Enjoy Pancake Day with an exclusive nutritious and delicious low sugar pancake recipe – Approved by dental and nutritional experts.
Nutritional therapist Mike Murphy explains that the notoriously high sugar content of pancakes can be exceptionally damaging not only to teeth but also to health. Mike explains “diets high in sugar have been associated with numerous chronic diseases including type-2 diabetes, heart disease, dementia and even cancer. When we eat foods with a lot of added sugar, or indeed foods that have a high impact on our blood sugar levels such as anything made with flour including pancakes, this can lead to a rapid elevation in blood glucose levels followed by an equally steep drop in blood sugar which can impact our energy levels and lead to cravings for carbohydrates. This way of eating, if habitual, is also linked with symptoms like hormone imbalance, irritability and weight gain.”
Easy switches can be made to improve the nutritional value of pancake batters Mike explains, “If you can tolerate gluten, then steer towards the whole-meal flours over white as these will have higher nutritional value – many vitamins and minerals are lost in the refining process. But if you’re gluten intolerant, which studies suggest as much as 30% of the population are, then there are many gluten-free alternatives that can be used equally as well, including rice flour or my personal favourite, buckwheat flour which is high in fibre, magnesium and B-vitamins.”
For an alternative healthy, sweet and tasty topping alternative Mike recommends, stewed berries. “Berries are one of the most nutritious fruits, high in Vitamin C, anti-oxidants, phytonutrients and low in sugar. Simply take a punnet of your favourite berries, put them in a pan on a low heat and add a splash (1-2 tbsp) of water, pop the lid on and gently simmer for a few minutes until the berries have softened into a syrupy consistency. If this is not sweet enough for your palette add a tablespoon of maple syrup or honey.
For the ultimate health kick pancake follow Mike’s recipe of Banana-Chia Pancakes with Berries below!
Ingredients:
1 medium-sized banana
2 eggs
100ml almond milk
2 tbsp chia seeds
50g buckwheat flour (6 tbsp)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Pinch of sea salt
1x handful each of raspberries and blackberries
A drizzle of Maple syrup (optional)
Grass-fed butter (Kerrigold)
Extra virgin olive oil
Directions:
1. Mash one banana with a fork and whisk in 2 eggs, 2 tbsp chia seeds, 100ml almond milk, 50g of buckwheat flour and 1/2 tsp baking powder.
2. Rest in the fridge for 30 minutes, then ladle individual pancakes onto a buttered-olive oiled pan over moderate heat.
3. Flip over when you see a few bubbles appear (around 3-4 minutes) and cook for another 2-3 mins until delicately browned on both sides.
4. To serve, add a pat of grass-fed butter and drizzle over your stewed berries and tuck in!
Note: Replace the almond milk and the buckwheat flour with any alternatives you have on hand.