Pancakes may be a breakfast favorite, but their typical health profile is somewhat underwhelming. That's something scientists at Washington State University (WSU) are striving to change. In an effort documented by the university's press release, the WSU team has been reimagining pancakes as a more nutritious meal option without skimping on taste or texture. Spearheading these developments is Girish Ganjyal, a food processing specialist at the School's Food Science program.
By incorporating whole grains such as buckwheat, quinoa, millet, and whole-wheat flours, the scientists sought to make their pancakes pack a more nourishing punch. "We wanted to see if it’s possible to make tasty pancakes with whole grains that add some fiber and protein," Ganjyal told WSU's news service. Not to the detriment of their classic appeal, the adaptations to these morning staples have shown promise, allowing for substantial integration of these healthier flours.
While the basic recipe for all pancakes in the study remained the same, the variable was the type of flour used. Ganjyal's team, including a graduate student, an undergraduate, and a high school intern, methodologically substituted traditional refined flour with their whole-grain counterparts in varying proportions. The whole-grain experiments, with flour percentages ranging from 25% to 100%, primarily sought to maintain the familiar pleasures of the pancake experience, as the buckwheat and quinoa adaptations smoothly assimilated into the recipe. Millet flour, however, had to be pre-cooked to prevent crumbling and maintain binding, as per the Washington State University.
The endeavor is a part of the broader "Soil to Society" project, supported by the USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture since 2021. Ganjyal is optimistic manufacturers will leverage the study to produce healthier flour offerings for both the market and food establishments. Despite the success, the team acknowledges there's more work ahead. "We started with a small level of replacement flours, then kept increasing them until it wasn’t practical," said Ganjyal, explaining the iterative process adopted to perfect these nutritional pancakes, as stated by the Washington State University.
