If you care about your cholesterol, you already know there is more to it than the cholesterol number on a nutrition label. In Canada, the type of fat you eat and how much fibre you get make the biggest difference to LDL and HDL. That is exactly why we bake our muffins with whole grains, olive oil, and no hydrogenated oils.
The Canadian perspective on cholesterol
- LDL and HDL. LDL carries cholesterol to your arteries. HDL helps remove it. You want less LDL and more HDL.
- Saturated and trans fats. These are the biggest dietary drivers of high LDL. Artificial trans fats are banned in Canada, but saturated fat is still common in baked goods.
- Fibre. Especially soluble fibre, helps reduce LDL by binding cholesterol in the gut and carrying it out of the body.
- Dietary cholesterol mg. Eggs and dairy contribute cholesterol, but Canadian guidance focuses more on saturated and trans fats as predictors of risk.
How our muffins compare to other Canadian chocolate muffins
Per 110 g muffin (approximate weight of Mary’s Double Dark Chocolate Chip)
| Nutrient / ingredient note | Mary’s Muffins – Double Dark Chocolate Chip | Tim Hortons Chocolate Chip Muffin (scaled from 115 g) | Compliments Chocolate Chip Muffin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 380 | 402 | 462 |
| Total fat | 22 g – olive oil, coconut, yogurt | 16.3 g – soybean/canola oils, dairy | 24.2 g – soybean/canola oil, dairy |
| Saturated fat | 9 g – coconut, dairy | 4.8 g – oils, dairy | 6.6 g – oils, dairy |
| Trans fat | 0.1 g – naturally occurring from dairy | 0.1 g – trace, dairy/processing | 0.11 g – trace, dairy/processing |
| Cholesterol | 70 mg – eggs, Greek yogurt | 29 mg – eggs, dairy | 50 mg – eggs, dairy |
| Carbohydrate | 45 g – whole grains, maple-based sugars | 61.2 g – refined flour, sugar | 58.3 g – refined flour, sugar |
| Fibre | 7 g – whole wheat, chia | 1.9 g – refined flour base | 3.3 g – some bran, mostly refined flour |
| Sugars | 23 g – maple syrup, organic maple sugar, dark chocolate | 34.4 g – sugar, corn syrup solids, chocolate chips | 36.3 g – sugar, chocolate chips |
| Protein | 8 g – eggs, Greek yogurt | 5.7 g – eggs, dairy | 5.5 g – eggs, dairy |
Chocolate muffin ingredients comparison
Based on official Canadian product listings and the Tim Hortons app
| Ingredient category | Mary’s Muffins – Double Dark Chocolate Chip | Tim Hortons Chocolate Chip Muffin | Compliments Chocolate Chip Muffin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flour | 100% whole wheat flour (Canadian) | Enriched wheat flour | Enriched wheat flour |
| Sweeteners | Canadian maple syrup, organic maple sugar | Sugar, corn syrup solids | Sugar, dextrose |
| Chocolate | Fair trade dark chocolate chips (cocoa mass, brown sugar, cocoa butter) | Semi-sweet chocolate chips (sugars [sugar, dextrose], unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, natural flavour) | Chocolate chips (sugar, unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter, dextrose, soy lecithin, salt, natural flavour) |
| Fats / oils | Extra virgin olive oil, coconut milk | Soybean and/or canola oils | Soybean and/or canola oil |
| Eggs | Free-run eggs | Liquid whole eggs | Liquid whole egg |
| Dairy | Greek yogurt (cow’s/goat’s milk, cream, bacterial culture) | Whey powder (milk) | Modified milk ingredients |
| Leavening | Sodium bicarbonate | Sodium bicarbonate, sodium acid pyrophosphate, monocalcium phosphate | Baking powder |
| Salt | Iodized sea salt | Salt | Salt |
| Emulsifiers / stabilizers | None | Monoglycerides, guar gum, xanthan gum, amylase | Mono- and diglycerides, sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate, xanthan gum, cellulose gum, citric acid |
| Natural flavouring | Pure vanilla extract, spices | Natural flavour | Natural flavour |
Key takeaways for cholesterol-conscious eaters
- Fibre that works for you. Mary’s has 7 g per 110 g muffin. That is more than three times Tim Hortons and more than double Compliments.
- Better fats, better balance. We use extra virgin olive oil as the primary added fat. Tim Hortons and Compliments use soybean and canola oils.
- Less sugar, same indulgence. Mary’s has 23 g sugar. Tim Hortons has 34.4 g and Compliments has 36.3 g.
- No industrial trans fats. Only trace amounts from dairy are present.
- Whole-food transparency. Short, recognisable ingredients. No stabilisers, emulsifiers, or preservatives.
Ready to try them for yourself? Order Double Dark Chocolate Chip Muffins and taste the difference.
Sources
- Mary’s Muffins internal product label for Double Dark Chocolate Chip.
- Tim Hortons mobile app, Chocolate Chip Muffin nutrition and ingredients, serving size 115 g, accessed August 2025. Values scaled to 110 g for comparison.
- Compliments Chocolate Chip Muffins product page, per 100 g. Values scaled to 110 g.
- Heart & Stroke Foundation Canada. Dietary fats, oils and cholesterol. Overview pages.
- Health Canada. Guidance on saturated fat, trans fat and nutrient content claims.