Making Healthy Breakfast Choices: Do I Have to Give Up My Pancakes?!

By Megan O'Reilly, AFPA Certified Nutritionist and Wellness Consultant

Pancakes and Syrup....one of the most popular breakfast choices, and also possibly one of the worst breakfast choices.  Leading dietitian Joy Bauer places pancakes on her "Top Ten Worst Food List for Diabetes."  Even for those of us without diabetes, it's important to take note and think about our pancake choice.  Do we have to give up pancakes all together, or is there a way to fit them into our diets?

First, let's look at typical pancake ingredients and how they are eaten. Whether you go to IHOP, buy frozen, or use a standard box mix, the standard pancake is often made of highly processed white flour. Many of us top our pancakes with as much as quarter-cup of  syrup, and eat more pancakes than we need.  Low fiber, added sugary topping, and over-sized portions are the three main factors that make the average pancake an overall unhealthy everyday breakfast choice.

However, there is good news for pancake fans! With a few easy changes, it is easy to make a healthier pancake that can keep your body feeling energetic and full until lunch time. 

#1. Fiber Change

Choose pancakes with the most fiber you can find. When you are at the grocery store, take a minute to read the label and compare fiber amounts. My top box mix recommendations found in our local Chillicothe Kroger are Grain Berry Pancake & Waffle Mix (4 grams fiber), Kodiak Power Cakes (5 grams fiber and a bonus 14 grams of protein), and FlapJacked Protein Pancake and Baking Mix (5 grams of fiber and a bonus 20 grams of protein). Bob's Red Mill brand also usually has healthier mix choices, found in the organic aisle. In the frozen waffle/pancake section, two good choices are Van's 8 Whole Grains (7 grams fiber) and Simple Truth Multigrain Waffles (5 grams fiber).  If you make your own mix, consider revamping it and throwing in some whole wheat flour, extra flax meal, oats, or chia seeds.  Or, look up some alternative pancake recipes online.  

My close friend and Pearce Cycling instructor Kelly Buffum once made me delicious cottage cheese pancakes, recipe found available here. Another good friend and Pearce member, Ken Scheeler, and I once tried and enjoyed a three ingredient pancake recipe found here. 

  

#2. Toppings Change

If at all possible, wean yourself completely off the sugary syrup topping! The studies are clear: Americans eat too much sugar, and too much sugar is linked with obesity, diabetes, heart-related complications, and other serious obesity-related health problems. The USDA guidelines recommend eating less than 10 percent of our daily calories from added sugars, and the World Health Organization recommends an even lower amount, five percent of our daily calories from added sugars. That roughly translates to only about six to nine teaspoons of sugar per day! (How many teaspoons of syrup do you usually add?)  Instead of sugary syrup, choose more high-fiber nutrient-dense topping such as peanut butter, nuts, or fresh fruit.

#3.  Portion Change

If weight maintenance or weight loss is your goal, pancake portions are key. One four-inch round pancake, about the size of a CD, is considered a one-ounce grain serving. Instead of consuming the entire four or five stack offered at many restaurants, create a more balanced meal by eating just one or two pancakes with an egg and fruit.

So, do we have to give up pancakes? Thankfully, the answer is no! If we watch our portion sizes, look for higher fiber varieties, and add some healthier toppings, we can start our day with a healthier pancake breakfast. If you have a favorite pancake recipe or other pancake tips, we would love to hear from you!