Many people who are trying to lose weight wonder if pasta is healthy or fattening. Pasta, like many high-carbohydrate foods, often gets a bad rap for putting on weight; however, this does not have to be true.
Carbohydrates, although they have recently become villains, are actually necessary to keep the body and mind running smoothly. When carbohydrates are broken down, they provide an important source of glucose. Glucose is the main source of energy for your body and the only source of energy for your brain. Many people who have tried to follow a very low-carbohydrate diet have suffered from a lack of energy and a bad mood. I know I’d be in a bad mood if I could never eat my favorite pastas!
Eating too many carbohydrates can make you fat, but pasta itself is not fattening; cooked pasta has only about 200 calories per cup. Where you really get in trouble is with your pasta sauce. Pasta sauces that contain high-calorie fatty meats, creams, cheese, and other fattening ingredients can really make a pasta dish fattening. Tomato pasta sauces are generally not very fattening! Americans also tend to eat too much pasta; portion control is important for calorie control. Italians traditionally serve pasta as a side dish or as a multi-course meal; not in the large mounds that are so common in the United States.
In addition to being fattening, pasta has been criticized for being a simple carbohydrate and classified in the same category as cakes, pastries, and white bread. The problem with all of these simple carbohydrates is that they increase blood sugar, causing excess insulin to be secreted, which encourages weight gain and a subsequent drop in energy. Simple carbohydrates have a high Glycemic index (GI) which is a number used to measure how quickly the body’s blood sugar rises after eating a food. The good news is that pasta has a GI of 41, which is similar to pears and lower than many types of bread. And an easy way to lower the GI of pasta is to cook it like Italians: “al dente”.
Today, most pasta is made with semolina flour obtained from durum wheat. This creates a firm dough which in turn also lowers the GI, while also providing a good source of nutrition. Homemade, dry pasta contains a lot of B vitamins, folic acid, and iron. It is low in sodium and despite a prevailing myth, pasta is not high in cholesterol even though it is usually made with eggs. It was once thought that egg consumption should be drastically reduced due to its high cholesterol content, but subsequent research has shown that eggs are quite healthy in moderation and contribute greatly to the health benefits of pasta. However, for those on a strict diet, the pasta can be made without eggs, while the flour and olive oil content still makes this pasta healthy.
Another option is to use dry pasta. This pasta does not usually contain eggs or oil, but it is made from 100% semolina flour and is quite firm when cooked. The firmness of this pasta helps lower the GI index less than bread, potatoes and white rice, while also providing vitamin B, fiber and iron. Dried pasta can be stored for up to 3 years, but be sure not to store your pasta in glass containers as sunlight depletes vitamin B.
Is pasta healthy in other ways too?
Yes, homemade pasta can be quite healthy. It is not difficult to learn how to make pasta, and homemade pasta can be made even more nutritious with the inclusion of whole wheat flour, spinach, garlic, and herbs that add to the vitamin, mineral, and fiber content of the pasta. Fiber is another nutrient that is often lost in modern diets, but fiber is necessary for digestive health, hormonal balance, and the prevention of certain types of cancers.
There are many easy pasta recipes that make this nutritious food very convenient for today’s busy cooks, too. When it comes to eating healthier, you don’t have to wonder if pasta is healthy, as there are many ways to make pasta that are. So go ahead and enjoy your pasta without guilt, just remember to be careful with meat and sauces that are fattening and Enjoy your pasta in moderation!
