Are pancakes healthy?
Generally pancakes are not healthy, especially when it comes to most pancakes you get at restaurants. Since pancakes are high in carbohydrates and have sugar, they can pack on the pounds. However, you can make your pancakes healthy! Some ways to make pancakes healthier:
- Don’t use the high fructose corn syrup they call "pancake syrup." Look at any bottle of pancake syrup junk and you’ll see it’s basically just colored high fructose corn syrup, which is one of the worst ingredients you can put in your body. Opt for pure maple syrup and real unsalted butter. You won’t need as much and the taste is exponentially more delicious.
- Add fresh fruits such as berries or dices apples to your pancake mix. Blueberries are a popular option full of anti-oxidants and strawberries are a great choice if you can’t have a ton of sugar. Strawberries have less sugar than lemons!
- Use organic pancake mix and ingredients. The cheap brand stuff can be good too, but if you want to slap the label of "healthy" onto your pancakes, don’t skimp.
- Opt for egg beaters or use only egg whites when adding egg to your pancakes.
And of course, portion control! If you eat a five-stack, there’s no way your gargantuan treat is going to be a low-calorie dish. If you can afford the calories, then just make sure your ingredients are of the healthy and organic type.
The ingredients of pancakes are not unhealthy. Eggs, oil, butter, honey, etc. are not bad for you in moderation. But pancakes are about 95% carbohydrate, especially with honey or syrup, so if you have diabetes in your family you should treat them with respect. That means not every day! There is no evidence that eating low carb helps you avoid diabetes if it’s programmed into your genes, but it couldn’t hurt. People who develop diabetes don’t know at first, and they often do serious damage to their bodies before they are diagnosed. In fact, the first some people know that they have diabetes is when they lose some of their vision or destroy their kidneys or something like that. So you should also be getting a checkup every year at least. If you have someone in the immediate family with diabetes, or a close friend, have them check your blood once in a while. Making pancakes is a skill. It has to do with the batter being the right consistency, the pan hot enough, just the right amount of f
Whole Wheat Vanilla Pancakes 3/4 cup whole wheat flour 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 2 Tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 large eggs 1/2 cup low fat vanilla yogurt 1/2 cup water 2 Tablespoons canola oil 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract In a large bowl, sift together the flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs until frothy. Add the yogurt, water oil and vanilla and sir until well mixed. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just mixed and moistened. Set your griddle to medium-high and coat generously with cooking spray. Dollop the batter in 1/4 cup amounts per pancake. When bubbles appear on top and the edges appear dry, flip the pancakes and cook the other side to golden brown – about 2 minutes per side. Serve with your favorite topping. I like softened butter and real maple syrup. Simple and easy recipe for a whole wheat pancake with a nice vanilla taste. For a twist, try
1. Organic does not equal sugar-free (since diabetes runs in your family, you should use sugar sparingly) 2. Vegetable oil is not healthy 3. Eggs are healthly only in moderation – 1 or 2 a day max unless you start leaving out the egg yolk (very high in cholesterol). But eggs are great sources of protein and other valuable nutrients. 4. Don’t mix your batter for a long time. Use a wire whisk and just stir till moistened. Lumps are okay – they disappear in cooking. 5. Two problems with your cooking – too hot, and turning while it’s too liquid. The fix: turn the heat down MUCH lower on your pan. Let the pancake sit on one side till it’s covered with little air bubbles – when they start popping, it’s time to turn the pancake. 6. Bonus tip: switch half your flour for whole wheat flour (so half white flour, half whole wheat). It’s high in fiber – healthier. oh, and p.s. are you using baking powder? That is a necessary ingredient.
