A nutritionist gave tips on cooking healthy pancakes for Shrovetide

In Russia, on February 24, the celebration of Maslenitsa - a folk celebration dedicated to the farewell of winter and the welcoming of spring - began. At this time it is customary to treat yourself to pancakes. Marina Stepanyan, a nutritionist, head of the clinical nutrition department of the Russian Children's Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of Health of Russia, told Izvestia on February 24 how to make healthy pancakes.

According to her, in the traditional version, when the recipe includes top-grade wheat flour and a large amount of refined oil, such a treat will be too caloric and contain a lot of saturated fat. These products in large quantities are not recommended for people who are overweight, high cholesterol, diseases of the cardiovascular system and gastrointestinal tract.

"It is also better to replace the usual fillings for pancakes: fried minced meat, high-fat cottage cheese, ham and cheese. Yes, and we are used to the fact that pancakes are still additionally served with sour cream or, if the filling is sweet, condensed milk or jam with a lot of sugar. This all adds even more energy value to the dish, and now one small meal can contain half of the daily calorie allowance of an adult, not to mention children," - said the doctor.

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The nutritionist added that there is also a heavy load on the organs of the gastrointestinal tract. Fatty food often causes heaviness and discomfort, can provoke nausea and exacerbate various diseases: pancreatitis, gastritis and cholecystitis.

"But categorically refuse to give up pancakes is not worth it, it is important only to change the classic recipe. You can choose not wheat flour of the highest grade, but whole wheat flour. In this version, there is much more fiber, which will be especially useful for improving intestinal peristalsis and its microbiota. Besides, it has less carbohydrates and more protein than regular flour, and it also contains vitamins B and E, calcium, iron and potassium," Stepanyan advised.

In her opinion, in order to diversify dishes, you can look at rye, oat, buckwheat and spelt flour. They also have a higher amount of protein and are rich in various vitamins and minerals.

For making pancakes, she recommended using less fatty fermented milk products (kefir 2.5% fat content) and milk (2.5% fat content). You can also use plant-based milk, such as nut milk, if there are no allergic reactions.

"But it is important to look at the composition of such a product: it should not contain sugar and flour, only water and nuts. Adding such milk can make the flavor of pancakes more interesting, and it also contains calcium, vitamins A, E and PP and is great for people with lactase deficiency and allergies to cow's milk protein. And you can also try to make such milk at home, involving children in the process of preparation," - added the expert.

She also drew attention to the fact that it is better to fry pancakes on a dry frying pan, it will significantly reduce their calorie and fat content. But if there is no such opportunity, then you should try to control the amount of oil that is used for cooking, so as not to overdo it. To do this, you can use a special brush to lubricate the surface of the frying pan. But you should not additionally lubricate the already cooked pancakes with butter.

"Fillings for pancakes are better to make low-calorie. If you want something more hearty, you can take a lean part of beef, chicken or other meat and bake or stew it. A combination of light cottage cheese and lightly salted red fish is also suitable. And for the dish was even more fiber, choose vegetables: for example, make a stew of zucchini, peppers, eggplant and mushrooms and add it to the pancakes, "- advised the doctor.

The nutritionist added that sweet fillings can be made from cottage cheese of 5% fat content and stewed or fresh fruit: banana, apple, pear. You can serve the finished pancakes with soft cottage cheese or 4% Greek yogurt instead of fatty sour cream.

"It should be remembered that measure is important in everything, so you should not get carried away with even a healthy variation of pancakes and definitely do not need to eat them every day for the entire Pancake Week," Stepanyan concluded.

Earlier, on February 23, the expert of the laboratory "Hemotest" doctor-gastroenterologist Ekaterina Kashukh told "Izvestia" that people with diabetes and overweight should be especially careful to include pancakes in their diet. In addition, they can be dangerous for those with pancreatitis, cholecystitis, and cirrhosis of the liver.