Food Villains #11: Pancakes

Pancakes are a traditional American breakfast, and one that we've all enjoyed many, many times. There's nothing like a "stack o' flapjacks" steaming on our plates, complete with butter, maple syrup, honey, and other delicious toppings. However, pancakes are almost always made with white flour, so they're empty calories--and A LOT of them! Stuff the pancakes with nuts or chocolate chips, and you just increase the calorie and sugar count of your breakfast without adding ANY value whatsoever. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="617"] Source: www.ihop.com[/caption] Take the Stacked & Stuffed Caramel Banana Pecan Hotcakes served at Bob Evans. With each serving of these pancakes, you get:

• 1,543 calories
• 109 grams of sugar
• 2,259 mg of sodium
• 77 grams of fat

That's like 75% of your total food intake sitting on your plate. Add a milkshake and a brace of eggs, and you're done for the day! That's the problem with pancakes: they're just so darn high in calories. The problem is, all that white flour will shoot through your system, leaving you hungry in just a few hours. My advice: Make it a protein-heavy breakfast. (Change out the starch of pancakes for the protein of eggs and bacon. With fruit, some OJ, and perhaps a few potato wedges or a hash brown, you're still getting FAR fewer calories!)  

Featured Image Source: allrecipes.com

Resources: http://eatthis.menshealth.com/slideshow/30-worst-foods-america