Are Pancakes Keto?
A stack of perfectly-cooked pancakes is definitely a comfort food. Sinking your teeth into fluffy pancakes drizzled with golden-brown maple syrup is a delightful way to start your day. It’s unsurprising that pancake-loving keto-dieters may wonder if this beloved breakfast food is keto-approved.
Can you enjoy pancakes if you’re following a high-fat, low-carb ketogenic diet? Let’s discuss what they are made of and whether pancakes are keto.
What Are Pancakes Made Of?
A pancake is a cake with a flat shape prepared on a hot flat surface like a griddle or frying pan. Pancakes are usually made with eggs, milk, butter, and a wheat- or grain-based flour. Sugar or fruit like blueberries or sliced bananas are sometimes added to the mix.
Pancakes might be called flapjacks, griddle cakes, or hotcakes. The texture and shape of pancakes vary slightly depending on where they are made. People in places like North America often use a leavening agent like baking powder to create fluffier pancakes and sometimes add vanilla extract for added flavor. Thin pancakes filled with jam, chocolate, cream cheese, or other toppings are particularly popular in parts of Europe. [1]
Are Pancakes Keto?
The quick answer is no; pancakes aren’t usually keto-friendly because they’re traditionally made with starchy grain-based flour. Food items made with refined grain-based flour, such as pancakes, cupcakes, and bread, aren’t suitable for a low-carb diet because they are low in fiber and high in sugar. Simple carbs are almost immediately absorbed into your bloodstream. [2] Any food product with a big dollop of added sugar could also push you out of ketosis.
While butter and eggs are keto-approved, milk is more of a gray area depending on the amount of lactose it contains, which is the sugar in dairy. Lower-fat dairy generally contains more sugar. Some studies have also associated dairy with insulin resistance, but it isn’t clear why this association shows up, and some researchers theorize this could be due to farming techniques in which cattle are injected with hormones to spur growth and milk production. This means not all dairy is equal, and lower-fat dairy where the cattle were injected with hormones may have more of an effect on blood sugar and insulin resistance compared to higher-fat, hormone-free, organic dairy. [3] Some keto dieters enjoy higher-fat dairy like heavy cream and half-and-half, while others steer clear.
The Carb Count of Pancakes
Let’s look at the carb count of popular and widely available pancake brands. For example, a 100-gram serving of EGGO’s mini pancakes clocks in at over 39 grams of net carbs, which is way too high for those who want to stay in ketosis. [4]
The Whole Foods Market brand of blueberry pancakes is also way too high, with over 38 grams of net carbs for a 100-gram serving. These blueberry pancakes contain several ingredients that just won’t work on a keto diet, such as wheat flour, barley flour, brown sugar, maple syrup, and cornstarch. Another point to consider is that most people eat more than 100 grams in one sitting, bringing the carb count even higher. People are more likely to gorge on sweet and starchy foods. [5]
For comparison, a 100-gram serving of pancake and waffle mix by Simply Keto Nutrition clocks in at around 16 grams of net carbs. Simply Keto Nutrition pancakes are made with almond flour, coconut flour, powdered egg, collagen, baking soda, MCTs, allulose, whey protein isolate, and vanilla flavoring. Instead of sugar, allulose is used as a keto sweetener. [6]
Keto-Friendly Pancakes
Just because you can’t have traditional grain-based pancakes doesn’t mean there aren’t other mouthwatering low-carb options to choose from. Plenty of grocery stores are now offering low-carb pancakes made with ingredients like zucchini, almond butter, and almond flour. You can also head to your keto kitchen, where you have total control over the ingredients and the quality of your food.
When you swap out the added sugar and grain-based flour for wholesome keto-friendly ingredients, you won’t believe how delicious low-carb pancakes can taste! Add delicious toppings like berries, nuts, coconut flakes, and sugar-free keto syrup!
Check out this video of the CEO and founder of Ketogenic.com, Dr. Ryan Lowery, making his favorite keto pancakes.
Enjoy a keto-friendly pancake recipe from our talented recipe creators here at Ketogenic.com:
- Zucchini pancakes
- Keto coconut flour pancakes
- Keto banana pancakes with maple and pecans
- Keto blueberry pancakes
- Keto apple spice pancakes
- Keto lemon pancakes
- Keto lime pancakes
- Keto silver dollar pancakes
- Keto pancakes with peanut butter frosting
- Keto pumpkin spice pancakes
- Keto cinnamon roll pancakes
- Easy keto almond flour pancakes
References
Jones, Martin (2007). Feast: Why Humans Share Food. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199209019. OCLC 75713258.
Diabetes UK Charity. Simple VS. Complex Carbohydrates: Difference Between Sugars and Starches. Simple vs Complex Carbohydrates - Difference Between Sugars and Starches (diabetes.co.uk)
Tucker, L. A., Erickson, A., LeCheminant, J. D., & Bailey, B. W. (2015). Dairy consumption and insulin resistance: The role of body fat, physical activity, and energy intake. Journal of Diabetes Research, DOI: 10.1155/2015/206959
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Database. Pancakes, Mini Pancakes, EGGO. FoodData Central (usda.gov)
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Database. Blueberry Pancakes, Whole Foods Market. FoodData Central (usda.gov)
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Database. Pancakes and Waffle Mix, Pancakes, Simply Keto Nutrition. FoodData Central (usda.gov)
