Crepe: a thin pancake with almost no research of its own

The strongest evidence near a crepe concerns buckwheat, the flour of the Breton galette. According to a meta-analysis of 13 randomized human studies, buckwheat foods changed blood glucose by -15 mg/dL (95% CI -24 to -7; metric: -0.85 mmol/L, -1.31 to -0.39) and total cholesterol by -19 mg/dL (95% CI -31 to -7.7; metric: -0.50 mmol/L, -0.80 to -0.20) against controls, with high heterogeneity the authors could not explain. None of those foods was a galette, and we found no trial testing whether one carries the effect. For the ordinary wheat crepe we found no study that fed or measured it as such. What exists is composition. USDA survey data list one plain 65 g crepe at about 146 calories, 5.8 g protein, 7.3 g fat and 181 mg sodium, from a single recipe code. A chocolate-filled crepe of 80 g carries about 136 calories and 9.8 g of sugars. Allergy is where the cautions on this page come from, since crepes contain wheat, egg and milk.

As people eat it, per 3.5 oz (100 g)

How much is actually in it

• FNDDS lists a plain crepe at 224 calories per 3.5 oz (100 g), and one 65 g crepe at about 146 calories, 5.8 g protein, 7.3 g fat and 181 mg sodium. — — Evidence E source
  Per 100 g: 224 calories, protein 8.85 g, carbohydrate 22.02 g, fat 11.29 g, sodium 278 mg; 1 crepe 65 g
• FNDDS weighs a chocolate-filled crepe at 80 g, carrying about 136 calories and 9.8 g total sugars. — — Evidence E source
  Per 100 g: 170 calories, total sugars 12.25 g; 1 filled crepe 80 g = 136 calories, 9.8 g sugars

What it does to your health

• According to a meta-analysis of 13 randomized human studies, buckwheat intake, the flour of galette-style crepes, lowered blood glucose by 15 mg/dL (0.85 mmol/L) and total cholesterol by 19 mg/dL (0.50 mmol/L) versus controls. — 13 randomized controlled human studies plus 2 cross-sectional and 21 animal studies Evidence A source
  Glucose -15 mg/dL (95% CI -24 to -7; metric: -0.85 mmol/L, -1.31 to -0.39), total cholesterol -19 mg/dL (95% CI -31 to -7.7; metric: -0.50 mmol/L, -0.80 to -0.20), TG -22 mg/dL (-0.25 mmol/L)
• In a crossover RCT in 20 young adults, 100 g buckwheat, maize or oat pancakes gave glucose and insulin responses no different from a steamed bun over 3 h, while oat pancakes lowered total and LDL cholesterol. — 20 healthy adults aged 19-24, 3.5 oz (100 g) servings, 3 h sampling, 1-week washout (n = 20) Evidence B source
  No difference in glucose or insulin vs steamed bun, TC and LDL lower after oat pancake (p < 0.05)

Safety, limits and interactions

• A case report describes a woman with two life-threatening anaphylactic reactions to Breton buckwheat galettes who had tolerated ordinary pancakes and crepes for years. — one 37-year-old woman (n = 1) Evidence D source
  Positive prick test and specific IgE to buckwheat
• A case report describes urticaria and hypotension after buckwheat crepes, with a strongly positive buckwheat prick test and negative tests to wheat, egg white and milk. — one adult woman (n = 1) Evidence D source
  3+ prick test to buckwheat, negative to wheat, egg white and milk
• A case report describes anaphylaxis after a flour pancake whose flour held 4,500 dust mites per gram. — one 43-year-old woman with mite allergy (n = 1) Evidence D source
  Dermatophagoides farinae 4500 mites/g in flour, specific IgE 15.2 kU/L

