The gastroenterologist listed the harmful fillings for pancakes

During the whole Oil Week, pancakes are the main dish for breakfast, lunch and dinner in many families. Ekaterina Kashukh, a gastroenterologist and expert at the Hemotest laboratory, told Izvestia on February 28 in which cases pancakes can be harmful and how much they can be eaten without harming the figure and health.

"Pancakes are just a treat, and they cannot replace a full—fledged diet. The energy value of one pancake with milk without filling is about 140-160 kcal. And the daily energy requirement averages up to 2,400 kcal for adult men, 2,000 kcal for women, and about 1,500—2,000 kcal for primary school—age children. That is, on average, three pancakes almost replace one meal in terms of calories, and this is not counting the filling," the doctor explained.

At the same time, this dish does not contain many essential nutrients that are important for maintaining health. It mainly contains carbohydrates, and there is very little protein and fiber, which is important for healthy digestion.

"So eating only pancakes all day is a bad idea, two or three pieces or one pancake with filling is enough as a dessert and in addition to the main dishes. To balance the pancake menu by protein, you can add lean meat, ham, cheese or cottage cheese to the pancakes. And if you eat a vegetable salad with fresh herbs along with pancakes, the calorie content will not increase much, but the body will receive fiber — coarse dietary fiber, which is important for normal digestion," Kashukh said.

You can also make pancakes with cottage cheese filling with the addition of fresh fruits — they also contain fiber.

"But whole berry jam and jams contain little coarse dietary fiber, but a lot of sugar. Such additives to pancakes should be limited to overweight and diabetic people," the gastroenterologist noted.

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In general, the doctor advised to be picky about the choice of filling.

"It is hardly possible to say that there are definitely harmful or useful toppings for pancakes. Their choice is a matter of taste. It is important to observe a sense of proportion, focus on well—being and remember the rules of food safety," the expert said.

According to her, pancakes with fatty meat, ham and cheese can cause heaviness and abdominal pain. Sweet pancakes should not be eaten by people who have impaired glucose metabolism.

"Pancakes with cottage cheese and meat fillings are dangerous to store for a long time — they spoil quickly and can lead to food poisoning. It is especially difficult for children and adults with poor health. It is advisable to eat pancakes with stuffing from the heat: they are cooked and eaten immediately. Pancakes with honey can provoke an allergic reaction, which is especially common in children. So, if a child is prone to allergies, it is better to refrain from such a delicacy or replace honey with jam or syrup," the doctor advised.

Earlier, on January 29, gastroenterologist, endoscopist at the Gastro Clinic Natia Chekhoeva told Izvestia that the systematic consumption of excess calories inevitably overloads the body. This not only increases body weight, but also puts a strain on internal organs, including the heart, liver, and pancreas.