{"id":111,"date":"2025-09-15T18:25:37","date_gmt":"2025-09-15T18:25:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vikihealthyliving.com\/blog\/?p=111"},"modified":"2026-03-03T07:17:16","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T07:17:16","slug":"quick-and-easy-healthy-pancakes-with-cacao-almond-topping","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vikihealthyliving.com\/blog\/quick-and-easy-healthy-pancakes-with-cacao-almond-topping","title":{"rendered":"Quick and Easy Healthy Pancakes with Cacao-Almond topping"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"832\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/vikihealthyliving.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/20250910_104555-832x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-112\" style=\"width:500px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vikihealthyliving.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/20250910_104555-832x1024.jpg 832w, https:\/\/vikihealthyliving.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/20250910_104555-244x300.jpg 244w, https:\/\/vikihealthyliving.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/20250910_104555-768x946.jpg 768w, https:\/\/vikihealthyliving.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/20250910_104555-1247x1536.jpg 1247w, https:\/\/vikihealthyliving.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/20250910_104555-1663x2048.jpg 1663w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 832px) 100vw, 832px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><mark style=\"background-color:#fcb900\" class=\"has-inline-color\">Ingredients:<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Makes ~3 pancakes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>2 ripe bananas<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>1 medium egg<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>1 tsp chicory root fibre (prebiotic boost!) <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u00bc cup buckwheat flour <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Topping:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>2 tbsp almond butter <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>1 tsp cacao powder <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>1 handful fresh blueberries<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><mark style=\"background-color:#fcb900\" class=\"has-inline-color\">Method<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Peel and mash the bananas in a bowl.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Add the egg and chicory root fibre; whisk until smooth. Gradually mix in the buckwheat flour until the batter is thick.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Cook the pancakes: <\/strong>Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat add some oil and spoon the batter into 3 small pancakes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Make the topping:<\/strong> Stir together almond butter and cacao powder until creamy.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Assemble: <\/strong>Spread the cacao-almond butter over the pancakes and top with fresh blueberries.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/vikihealthyliving.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/20250910_104507-1-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-115\" style=\"width:513px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vikihealthyliving.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/20250910_104507-1-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/vikihealthyliving.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/20250910_104507-1-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/vikihealthyliving.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/20250910_104507-1-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/vikihealthyliving.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/20250910_104507-1-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/vikihealthyliving.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/20250910_104507-1-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2728<mark style=\"background-color:#fcb900\" class=\"has-inline-color\"> <strong>Why it\u2019s good for you:<\/strong><\/mark><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Bananas<\/strong>: natural sweetness + prebiotic fibers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Chicory root fibre<\/strong>: feeds <em>Bifidobacterium<\/em> (supports butyrate production).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Buckwheat flour<\/strong>: gluten-free, mineral-rich.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Almond butter + cacao<\/strong>: healthy fats + antioxidants.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Blueberries<\/strong>: polyphenols that work with fibre to fuel beneficial gut bacteria.