Drop the Muffins, Man!

Beware of the muffin - and other sweet breakfast breads. For years people have assumed that muffins are a healthy, diet-friendly option. However, that isn't the case for the most part. Some muffins come with a heavy price in terms of calories and fat. A Starbucks Chocolate Cream Cheese muffin contains 450 calories and 24 grams of fat - that's almost the equivalent to three glazed donuts from Dunkin Donuts. A cheese Danish is comparably bad, as you might guess, weighing in at 420 calories and 25 grams of fat, 16 of which are saturated. Even Starbucks' low-fat offerings, like the Low-fat Red Raspberry Muffin, aren't great choices. The raspberry muffin will run you 340 calories and 6 grams of fat (down from 11 in the original version), plus it has a sizeable amount of sodium - about one-fifth the daily sodium allowance. There are some exceptions to the rules. There are some great options in the supermarket if you must have your muffin. Check the bakery for bran muffins that are chock-full of flavor and nutrition. Premade mixes in the baking aisle from brands like Krusteaz or Jiffy cost a fraction of what you pay for take-and-eat muffins, and they're much better for you. Other brands like VitaTops stuff their treats full of nutrition and pare down fat and calories. Plus, they offer just the soft tops of muffins! To stay on the safe side, check the nutritional values before you sink your teeth into this questionable breakfast staple.