Did you know that people likely started enjoying pancakes during the Stone Age around 30,000 years ago? Of course, the pancakes of that age were not the sweet, sugary delicacies that we have today. Instead, they would have been made of roughly ground grain, cheese, water, and whatever else was lying around to get the batter the right consistency.

Fortunately, making pancakes today doesn't have to be such a hassle. Instead, you can simply mix together some ingredients from the store or buy some pancake mix. If you're looking for an especially filling and delicious type of pancake, wheat pancake mix might be the answer. 

But what makes whole wheat pancake mix so special and why should you use it compared to other methods of making pancakes? Keep reading and learn more about what makes wheat pancakes so great. 

Why You Should Start Eating Whole Wheat Pancakes

The first thing you should know about whole wheat pancakes is that they tend to be healthier than traditional pancakes made with white flour. How might this be, you ask? It all has to do with the difference in grain within the mix. 

Wheat pancake mixes are good sources of carbohydrates. Many people think that carbs are bad because they are often connected with weight gain, but this is not necessarily true. In fact, carbohydrates are actually essential for your body's health in the right forms and concentrations. 

This is because carbs are what give your body energy to function. Without any carbs at all, you would find that you would feel a bit sluggish. More than that, carbs are what keep you feeling full and satiated. 

While pancakes made with white flour do contain some carbs, they don't contain as many as whole wheat pancakes. More than that, whole wheat items, in general, tend to be healthier than white flour products because whole wheat is far less processed and it is not bleached. When you eat whole wheat pancakes, your body and brain will get a big boost of energy. 

Extra Energy and Weight Loss

Of course, this is exactly what most people need to wake up first thing in the morning. Whole wheat is also very good at making you feel full. So, once you eat wheat pancakes, you won't feel the need to eat for a long period of time. 

In the long run, this can actually help you lose weight because you won't be tempted to snack throughout the day. Of course, don't expect to lose weight if you eat a whole stack of pancakes at the start of your day and drench it in syrup. However, if you eat pancakes in moderate amounts, they can certainly be very good for keeping your weight stable and making you feel full throughout the day. 

Another reason why whole wheat pancakes are good for weight maintenance and weight loss is because they are full of fiber. Again, fiber can help you feel full, but more than that, it can even lower your cholesterol. But besides weight loss, what other reasons should you be making pancakes with whole wheat pancake mix?

Other Health Benefits of Whole Wheat Pancakes

Another benefit of whole wheat pancakes is that they are rich in various vitamins and minerals. In particular, they contain almost all of the B vitamins. B vitamins are good for all sorts of health aspects such as having good skin, more energy, healthy hair, and so on. 

The only B vitamin that whole wheat doesn't have on its own is vitamin B12. However, as long as you add eggs into the pancake mix, you can include this vitamin as well since eggs are rich in this vitamin. Whole wheat also contains plenty of vitamin E.

Vitamin E is vital for different parts of your body and can help improve vision, the health of your blood, and your skin. Many people who consume more vitamin E tend to find that their skin health greatly increases as a result. As for the minerals, whole wheat is full of iron, zinc, and magnesium. 

Zinc is also good for your skin health and many people find that skin can help reduce the appearance of dark spots on the skin. Iron is important for the entire body, especially the blood. If you don't have enough iron, you might feel weak or sluggish from time to time and you might see dark spots in your vision upon standing up. 

Of course, there are some things that whole wheat doesn't contain such as vitamin D and a few other vitamins and minerals. However, you can add these nutrients into the mix by adding milk, eggs, or oil. You usually need these ingredients to create the mix anyway, so it doesn't require any extra effort on your part. 

Vitamins and Minerals in Your Pancakes

Milk, in particular, is a great source of vitamin D and calcium. Calcium, of course, is a great nutrient for developing strong bones and keeping them strong throughout your life. Vitamin D often coincides with calcium because your body won't be able to absorb and utilize calcium without the help of vitamin D.

Vitamin D and calcium are not only found in ordinary milk but also in many different forms of milk. For example, if you prefer to use a milk alternative, both soy and almond milk is very rich in calcium. In some cases, alternative forms of milk may have even more calcium than ordinary cow milk. 

Using healthy oil in your pancake mix can also enhance the health benefits it already provides. Oils such as olive oil or canola oil are particularly healthy for the entire body. They can help improve your skin and hair while keeping your blood healthy as well. 