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><mark style=\"background-color:#fcb900\" class=\"has-inline-color\">Nutrition Information<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td>3 pancakes with topping<\/td><td>Per 1 full recipe %Reference Intake RI<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Energy <\/strong>1194.2kJ \/&nbsp; 285.2 kcal<\/td><td>14 &nbsp;%<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Fat <\/strong>21.4g<\/td><td>31 &nbsp;%<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Of which Saturates 2.8 g<\/td><td>14 &nbsp;%<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Of which Mono-un-saturates 12.7 g<\/td><td><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Of which Poly-un-saturates 4.6 g<\/td><td><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Carbohydrate <\/strong>9.1g<\/td><td><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Of which Sugars 5.9g<\/td><td><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Of which Starches 0.1g<\/td><td><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong><mark style=\"background-color:#fcb900\" class=\"has-inline-color\">Fibre<\/mark> <\/strong>6.5g<\/td><td><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong><mark style=\"background-color:#fcb900\" class=\"has-inline-color\">Protein<\/mark> <\/strong>12.3g<\/td><td>25 &nbsp;%<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Salt <\/strong>0.1g<\/td><td>2 &nbsp;%<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Vitamin C <\/strong>3.2mg<\/td><td>4 &nbsp;%<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Vitamin A <\/strong>66.7\u00b5g<\/td><td>8 &nbsp;%<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Calcium <\/strong>109mg<\/td><td>14 &nbsp;%<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Iron <\/strong>1.9mg<\/td><td>14 &nbsp;%<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>* Reference Intake Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><mark style=\"background-color:#fcb900\" class=\"has-inline-color\">Chicory Root Fibre: A Natural Boost for Gut and Metabolic Health<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When it comes to gut health and metabolism, fiber is one of the most powerful tools we have. But not all fibers are created equal. One type that\u2019s getting a lot of attention from scientists is <strong>chicory root fiber<\/strong>\u2014also known as <strong>inulin<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is Chicory Root Fiber?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chicory is a plant whose root is naturally rich in a special kind of fiber called <strong>inulin<\/strong>. Unlike regular carbs that are digested in the stomach and small intestine, inulin passes through undigested and makes its way to the large intestine. There, it acts as food for beneficial gut bacteria\u2014a process called <strong>fermentation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Think of it as fertilizer for your microbiome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><mark style=\"background-color:#fcb900\" class=\"has-inline-color\">The New Study on Chicory Root Fibre<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A recent clinical trial (Omary et al., 2025) tested what happens when people with obesity consumed dried chicory root cubes every day for 12 weeks. Here\u2019s what they found:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2705 <strong>Better blood sugar control<\/strong> \u2013 Chicory fiber improved insulin sensitivity, which helps the body manage blood sugar more effectively.<br>\u2705 <strong>Healthier fat cells<\/strong> \u2013 Participants had smaller fat cells (adipocytes), which is linked to better metabolic health.<br>\u2705 <strong>Improved blood fats<\/strong> \u2013 Triglycerides (a type of fat in the blood) decreased.<br>\u2705 <strong>More \u201cgood\u201d gut bacteria<\/strong> \u2013 Bifidobacteria and other beneficial microbes increased, producing important compounds called <strong>short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs)<\/strong>.<br>\u2705 <strong>Liver health benefits<\/strong> \u2013 There was a trend toward reduced fat stored in the liver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><mark style=\"background-color:#fcb900\" class=\"has-inline-color\">How Does It Work?<\/mark><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When chicory fiber reaches the colon, bacteria break it down and produce SCFAs like <strong>butyrate<\/strong>, <strong>acetate<\/strong>, and <strong>propionate<\/strong>. These compounds don\u2019t just support gut health\u2014they also:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Help regulate blood sugar levels<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reduce fat buildup in the liver<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Support healthy fat cell function<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Influence appetite and metabolism<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In other words, the benefits go beyond digestion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><mark style=\"background-color:#fcb900\" class=\"has-inline-color\">What About Side Effects?<\/mark><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most people in the study tolerated chicory root fibre well. The main side effect was an increase in <strong>gas (flatulence)<\/strong>\u2014a common (and usually harmless) effect when adding more fibre to your diet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Chicory Root and Weight Management<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A separate <strong>meta-analysis<\/strong> (Reimer et al., 2023) pulled together multiple studies and found that chicory root inulin may also help with:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Reducing body weight<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lowering BMI<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Decreasing waist circumference<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reducing fat mass<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, chicory root fibre may not only improve gut health but could also support long-term weight management. