What is a healthy replacement for pancake syrup?

[Sir-Voor]

My wife loves fixing/having French toast or pancakes on weekends, and I don’t want to have her change just for my diet. We have been changing enough all ready, and really the French toast and pancakes are not too unhealthy until syrup is added.

The sugar frees syrups are loaded artificial sugars, and is not health nor tasty. I thought about using honey but that is even a stronger inflammatory.

I’m drawing a blank, on a good replacement. Any ideas?

[Sequoia]

We use applesauce or pureed fruit (berries of any kind are particularly good).

I don't know of anything resembling regular pancake syrup that's particularly healthy (or tasty).

[nutritiontara]

My wife loves fixing/having French toast or pancakes on weekends, and I don’t want to have her change just for my diet. We have been changing enough all ready, and really the French toast and pancakes are not too unhealthy until syrup is added.

The sugar frees syrups are loaded artificial sugars, and is not health nor tasty. I thought about using honey but that is even a stronger inflammatory.

I’m drawing a blank, on a good replacement. Any ideas?

How about real maple syrup? It is boiled down and becomes a concentrated source of sugar...although from a natural source.

[BigA]

We eat pancakes often and they put syrup on and I don't. Isn't that the simplest? They don't even notice.

[jazzgirl]

I was going to suggest the same thing as Tara. You can buy 100% maple syrup at the grocery store. It tastes WAY better then that nasty Mrs. Butterworth!

[Sequoia]

You can also mix pure maple syrup half-and-half with water, stir in some arrowroot powder or cornstarch (arrowroot gives a nicer result, I think), and simmer until thickened. About a tablespoon of thickener to a cup of liquid should do the job.

Let me know if you're interested and I'll post instructions. The method is different for arrowroot than for cornstarch.

Oh, and leftovers of syrups thickened with arrowroot can be frozen, but cornstarch syrups can't.

Thanks for the tip Sequoia. I like your suggestions.
When you mentioned arrowroot I was waiting to see eye of newt as part of the brew but remembered that Arrowroot is an edible starch from tuberous plants. A "natural" additive.

P.S. I agree with Jazzgirl about the difference between real Maple syrup and Mrs. Butterworth's.

[Sequoia]

Thanks for the tip Sequoia. I like your suggestions.
When you mentioned arrowroot I was waiting to see eye of newt as part of the brew but remembered that Arrowroot is an edible starch from tuberous plants. A "natural" additive.

P.S. I agree with Jazzgirl about the difference between real Maple syrup and Mrs. Butterworth's.

Arrowroot is good stuff!

It's used in babies' teething biscuits, too.

As a thickener, it gives a smooth, non-starchy texture and adds a slight glossiness to the finished product. It can be used to thicken anything from fruit juice (berry syrup...yum!) to meat gravies.

The trick is to dissolve it thoroughly in a very small amount of cool liquid (say a couple of tablespoons), then stir it into what you want to thicken and heat it. Cornstarch dissolves easily in a larger amount of liquid.

One tablespoon of arrowroot powder (or cornstarch) will thicken one cup of liquid.

[beingmindful]

Yogurt (sweetened with fruit or not) is also good on pancakes.

[hunterd]

i more often than not, i just butter my pancakes/fr toast/waffels. or, as already mentioned, add fruit. either put the fruit in a blender or as is in it`s natural state. some even make a GREAT spread for other uses too! good luck.

dave

[kc_1961]

syrup alternatives

I use agave for most of my sweetening needs (pancakes, baking, tea, etc). It is not as thick as honey but just as sweet. I get it at Costco or Trader Joe's (or any health food store). I have steared away from sugar/syrup for a few years now so I might have lost my taste for the real stuff! (I used to LOVE Mrs. Butterworth's) I can give you info to bake with it, if you are interested.

[fishead]

I have eaten, fresh skinned (prob healthier to leave skins on, but I like them skinless, for this) thinly sliced peaches on top of my waffles. In fact I PREFER them this way. If the peaches are ripe, they are so sweet and add just a tiny, wonderful morsel of tartness.

[Sequoia]

I use agave for most of my sweetening needs (pancakes, baking, tea, etc). It is not as thick as honey but just as sweet. I get it at Costco or Trader Joe's (or any health food store). I have steared away from sugar/syrup for a few years now so I might have lost my taste for the real stuff! (I used to LOVE Mrs. Butterworth's) I can give you info to bake with it, if you are interested.

I was a big fan of agave nectar at first, but I've learned that there are some serious questions about how healthful it is.

It's very high in fructose, there's a possibility that it may cause uric acid levels to spike, and it's a highly processed food (rather than the natural product we initially assumed it to be).

Dr. Mercola, who is generally considered to be a source of good information, has published the following article on agave:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/ar...alth-food.aspx

Many of my health-conscious friends & relatives have stopped using agave.