What people believe that the data does not support

• In a crossover RCT in 35 women, a low-protein pancake breakfast (3 g protein, about 280 calories) led to 789 calories at lunch versus 692 calories after a 39 g protein egg and sausage breakfast. — 35 overweight premenopausal women, single test breakfasts, ad libitum lunch at 240 min (n = 35) Evidence B source
  Lunch intake 789 calories (pancake) vs 692 calories (39 g protein), p < 0.001
• A glycemic test found that adding raspberries or blueberries to pancakes did not lower the glycemic response compared with sugar-matched control pancakes. — healthy adults, 7 test sessions Evidence C source
  GR blueberry 51.3, raspberry 54.7, controls 43.9 and 41.8, no significant difference

Who this works differently for

• In a 4-week RCT in 165 patients with type 2 diabetes, replacing part of the staple food with tartary buckwheat lowered total cholesterol from 196 to 185 mg/dL (5.08 to 4.79 mmol/L) but did not change glucose or HbA1c. — 165 patients with type 2 diabetes, 4 weeks, open-label (n = 165) Evidence B source
  TC 5.08 to 4.79 mmol/L, LDL 116 to 108 mg/dL (3.00 to 2.80 mmol/L) vs control (P < .05), no glucose or HbA1c difference
• In 10 adults with type 2 diabetes, a Malaysian lacy pancake with chicken curry raised glucose more than the pancake alone (AUC 388 vs 235). — 10 adults with type 2 diabetes, 25 g available carbohydrate portions, 180 min (n = 10) Evidence C source
  AUC 235 +/- 31 (pancake alone) vs 388 +/- 52 mmol x min/l (with curry), p < 0.01
• Observational data from 2,621 food anaphylaxis cases in the French-speaking Allergy-Vigilance Network put wheat, a main crepe ingredient, second among triggers at 9.4%. — 2621 food anaphylaxis cases reported 2002-2021, France and French-speaking countries (n = 2621) Evidence C source
  Triggers: peanut 13.9%, wheat 9.4%, cashew 5.8%, shrimp 5.3%, cow's milk 4.6%

The bottom line

Pancake trials say little about crepes. In a crossover trial in 20 healthy adults aged 19 to 24, 100 g buckwheat, maize or oat pancakes gave glucose and insulin responses no different from a steamed bun over 3 hours, and the oat pancake lowered total and LDL cholesterol (p < 0.05). Those were Chinese-style pancakes in a small acute study. In a 4-week open-label trial in 165 patients with type 2 diabetes, swapping part of the staple food for tartary buckwheat foods lowered total cholesterol from 196 to 185 mg/dL (5.08 to 4.79 mmol/L), with no difference in glucose or HbA1c. As breakfast, a low-protein pancake meal left 35 overweight women eating 789 calories at lunch, against 692 calories after a 39 g protein breakfast, in an industry-funded crossover that used the pancake as the comparator. In the one test we have, berries did not blunt the sugar response. Adding raspberries or blueberries to pancakes did not lower the glycemic response compared with sugar-matched control pancakes, in a test whose abstract gives no sample size and no randomization. What you eat alongside can raise it. In 10 adults with type 2 diabetes, a Malaysian lacy pancake eaten with chicken curry gave a glucose area of 388 mmol x min/l, significantly more than the pancake alone (p < 0.01), in a test that did not state randomization. Buckwheat galettes carry an allergy of their own. A case report describes a 37-year-old woman with two life-threatening anaphylactic reactions to Breton galettes after years of eating ordinary pancakes and crepes. Another describes a woman with urticaria and low blood pressure after buckwheat crepes, whose skin tests to wheat, egg white and milk were negative. Wheat itself ranked second among triggers at 9.4 percent in 2,621 food anaphylaxis cases reported to the French-speaking Allergy-Vigilance Network, with cow's milk at 4.6 percent, in registry data that do not break cases down by dish. One more case report describes anaphylaxis in a mite-allergic woman after a Japanese okonomiyaki pancake whose flour held 4,500 dust mites per gram. We have no card on pregnancy, children or medicines for crepes.

