Raisin Bran Muffin Recipe - Pura Vida Moms (2024)

FAQs

Are Raisin Bran Muffins healthy for you? ›

They are made with whole wheat white flour and bran flakes, so they are full of heart-healthy fiber. Coconut oil keeps them super moist. California raisins give them just the right amount of sweetness along with extra fiber, potassium and 6% of your daily iron (per serving).

Bran muffins use less flour and use bran instead, as well as using molasses and brown sugar. The mix is turned into a pocketed muffin tray, or into individual paper moulds, and baked in an oven. Milk is often added, as it contributes to the appealing browning appearance.

The Bottom Line

Wheat bran is highly nutritious and an excellent source of fiber. It may benefit digestive and heart health and could even reduce breast and colon cancer risk.

Bran Muffins

Though the bran is likely never to blame in the muffin, the high amount of sugar and canola oil is. In fact, the nutrition-fact panel of a muffin (even a bran muffin) can be 400 to 500 calories, include 40-plus grams of sugar, and show that a muffin is usually worse for you than a chocolate chip cookie.

In fact, one serving of raisin bran can contribute nearly half of the recommended daily intake limit for sugar. As such, raisin bran works best as an occasional breakfast option rather than a regular choice.

But that doesn't make bran muffins healthy. Most of the muffins you buy in stores are high in sugar and fat, more like cupcakes than old fashioned muffins. Bran or other muffins are okay as an occasional treat, but not good as a regular part of a healthy diet.

It should be no surprise that studies show wheat bran can relieve constipation and improve digestion. The outer layer of the wheat kernel is a fiber force with a whopping 25 grams per cup. Sprinkle it over your oatmeal, eat a bowl of bran cereal, or whip up a batch of bran muffins.

There are four categories you want to try to include when planning a diabetes-friendly meal, whether for breakfast or other times of the day. They consist of: Fiber, such as no-sugar varieties of oatmeal, whole-grain bread, and whole-wheat/bran muffins.

If you have IBS, you may find that bran is not something you tolerate well. Bran has a lot of insoluble fiber, which can make IBS symptoms worse. You should still try to get fiber in your diet, but you may find that focusing on sources of soluble fiber or using fiber supplements is a better option for you.

Slowly, demand declined, and shops catering to the younger folks stopped stocking bran muffins and started ordering desserts that look like muffins instead. And now it is near impossible to find them in a grocery store.

Why are my bran muffins so dry? ›

Oven temperature directly affects a muffin's texture and how well it rises. Muffins baked at too high of a temperature will produce an overly cooked outer crust and an undercooked filling. Muffins cooked at low temperatures for too long may dry out, creating an unpleasant texture and taste.

Not enough leavening agent. This can happen with unsifted flour (sifting also helps incorporate air), using the wrong type of flour (especially if the recipe calls for self-raising), or using old or improperly-stored flour or baking soda/powder.

If you are looking for a delicious and healthy breakfast option, my Classic Raisin Bran Muffin recipe is the perfect solution. Packed with fiber and bursting with sweet raisins, these homemade muffins are sure to become a family favorite.

Now muffins aren't all bad. These things are only unhealthy if eaten on a regular basis. If every so often you want a muffin for breakfast or a snack, that's no big deal. When you grab a bakery muffin for breakfast daily, that's when you increase your risk for unwanted weight gain and other health issues.

When it comes to calories, carbs, and sugar, there's a clear winner: doughnuts. The fried rings have 155 fewer calories, half the carbs, and 21 fewer grams of sugar than muffins. Muffins don't lose out completely, though: They have 1 g more protein than doughnuts—and half the saturated fat.

Because Raisin Bran is chock full o' raisins and the flakes themselves are rather tasteless, General Mills adds a hefty amount of sugar to this cereal. One cup of the breakfast cereal has 19 grams, which is just one gram shy of a Cadbury Creme Egg's worth, and that's not counting the added milk.

"They can be packed with added sugar and low in fiber, sending your blood sugar levels on a roller coaster before you even get to work," says Charlotte Martin, MS, RDN, CSOWM, CPT. Yet, muffins can be a healthy breakfast option if you make them at home yourself.