Calories in a Large Banana Nut Muffin

Banana nut muffins may contain healthy fruit, but these bakery treats also have plenty of added sugar and fat, making them rich in calories. Reserve this food for rare occasions, and try to eat just half of a muffin when you do indulge. If you make your muffins at home, you can lighten the calorie load by using less sugar and substituting an equal amount of applesauce for butter in the recipe.

Calorie Count

Large muffins are typically about 3.25 inches in diameter, and may weigh close to 140 grams. Large, prepackaged banana-nut muffins from one major brand contain 470 calories each, while a similar muffin from a major restaurant/bakery chain contains 490 calories. Sugar content may range from 35 grams to 43 grams, translating to 140 to 172 calories from sugar per muffin. For perspective, the American Heart Association recommends that women limit added sugar intake to about 100 calories per day, and that men get no more than 150 calories per day from added sugar 3.