Easy Low GI Flapjacks

Getting a student to eat anything besides chips, sweets and cooldrink when studying can be a challenge. As is spending hours in the kitchen preparing interesting, healthy alternatives!

And then there is the question of what is "healthy" anyway - with all the health articles making its rounds on the internet nowadays. Clean eating, paleo, vegan, vegetarian, ketogenic, high protein... the list goes on!

Well, that's precisely why I asked a registered dietician.

The best all round diet is eating low glycemic index foods. This means that the food is slowly broken down into sugars that the brain needs in order to function properly. Eating sweets releases these sugars too quickly and we end up with blood sugar spikes which makes us even more tired!

By eating low GI, the blood sugar levels are kept more consistent and it makes us feel fuller for longer which, in turn, helps prevent over eating.

So what does that mean for study snacks?

Dieticians recommend drinking lots of water while studying and snacking minimally.

The best snacks include fresh popcorn, fruit, vegetables, whole wheat carbohydrates, and nuts. Be aware of portion sizes, especially when it comes to dried fruit. Even though it is low GI a full portion is 2 dried peach halves or 8 apricot halves.

A good idea is to place only the appropriate amount in a bowl for the student so that he/she cannot overeat while studying.

I also have a lovely quick and easy recipe for low GI flapjacks that are both healthy and tasty and can be eaten as is! I can whip up a batch of these in 15 minutes from start to finish.

Ingredients

3 eggs

50 ml oil

1 cup milk

50 ml oat bran

100 ml sugar

2 tsp vanilla essence

2 cups wholewheat flour

2 tsp baking powder

A pinch of salt

Mix the ingredients together. If the batter is too stiff, add a little more milk. If it is too runny, add a little more flour.

Drop spoonfuls of batter on a pan over medium heat and flip over when bubbles appear on the top. Cook until it is golden brown on the flip side and cooked through.

Serve warm or cold.