Donut or Pancake: Which is Healthier?

Here he deserves Hanukkah again, the holiday of light and the holiday of oil. We are already saluting everyone who has managed to hold back so far and not taste the variety of donuts that have been appearing since the Sukkot holiday. But properly and appropriately for any Jewish holiday, food plays a central role in the celebration. The customs of the holiday of light gather us every evening at family events, in educational settings and in the workplace, and every human encounter these days involves an encounter with a variety of carbohydrates, doughs and fats.The celebrants are usually divided between the pancake-loving camp and the donut fans. Of course there are also those who belong to the two camps. As a dietitian, I am always asked if there is a preference for one over the other and what is worth choosing in case of ‘no choice’?

Calorie Comparison – Donut vs. Pancake

One donut contains between 350 – 500 calories
A donut is usually made from white flour, yeast, eggs, sugar, salt, oil and milk, with a variety of fillings that also contribute to weight from the familiar and beloved base of jam, chocolate, milk jam to chocolate-rich coatings, sugar glaze, candies and more.

One pancake contains about 160 calories
A traditional pancake contains grated potatoes and onions, egg, white flour and salt.

So which is better?

On the face of it, it always seems better to choose a pancake because it is smaller and its caloric value is limited compared to the donut. But our eating habits have a significant place that sometimes changes the picture. Precisely because we were brought up to see the donut as a “calorie monster”, we come carefully in advance and choose to eat one donut at a time.

The pancakes on the other hand are usually served in a pile. They are sometimes served as a whole meal with a variety of toppings like sugar, cream, jam and apple sauce. Many do not “count” how many pancakes they eat and are simply surprised and disappointed when the main plate is empty.

How to reduce usage?

There are several options to reduce the caloric load of the donuts. First of all there are quite a few recipes for baked, sugar-reduced donuts, with wholemeal flour and the like. If there is no situation for you to give up the hard cold of the carb you can opt for a small donut, stuffed with delicious jam.

The pancakes allow for much more inclusions that enhance their nutritional value:

• Add to the potato batter a variety of vegetables such as: carrots, leeks, boiled cauliflower, zucchini and sweet potatoes.
• Replace the white flour with wholemeal flour, oatmeal or almond flour.
• Reduce the amount of oil. You can bake the pancakes for 15-20 minutes on baking paper in an oven preheated to a temperature of 180 – 200 degrees.
• Instead of cream and sugar, you can make a mixture of cheese and cinnamon.

For the vegans among us, it is certainly possible to naturalize both foods. In the pancake recipe, we will replace the egg with a little potato flour or cornflour in order to stick the pancake to a stable mass. In the donut recipe we will add apple puree and vegetable milk instead of the eggs and milk.

Finally, it is recommended to leave the pancakes and donuts until the end of the evening, a small pampering dessert after the meal. Decide in advance what the evening will be chosen for and how much we will eat, and take advantage of the pleasant weather and the children’s holiday for outdoor exercise.