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83d\udc49 <em><mark style=\"background-color:#fcb900\" class=\"has-inline-color\">If you\u2019d like more tips and guidance on reaching your optimal health goals, feel free to visit my website <\/mark><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/vikihealthyliving.com\/\" title=\"\"><mark style=\"background-color:#fcb900\" class=\"has-inline-color\">https:\/\/vikihealthyliving.com\/<\/mark><\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">References<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Omary, L. <em>et al<\/em>. (2025). \u2018Intrinsic chicory root fibers modulate colonic microbial butyrate-producing pathways and improve insulin sensitivity in individuals with obesity\u2019, <em>Cell Reports Medicine, <\/em>6(7), pp.1-17<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Reimer, A.R. <em>et al<\/em>. (2025). \u2018The effects of chicory inulin-type fructans supplementation on weight management outcomes: systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression of randomized controlled trials\u2019, <em>The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, <\/em>120(5), pp. 1245-1258<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ingredients: Makes ~3 pancakes Topping: Method \u2728 Why it\u2019s good for you: Nutrition Information 3 pancakes with topping Per 1 full recipe %Reference Intake RI Energy 1194.2kJ \/&nbsp; 285.2 kcal 14 &nbsp;% Fat 21.4g 31 &nbsp;% Of which Saturates 2.8 g 14 &nbsp;% Of which Mono-un-saturates 12.7 g Of which Poly-un-saturates 4.6 g Carbohydrate 9.1g [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ocean_post_layout":"","ocean_both_sidebars_style":"","ocean_both_sidebars_content_width":0,"ocean_both_sidebars_sidebars_width":0,"ocean_sidebar":"","ocean_second_sidebar":"","ocean_disable_margins":"enable","ocean_add_body_class":"","ocean_shortcode_before_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_after_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_before_header":"","ocean_shortcode_after_header":"","ocean_has_shortcode":"","ocean_shortcode_after_title":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_bottom":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_bottom":"","ocean_display_top_bar":"default","ocean_display_header":"default","ocean_header_style":"","ocean_center_header_left_menu":"","ocean_custom_header_template":"","ocean_custom_logo":0,"ocean_custom_retina_logo":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_height":0,"ocean_header_custom_menu":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_family":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_subset":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_size":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_unit":"px","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_line_height":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_unit":"","ocean_menu_typo_spacing":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_unit":"","ocean_menu_link_color":"","ocean_menu_link_color_hover":"","ocean_menu_link_color_active":"","ocean_menu_link_background":"","ocean_menu_link_hover_background":"","ocean_menu_link_active_background":"","ocean_menu_social_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_links_color":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_color":"","ocean_disable_title":"default","ocean_disable_heading":"default","ocean_post_title":"","ocean_post_subheading":"","ocean_post_title_style":"","ocean_post_title_background_color":"","ocean_post_title_background":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_image_position":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_attachment":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_repeat":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_size":"","ocean_post_title_height":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay":0.5,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay_color":"","ocean_disable_breadcrumbs":"default","ocean_breadcrumbs_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_separator_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_hover_color":"","ocean_display_footer_widgets":"default","ocean_display_footer_bottom":"default","ocean_custom_footer_template":"","ocean_post_oembed":"","ocean_post_self_hosted_media":"","ocean_post_video_embed":"","ocean_link_format":"","ocean_link_format_target":"self","ocean_quote_format":"","ocean_quote_format_link":"post","ocean_gallery_link_images":"on","ocean_gallery_id":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[49,50,42,20,53,47,10,48,51,41,52],"class_list":["post-111","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-banana","tag-buckwheat","tag-easy","tag-gluten-free","tag-healthy-breakfast","tag-healthy-sweet","tag-high-fibre","tag-high-protein-sweet","tag-pancake","tag-quick","tag-wholesome","entry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vikihealthyliving.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vikihealthyliving.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vikihealthyliving.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vikihealthyliving.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vikihealthyliving.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=111"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/vikihealthyliving.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":124,"href":"https:\/\/vikihealthyliving.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111\/revisions\/124"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vikihealthyliving.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=111"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vikihealthyliving.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=111"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vikihealthyliving.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=111"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}