Karmaffins - Product Review

Recently I was sent samples of a new health food product called Karmaffins.  Actually, they were hand delivered to me by Tim Sinclair and Paul Do, two of the earnest men behind their development.

Karmaffins are gluten-free, refined sugar-free and nut-free muffins that come in four flavours:

1. Apple Cinnamon with Chia Seed
2. Belgian Chocolate with Banana
3. Smoothie Berry with Coconut
4. Orange Cinnamon and Mango

Now, I hardly ever buy muffins, cookies or cakes as I prefer to make my own.  Most of the commercially produced muffins you find in bakeries, coffee shops and grocery stores are no better than cake and just empty sugar, fat and white flour calories.   Even many of the ones sold at health food stores, while usually made with whole grains, still contain lots of sugar and oil.

Nevertheless, I know not everyone likes to bake, like I do, and everyone loves a good muffin for breakfast or with a cup of tea.  So I appreciate these products because they truly do offer a nutritious snack or part of a meal.


I tried them out on the whole family to see what everyone would think.  The Apple Cinnamon With Chia were the most popular among all of us.  They are dense and not remotely like the cakey ones you can buy, so if you and your peeps are used to that kind, you have to adjust your expectations.  These are neither sweet nor cakey. But I think we should all be trying to adjust our taste buds...I wish refined flours and sugars would be banned, frankly!

We found that keeping them frozen and defrosting for about 30-45 seconds in the microwave made them taste best, as when left to defrost overnight, they ended up being a tad bit dry.  The flavours are nice, but subtle.  These are not going to fool junk food lovers, but if you are used to eating natural, whole food products you may like these.

I think Big A and I enjoyed them the most.  Little A wouldn't touch the chocolate ones because they have a sprinkling of coconut on top, and she doesn't do coconut...or anything that resembles 'bits' of any kind.  She also objected to them being square rather than round.  But, hey, she's 3!  Adam thought they were just okay.

The muffins are full of good stuff, however, they are not vegan, nor organic.  The ingredients for the Apple Cinnamon ones are below:

INGREDIENTS:
U-Be-Livin-Smart™ Proprietary Super Food Blend: (Sweet Potato, Egg Whites, Avocado, Apple, Dates, Whey Protein Isolate, Orange, Banana, Blackberry, Cranberry, Blueberry, Pomegranate), Chia Seeds, Coconut, Natural Flavour, Cinnamon, Baking Soda, Baking Powder. Contains: Milk, Soy Lecithin, Eggs.

They have 130 calories per muffin, 2.5g fat, 3g fibre, 7g of protein, and 8g of sugar.  This is only 30 calories more than a Quaker chocolate chip granola bar, the same amount of sugar, but 2g more fibre, 6g more protein, and it's about 3x the weight of the granola bar.  If I had to choose one, I'd choose the Karmaffin!  It's made from wholesome ingredients, and it's likely to keep you energized and feeling satisfied for far longer than the granola bar will!

Overall, I would recommend them as a nutritious snack or part of a breakfast, if you are not into making homemade.  The other thing I like, is that the founders are intent on building a company that is socially conscious and dedicated to giving back to the community.

Will I be buying them? No, because I enjoy baking my own, like my own better, and it's far more economical to make them homemade.  But if you don't like baking and are looking for a healthier option than a granola or cereal bar, you may want to give these a try.

The gentlemen told me they are currently available at some grocery stores across the GTA and at local Whole Foods, and retail for about $5.99 for 4.

Disclaimer: I was given these products for free, but all opinions on this blog are my own.