs and
registered dietitians at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA)
have developed five new muffin recipes that incorporate healthy fats
and whole grains, and use a lighter hand on the salt and sugar.
Their goal? To “make over” the ubiquitous low-fat muffin, touted as
a “better-for-you” choice when in fact low-fat muffins often have
reduced amounts of heart-healthy fats, such as liquid plant oils,
but boast plenty of harmful carbohydrates in the form of white flour
and sugar.
Other low-fat
processed foods are not much better, and are often higher in sugar,
carbohydrates, or salt than their full-fat counterparts. For good
health, type of fat matters more than amount. Diets high in heavily
processed carbohydrates can lead to weight gain and an increased
risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
“It’s time to end
the low-fat myth,” said
Walter Willett,
professor of epidemiology and nutrition and chair of the Department
of Nutrition at HSPH. “Unfortunately, many well-motivated people
have been led to believe that all fats are bad and that foods loaded
with white flour and sugar are healthy choices. This has clearly
contributed to the epidemic of diabetes we are experiencing and
premature death for many. The lesson contained in these healthy
muffins—that foods can be both tasty and good for you—can literally
be life-saving.”
A regular blueberry
muffin from a national coffee shop chain has 450 calories on average
and most of those calories come from carbohydrates, primarily white
flour and sugar. However, now that national chains have eliminated
trans fats, a regular muffin does have heart-healthy fat, usually
from soybean or canola oil. A low-fat muffin has about the same
amount of calories, but contains more carbohydrates and sugar—and
about 60% more sodium (700 milligrams)—than a regular muffin.
The new Blueberry
Muffin recipe offered by HSPH and the CIA is less than half the size
of a coffee shop muffin and contains just 130 calories. It is made
with a mixture of whole wheat, white, and almond flour and uses
canola oil, a healthy fat. (See “Blueberry
Muffin Battle”
for a nutritional comparison of the three types of blueberry
muffins.)
“There are so many
ingredients available to home bakers who want to offer their
families healthful, flavorful baked goods,” says Richard Coppedge,
Jr., chef-instructor at the CIA and a Certified Master Baker. “These
five recipes not only include a wide variety of whole grain and nut
flours; they also demonstrate how more unusual ingredients like
canned chickpeas and extra virgin olive oil can be used in baking.”
The CIA and HSPH
offer a dozen healthy baking tips that professional chefs and home
cooks can use to build a healthier muffin. Here are a few of their
tips:
·
Downsize the portions.
The mega-muffins popular in bake shops are two to three times the
size of the muffins your grandmother might have baked.
·
Go whole on the grains.
It’s easy to substitute whole wheat flour for 50% of the white flour
in recipes without harming taste or texture. And with a few recipe
alterations, delicious muffins can be made with 100% whole grains.
See the Lemon Chickpea Breakfast Muffin and the Whole Wheat Banana
Nut Muffin recipes as examples.
·
Slash the sugar.
You can cut 25% of the sugar from most standard muffin recipes
without any negative impact on flavor or texture, and in some
recipes, cut back even more.
·
Pour on the oil.
Liquid plant oils—canola, extra virgin olive oil, corn, sunflower,
and others—help keep whole-grain muffins moist and are a healthier
choice than melted butter or shortening.
·
Bring out the nuts.
For extra protein and an additional source of healthy fats, add
chopped nuts.
·
Scale back the salt.
The best way to reduce salt is to make a smaller muffin and to pair
muffins with foods, such as vegetables and fruits, that are
sodium-free.
·
Pump up the produce—and flavor!
Fresh whole fruit and unsweetened dried fruit naturally contain
sugar, but unlike other sweeteners, they also contain fiber and
important nutrients. Using fruit in your muffins means you can have
a lighter hand on the added sugar. Cooked or raw vegetables, such as
caramelized onions, sliced jalapeños, and chives and other fresh
herbs—together with a whole range of spices—can add interesting
textures and savory flavors to muffins.
The muffin recipes
and photos, baking tips, a Q & A on why it’s time to end the low-fat
myth, and a handy chart showing how to find foods with healthy fats
are all available on The Nutrition Source, a nutrition website from
the Harvard School of Public Health:
www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/muffin-makeover/index.html
“We need to make
healthy fats and whole grains the new baking norm, at home and in
the professional kitchen,” says Greg Drescher, Vice President of
Industry Leadership and Strategic Initiatives for the CIA. “We call
on restaurants and other food service providers to be leaders in
promoting healthy fats—and in doing away with the low-fat myth.”
Harvard
School of Public Health is dedicated to advancing the public’s
health through learning, discovery and communication. More than 400
faculty members are engaged in teaching and training the 1,000-plus
student body in a broad spectrum of disciplines crucial to the
health and well being of individuals and populations around the
world. Programs and projects range from the molecular biology of
AIDS vaccines to the epidemiology of cancer; from risk analysis to
violence prevention; from maternal and children’s health to quality
of care measurement; from health care management to international
health and human rights. For more information on the school visit
www.hsph.harvard.edu. HSPH on Twitter: http://twitter.com/HarvardHSPH HSPH on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/harvardpublichealth HSPH on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/HarvardPublicHealth HSPH home page: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu Founded in 1946, The Culinary Institute of America is an
independent, not-for-profit college offering bachelor's and
associate degrees in culinary arts and baking and pastry arts as
well as certificate programs in culinary arts, Latin cuisines, and
wine and beverage studies. As the world's premier culinary college,
the CIA provides thought leadership in the areas of health &
wellness, sustainability, and world cuisines & cultures through
research and conferences. The CIA has a network of more than 44,000
alumni that includes industry leaders such as Grant Achatz, Anthony
Bourdain, Cat Cora, Dan Coudreaut, Steve Ells, Roy Choi, Johnny
Iuzzini, Charlie Palmer, and Roy Yamaguchi. In addition to its
degree programs, the CIA offers courses for professionals and
enthusiasts, as well as consulting services in support of innovation
for the foodservice and hospitality industry. The college has
campuses in Hyde Park, NY; St. Helena, CA; San Antonio, TX; and
Singapore.
For more information, visit the CIA online at www.ciachef.edu.
