Enjoy one of America’s favorite breakfast foods with phytonutrient-rich raspberries. Photo by Simone van den Berg | IST.
STEPHANIE ZONIS focuses on good foods and the people who produce them.
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November 2009
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Best Pancake Mixes: Whole Grain & Multigrain
Page 1: Pancakes Overview
CAPSULE REPORT: Stephanie Zonis tested 99 whole grain pancake mixes, which are much better for you than white-flour pancake mixes. After weeks of eating lots of pancakes, she recommends nine outstanding mixes, and shares her thoughts on all the others. For the “winners,” head to Page 6. A good pancake mix (or a variety of them) makes an inexpensive gift; with one big-company exception, the mixes reviewed are small brands most people have never heard of. This is Page 1 of a 6-page article (plus 18 pages of reviews of all the products we tasted). Click the black links below to view other pages.
Overview
Pancakes. Flapjacks. Griddlecakes. Hotcakes. No matter what you call them, pancakes are among our most popular foods. I hadn’t expected so many businesses in the U.S. to manufacture pancake mixes, but perhaps I shouldn’t have been surprised by the vast number. These mixes contain relatively few ingredients, they’re not difficult to prepare, they’re not highly perishable and they’re not difficult to ship.
While pancake mixes are available in a good variety of flavors, for this set of taste-tests, I restricted the mixes to those that are whole grain or multigrain, without additional flavors (fruits, nuts, etc., though a few manufacturers below use spice[s] as an ingredient). After all, we all need more whole grains in our diet, and switching to a whole grain pancake mix is a painless way to add some. The list of mixes I tested is lengthy, but by no means comprehensive.
Also see my review of whole grain cereals, which includes the nutritional importance of whole grains. In a nutshell:
Whole grain foods are not refined. The bran, endosperm and the germ are intact. They retain beneficial nutrients that can help lower risks of heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines, released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2005, recommend that Americans consume at least half of their grain servings as whole grains. That means 3 to 5 servings of whole grains per day.
What About Waffles?
Many pancake mixes can also be used to make waffles. Read the instructions on the package, and if there are none, contact the manufacturer.
Continue To Page 2: Pancake Definition & History
Go To The Article Index Above
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