Now that you know all about the health benefits of whole wheat pancakes, you might be wondering how you should go about making whole wheat pancakes in the first place. Fortunately, the process isn't hard since pancake mixes already have most of the ingredients mixed together. 

How to Mix Whole Wheat Pancake Mix

Before you start cooking, you will first want to find the best pancake mix you can. You should always look for mixes with natural ingredients. That way, you can reap all the health benefits previously discussed without any harmful or unhealthy ingredients getting in the way. 

It shouldn't be too hard to find a good pancake mix since you can find many of them online. Once you find one, all you have to do is look at the instructions on the box to see where you should get started. As mentioned before, most pancake mixes already have most of the ingredients mixed together, so you won't have to do much on your own. 

However, you may come across a few challenges as you make the batter. The only downside of whole wheat pancake mix is that it has a tendency to form gluten and clump together. If this happens, this can make your batter a bit too thick and clumpy. 

More than that, if too much gluten forms in the batter, you'll find that the resulting pancakes will be a bit too dense and chewy. Of course, if you're trying to go for light and fluffy pancakes, this is the last thing that you want to happen. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to prevent this problem from occurring. 

First, start by adding the dry pancake mix to the bowl. Before you add any wet ingredients, sift the dry ingredients a few times. This will separate any dry clumps of pancake mix and make it less likely for clumps to form later on. 

Avoiding the Formation of Gluten

When it's time to add the wet ingredients, you will want to be particularly careful. It is when the wet ingredients interact with the dry ingredients that gluten tends to form. The trick is to not mix the batter too much.

If you usually mix your pancake batter with an electric mixer, it might be a good idea to ditch that mixer in favor of a handheld mixer. That way, you can better control how much you mix the batter and ensure that you don't mix it too much. When using a hand mixer, try to gently fold and mix the wet and dry ingredients together. 

If some lumps form, don't worry too much about them, and don't try to break them apart too much. Leaving the clumps alone will be better than overmixing them. Once you think you've mixed enough, leave the batter in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes. 

This will allow the batter to settle and it will give the clumps in the batter a chance to smooth out. Once you take the batter out of the fridge, you should notice that it will be much smoother and have a perfect consistency. After that, it will be time to put the batter into the pan and make some delicious wheat pancakes. 

How to Cook Whole Wheat Pancakes

When it's time to cook the pancakes, you'll want to slather your pan with butter or oil. Butter tends to give pancakes a better flavor, but oil is the healthier choice because it contains less saturated fat. You will want to make sure the pan is very hot before putting the batter on the pan. 

You can tell whether or not the pan is hot enough by observing the butter in the pan. Once it starts to bubble for a few moments, it will be time to add the batter. The batter should sizzle once it hits the pan.

If it doesn't sizzle right away, don't worry. The pancake will still cook but it likely won't have a golden-brown exterior. Just turn up the temperature on the stovetop to make sure the pan gets hot enough. 

After a few moments, you will start to see the pancake bubble slightly on its surface. This is a good sign that it's time to flip the pancakes. When you flip them, you should notice that the cooked sides are golden-brown. 

If they are darker than this shade, the pan may be too hot, so turn down the temperature a bit. Cooking the second side shouldn't take too long since most of the pancake will already be cooked by this point. After about 30 seconds, you can take the pancakes off the pan and put them on a plate. 

Finishing off the Pancakes

Letting the pancakes rest for a moment or so will help them settle and cool down. That way, you can better appreciate the flavors they have to offer. Once your pancakes are ready to eat, there are many ways you can add even more flavor to them. 

To give them a richer flavor, slather some extra butter on them. You can also experiment with all sorts of toppings. Many people like to chop up some bananas, blueberries, strawberries, and even nuts like almonds or walnuts to sprinkle on top of their pancakes. 

Chocolate chips also make for very tasty toppings if you want your pancakes to be especially sweet. And, of course, you can choose your favorite syrup to top it all off. 

What You Need to Know About Whole Wheat Pancake Mix

As you have already seen, whole wheat pancake mix makes for a great alternative to white flour pancakes. Whole wheat is packed with all sorts of important vitamins and minerals. More than that, whole wheat can help you feel full for longer.

And, of course, whole wheat pancake mix is very easy to make because most of the ingredients are already mixed together. To learn more, don't hesitate to contact us here.