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Pancakes Perfect for Tuesday – or Any Other Day

- Milk and Dairy within a Balanced Diet - Part of Osteoporosis Preventative Strategy -

 

Pancakes served warm, straight from the pan are a welcome treat for most of us at this time of year. However, according to the Irish Osteoporosis Society (IOS) and the National Dairy Council (NDC), pancakes are ideal all year round as they are a “perfect” example of the many versatile ways to include milk and dairy in a balanced diet, in order to try to achieve the recommended “3 portions of dairy a day” for health and wellbeing.

Serving pancakes with delicious fresh fruit and berries is also an excellent way of contributing to the recommended “5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day”. There are also many savoury ideas for pancakes using for example, grated cheese. And of course there are the old favourites of butter, lemon juice and caster sugar… or cream and jam …

An estimated 300,000 people in Ireland have osteoporosis. Including milk and dairy within a balanced diet is part of the preventative strategy for osteoporosis promoted by the IOS, particularly milk which has been fortified with added calcium and vitamin D. The NDC have been supporting the charity in its work to promote awareness of osteoporosis with projects including the production of a Guide to Osteoporosis currently available in over 1,200 GP practices throughout the country, or directly from the NDC and IOS.

Try Tossing A Pancake

Ingredients:– 100 g or 4 oz of plain flour, 285 ml or ½ pint of milk (if possible and where available, you could use fortified milk with added calcium & vitamin D), 12 g or ½ oz butter, 1 egg, ½ teaspoon of salt (makes about 10 pancakes); plus some oil for cooking.

Mixing the Batter:- Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl. Make a well in the centre and drop in the unbeaten egg and half of the milk. Use a wooden spoon to beat until the batter is smooth and air bubbles collect on the surface. Then stir in the rest of the milk and melted butter. Pancake batter does not have to “rest” for 24 hours before use, although you could leave it for up to 24 hours in an appropriately cool place before using it.

Cooking Pancakes:- Some like to season the pan first with a little salt. Lightly coat the base of the pan with enough oil to make it look shiny all over. Allow the pan to get really hot. Pour enough batter to cover the bottom of the pan thinly – tilt the pan quickly so the bottom is evenly covered. Cook until underside is golden brown.

Tossing Pancakes:– shake the pan, jerk if forward until the pancake reaches the downward tilting edge of the pan, then flip it over with a quick movement of the wrist so that the uncooked side is underneath…..

Serving suggestions:- Pancakes are nicest served straight from the pan. There are many delicious ways to serve them – try adding blueberries, raspberries or fresh fruit with a sprinkling of sugar or sugar substitute. As a treat, try filling them with butter, lemon juice and caster sugar; jam and dairy cream; maple or “golden” syrup; or ice cream. You could experiment with savoury pancakes by adding, for instance, grated cheese with ham or chicken while cooking.

Osteoporosis

At present it is estimated that 300,000 people in Ireland have osteoporosis with approximately one in three women over the age of 50 (one in two over 65) and one in five men over 50 in Ireland developing an osteoporotic fracture in their lifetime. However the disease is on the increase due primarily to an ageing population. By 2031 it is estimated that there will be an additional 500,000 older people living in Ireland.

In women over 45 years of age, osteoporosis accounts for more days spent in hospital than many other diseases, including diabetes, myocardial infarction and breast cancer, and ranks high among diseases that result in people becoming bedridden with serious complications.

Education, prevention and an increased public awareness of the risk factors of osteoporosis are vital if we are to reverse the growing numbers of Irish people developing the disease, according to the Irish Osteoporosis Society (IOS).

For a free copy of a “Guide to Osteoporosis” please contact the Irish Osteoporosis Society at 1890 252 751 or the NDC on ph. 01-6169726. The guide can also be downloaded by clicking here. Look out for the launch of the new Irish osteoporosis website in the near future where this leaflet will also be available.

For more information please contact:

IOS Niall McLoughin, IOS Chief Executive Ph. 01- 677 4267 / 086 8194842

NDC Antonina Ni Dhuinn, Progress Communications Ph. 01- 2766 117