Teff Flour Benefits & Powerhouse Pancakes

I’m sure your first reaction to this was “what in the world is Teff and why is it in your pancakes?” Totally an acceptable way to react, and I am super stoked to introduce another one of the ancient grains to your kitchen! Below you can learn all about what mind blowing benefits Teff Flour has to offer your body! Go to the bottom if you just want to dig in to this stack already.

Sorry to burst your bubble but this is not a new grain on the block. Teff has been used for thousands of years in traditional Ethiopian Cuisine. The most common food they make with it is a sourdough like bread called Injera. Teff is also a gluten free grain and is quickly becoming popular with the endurance athlete crowds here in the US. (Watch out Quinoa!)

The Nutrient Profile

So what’s all the hype about?!

The grain itself is TINY and classified as THE smallest grain in the world. For every one kernel of wheat about 100 grains of teff is the equivalent. Mind Blown Right?! Teff Flour can be a powerful source for iron, calcium, protein, fiber and B vitamins.

The reason for the higher than average nutrient profile is due to the make up of the grain itself. Most grains contain a germ, bran, and endosperm. Stay with me now. In this case, the majority of Teff is made up of just the germ and bran which is the nutrition powerhouses for grains.

Now we get to THE GOOD STUFF. Teff has a proper amount of calcium to offer when cooked. To be specific, one cup of cooked Teff offers 123 mg which is the equivalent of half a cup of cooked spinach. Yes, both of these offer calcium if you didn’t already know! Food is the BEST FUEL! It is also high in resistant starches meaning it helps lower the effects of spiking your blood sugar.

Why Endurance Athletes Love Teff Flour

I’ll give you a little hint. It has to do with the Iron!

Let me just roll out some quick facts for you. Iron deficiency is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies in the world. In highly trained endurance athletes it is even more common, with females being at the top of the list. The goal is to obviously prevent this iron deficiency from occurring in these types of athletes. The positive side is Teff contains roughly fifty-percent more dietary iron than wheat does.

With that said, Teff has been shown to have positive effects on female endurance athletes and their iron deficiency. I do believe more studies need to be conducted but I am a huge supporter of fueling our bodies with food rather than trying to fix everything with various forms of pills.

Now that you know how beneficial this grain can be to your body. Go make yourself some pancakes before your next run!

References:

Alaunyte, Ieva, et al. “Dietary Iron Intervention Using a Staple Food Product for Improvement of Iron Status in Female Runners.” Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, vol. 11, no. 1, 2014, doi:10.1186/s12970-014-0050-y.

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Teff Powerhouse Pancakes

Course Breakfast

Keyword gluten free

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 4 people

Author Camilla Ahlqvist

Ingredients

• 1.5 C Teff Flour (Bob's Red Mill)
• 1 Tbsp Baking Powder (aluminum free)
• 1 Tbsp Toasted Coconut Flakes (Ground using a blender; Can Sub Teff Flour Equivalent)
• 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp Ground Cardamom
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 tsp Salt

Wet Ingredients:

• 2 Whole Eggs
• 1 Can Full Fat Coconut Milk
• 1/2 C Dairy Free or Plain Yogurt (kite hill is great for dairy free option)
• 2 Tbsp Maple Syrup (honey can also be used)
• 2-3 Tbsp Oil or Butter (for cooking)

Instructions

1. In a large bowl add all the dry ingredients and blend together

2. In a small bowl crack the eggs in and beat lightly.

3. Add the rest of the wet ingredients to the small bowl and mix until an even mixture

4. Pour wet ingredients into the large bowl and mix until even

5. Let batter sit 5-10 minutes to let thicken. While you let the batter sit turn on the stove top and let your griddle or pan heat up.

6. Add cooking oil or butter to pan.

7. Using a 1/4 Measuring Cup pour batter into pan forming 4-5 inch sized pancakes.

8. let cook on each side for 1-2 minutes or until dark brown.

9. Stack 'em up and enjoy!