Although muffins are often considered a healthy alternative to donuts for breakfast, these baked treats can be quite high in calories. Because pistachios are high in fat and calories themselves, pistachio muffins are particularly high in calories and may not be appropriate for dieters.
Calories
LIVESTRONG's food database MyPlate notes that a pistachio muffin can contain anywhere from 430 to 764 calories. If you consume the recommended daily intake of 2,000 calories per day, then one muffin could provide between 21.5 to 38 percent of your daily calories.
According to MayoClinic.com, it would take more than two hours of weightlifting to burn off the calories in one pistachio muffin.
Fat
Pistachio muffins are high in calories due in part to the high fat content. MyPlate notes that just one pistachio muffin contains between 30 and 42 grams of fat. Of this, 3.5 to 7.4 grams of this fat is saturated. While fat is high in calories, the Harvard School of Public Health explains that unsaturated fat may reduce your risk of heart disease.
Carbohydrates and Sugar
Pistachio muffins are also rich in carbohydrates and sugar. MyPlate note that each muffin contains from 60 to 86 grams of carbohydrates, with 33 to 46 grams of sugar and just one to two grams of fiber.
Protein
Pistachio muffins are low in protein. MyPlate notes that one pistachio muffin contains 5 to 10 g of protein.
More About MyPlate
The free LIVESTRONG MyPlate calorie tracker app for iPhone and Android has helped millions of people lose weight the healthy way — by getting support from an active community as they track their eating and exercise. Consistently a top-rated app, MyPlate offers the latest technology in an easy-to-use tool that includes millions of foods and recipes, 5-minute in-app workouts and a robust support community.
