Pancake Recipe to Boost Eye Health
16 February 2021
Here at Ultralase we absolutely love pancakes! To celebrate Shrove Tuesday, we thought we'd put together a few healthy pancake recipes that your eyes could really benefit from. We'll also be discussing all the eye-healthy toppings you can indulge in as well.
First, let's start with the star of the show… the pancake! We've selected two recipes for you to choose from, both healthy in their own way and we trust your taste buds will enjoy.
Easy and healthy banana oat pancakes
We've chosen this recipe because oats are incredibly beneficial for your eyesight as they contain a high level of vitamin A. Vitamin A contributes to your eyes' health because of the beta-carotene, which allows the retina of the eye to function correctly. Research also shows that oats decrease the chances of night-blindness, age-related macular degeneration and also fight off the formation of cataracts.
Ingredients
- 2 bananas
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch of salt
- maple syrup to serve (optional)
- fresh fruit of your choice to serve
Instructions
- In a blender, combine the peeled banana, eggs, oats, baking powder and salt.
- Allow to blend until the mixture is as smooth as you want it and blended well. Allow the batter to stand for 10-20 minutes until thickened slightly.
- Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat.
- Fry spoonfuls of the batter until golden brown on both sides.
- Serve with a drizzle of maple syrup and fresh fruit of your choice.
Healthy pancakes
More like the pancake we know, just healthier! This pancake recipe is low in sugar, fat, and contains eggs. The yolk from an egg provides zinc, which will help your body use the lutein and zeaxanthin. Lutein and zeaxanthin's job is to protect the eye from harmful blue light, which becomes increasingly hard to avoid in this day and age.
Ingredients
- 50g self-raising flour
- 50g wholemeal or wholegrain flour
- 2 small eggs, separated
- 150ml skimmed milk
Instructions
- Sift the flours into a bowl or wide jug and tip any bits in the sieve back into the bowl. Add the egg yolks and a splash of milk then stir to a thick paste. Add the remaining milk a little at a time, so you don't make lumps in the batter.
- Whisk the egg whites until they stand up in stiff peaks, fold them carefully into the batter, and try not to squash out all the air.
- Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat and pour in enough batter to make a pancake about 10 cm across. Cook for just under a minute until bubbles begin to pop on the surface and the edges are looking a little dry. Carefully turn the pancake over. If it is a bit wet on top, it may squirt out a little batter as you do so. In that case, leave it on the other side a little longer. Keep warm while you make the remaining pancakes. Serve with your favourite healthy toppings.
Did you know?
We eat pancakes on Shrove Tuesday to eliminate all edible temptations before the Christian traditions of Lent begins. This took place over a period of days known as 'Shrovetide' where food like eggs, butter and stocks of fat would need to be used up. One of the easiest ways to dispose of these items was to turn them into pancakes!
Eye-Healthy toppings
Now comes for the fun part... the toppings! We've chosen a selection of goodies to go on your pancakes which your eyes will love and will help maintain their health.
Lemons
This classic topping (accompanied by a sprinkle of sugar) is loaded with vitamin C in the fresh lemon juice, which reduces the risk of macular degeneration and cataracts.
Blueberries and Strawberries
These little but mighty berry fruits are another excellent source for vitamin C!
Salmon
Great with eggs cooked to your preference, salmon contains a significant amount of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 helps to form the cells of the eye with anti-inflammatory properties that play an essential role in the prevention of diabetic retinopathy. Omega-3 fats also benefit people who suffer from dry eyes by helping them produce more tears.
Bananas
Researchers have found that bananas have carotenoid, a compound that converts fruits and vegetables into vitamin A. Vitamin A effectively acts as a barrier to bacteria and viruses entering the eye and reducing the risk of infections.
Maple Syrup
This popular natural sweetener is surprisingly high in zinc, which is essential for eye health by helping reduce the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration. It is also high in sugar so go easy on the drizzling.
If you would like to find out more about what foods you can eat that will profit your eye health, why not check out our Best Foods For Your Eyes blog?
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