Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins (with Prebiotics)

Brooke Bulloch, RD and mom

As a dietitian, I find so many of my clients, including children, consume about half the recommended amount of fibre. I love to talk about all things fibre, including ways that clients can improve their intake of prebiotics.

Prebiotics are a subset of dietary fibre, where all prebiotics are fibre but not all fibre are prebiotics. To be called a prebiotic, the fibre source must demonstrate a physiological benefit to the person consuming them. In other words, the prebiotic fibre provides a fuel source (ie. food) for health-promoting gut bacteria such as lactobacilli, bacteroidetes, and bifidobacteria.

Prebiotics have been shown to improve cardiovascular health, support the immune system, optimize nutrient absorption, reduce inflammation, and improve digestion and bowel health. They include fructans and galacto-oligosaccharides, which are found in foods like:

Inulin fibre (chicory root)
Wheat
Barley
Garlic
Onions
Asparagus
Beets
Ripe bananas
Watermelon
Beans and legumes
Cashews, and
Pistachios.

For anyone who’s familiar with, or following the low FODMAP diet for IBS, you can see that many of these food sources are high in FODMAPs. This is another reason why over-restricted dietary patterns (including FODMAPs) may worsen one’s health or symptoms. The jury is still out as to how much prebiotic fibre intake is ideal. However, research suggests as little as 3 grams of prebiotics per day demonstrate benefit.

As a mom, I aim to help boost my own child’s intake of fibre (and prebiotics), where I can. My son is a fan of banana muffins, hence this recipe was born. I hope you or your kids enjoy these as much as we do!

Pre-heat oven to 350F.

Ingredients

1/2 cup canola oil
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed, ripe bananas
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons warm water
3/4 cup unbleached wheat flour
3/4 cup faba bean flour (I used Co-op Gold brand). Alternatively, use 3/4 cup whole wheat flour.
1/3 cup wheat bran
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1) In a medium-sized bowl, cream together canola oil, sugar, eggs, mashed bananas, and vanilla.
2) Dissolve the baking soda in warm water. Mix well and blend into the liquid mixture.
3) In a large bowl, stir together the flour, wheat bran, and cinnamon.
4) Add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredient bowl and mix until just combined.
5) Mix in the chocolate chips last.
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6) Spray the muffin tin (or silicon muffin cups) with cooking spray. Fill each muffin cup ½ to ⅔ full.
7) Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of a muffin comes out clean.

Makes 12 muffins.