Sources

1. crpe-r4-11 · food composition dataset
   Crepe, plain (fdc 2708342): Energy 224 KCAL, Protein 8.85 G, Carbohydrate, by difference 22.02 G, Total lipid (fat) 11.29 G, Sodium, Na 278 MG per 100 g; 1 crepe, any size = 65 g
   USDA FNDDS 2021-2023, Crepe, plain (fdc 2708342) · checked 2026-09-29
2. crpe-r4-12 · food composition dataset
   Crepe, chocolate filled (fdc 2708036): Energy 170 KCAL, Total Sugars 12.25 G per 100 g; 1 crepe with filling, any size = 80 g
   USDA FNDDS 2021-2023, Crepe, chocolate filled (fdc 2708036) · checked 2026-09-29
3. crpe-r4-01 · meta-analysis
   the weighted mean difference of post-intervention concentrations of blood glucose, total cholesterol and triglycerides were significantly decreased following buckwheat intervention compared with controls [differences in blood glucose: -0.85 mmol/L (95% CI: -1.31, -0.39), total cholesterol: 0.50 mmol/L (95% CI: -0.80, -0.20) and triglycerides: 0.25 mmol/L (95% CI: -0.49, -0.02)].
   Nutrients, 2018 · checked 2026-09-29
4. crpe-r4-03 · randomized crossover trial
   No significant differences in serum glucose, insulin, CRP, TG, and HDL-C concentrations were observed among the control group and three whole grain pancake groups. However, compared with the control group, the concentrations of serum TC and LDL-C in the oat pancake group were significantly reduced (p <0.05)
   Asia Pac J Clin Nutr, 2026 · checked 2026-09-29
5. crpe-r4-07 · case report
   A 37-year-old woman twice developed a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction after eating galettes, a special French pancake from Brittany. She had tolerated ordinary pancakes and crepes for many years.
   Hautarzt, 2005 · checked 2026-09-29
6. crpe-r4-08 · case report
   We present a patient who developed urticaria and hypotension after ingestion of buckwheat crepes. Skin testing by the prick technique revealed 3+ positive reaction to buckwheat with negative reactions to other foods including wheat, egg white, and milk.
   Ann Allergy, 1992 · checked 2026-09-29
7. crpe-r4-09 · case report
   Subsequent analysis of the flour used in the pancake revealed the presence of Dermatophagoides farinae (4500 mites/g).
   BMJ Case Rep, 2019 · checked 2026-09-29
8. crpe-r4-04 · randomized crossover trial
   Energy intake at lunch was significantly less (p < 0.001) following the 39 g protein meal (692 kcal) vs. the low-protein and no breakfast conditions (789 and 810 kcal, respectively).
   Nutr J, 2015 · checked 2026-09-29
9. crpe-r4-06 · clinical trial
   Results showed that there were no differences in GR (blueberry 51·3 (SEM 5·7); raspberry 54·7 (SEM 5·6); blueberry control 43·9 (SEM 4·2); raspberry control 41·8 (SEM 6·4)), GR area under the curve or satiety index between any of the tests.
   Br J Nutr, 2011 · checked 2026-09-29
10. crpe-r4-02 · randomized controlled trial
    The TB group decreased fasting insulin (2.46-2.39 Ln mU/L), total cholesterol (5.08-4.79 mmol/L), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (3.00-2.80 mmol/L) compared with the DC group at 4 weeks (P<.05). No significant differences in blood glucose or glycated hemoglobin levels were noted between the TB and DC groups.
    Nutr Res, 2016 · checked 2026-09-29
11. crpe-r4-05 · clinical trial
    the AUC after the lacy pancake with chicken curry mixed meal (388 ± 52) was significantly greater than after the individual food item (p < 0.01).
    Ann Nutr Metab, 2012 · checked 2026-09-29
12. crpe-r4-10 · retrospective cohort
    The most frequent triggers were peanut (13.9%), wheat (9.4%), cashew (5.8%), shrimp (5.3%), and cow's milk (4.6%).
    Clin Exp Allergy, 2025 · checked 2026-09-29