Delicious and healthy, scientists develop muffin that’s good for your heart
Sweet treats, pastry and a healthy heart do not usually go hand in hand but scientists form the University of Queensland actually developed a muffin that helps reduce cholesterol levels.
Researchers form the University of Queensland set about to disprove the notion that everything that tastes good is actually bad for your health. Taking into account previous studies that showed that beta glucan fiber in oats can slow absorption of fats to reduce blood cholesterol, they developed a new muffin, that’s actually good for the heart.
And all it took was a scientist with a keen love for baking. UQ Centre for Nutrition and Food Sciences scientist Dr Nima Gunness said the muffins contained three grams of beta glucans, the healthy soluble fiber that occurs naturally in the cell walls of oats and cereals, and meets the food standard guidelines for cholesterol-lowering properties.
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“There is good evidence that three grams or more of oats beta glucan consumption a day can help reduce cholesterol levels,” Dr Gunness said.“I wanted to turn my discovery into a product, like a muffin, that people could eat to help reduce the amount of cholesterol in their blood stream, lowering the risk of heart disease.”
But making a delicious yet healthy treat, especially one that could be appealing in shape and texture to customers, was not a simple endeavor as the extra oat bran and beta glucan fibre made the muffin gluggy.
It took several months for Gunness to perfect her recipe but she is hopeful that eating your way to a lower cholesterol could actually come in handy even if it will not replace traditional medication.
“We are not suggesting that people go off any cholesterol-lowering medication,” Dr Gunness said. “Rather, we are aiming to provide a convenient, healthy and very tasty way of helping to reduce cholesterol levels.”
And the new healthy-heart muffin has already attracted the attention of food companies. Gunness is now working with Priestley’s Gourmet Delights to manufacture and taste-test a batch of ‘good heart’ muffins.
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