Are you one of those people
who loves pasta – the kind that every Wednesday night, six metric tons of
gratuitous spaghetti Bolognaise gets cooked for the family, and then, on Sunday
mornings, a piping plate of Fettuccine Alfredo gets prepped? We get it. Pasta
is a culinary icon. It has traversed the ages. It has held the rank of one of
every kitchen’s favourite workhorse staples that a livid mum dished out on an
at least daily basis. It fills you up – it makes your soul alive. But what does
it do to your body? What happens to you if you cram it down your gullet every
day? Here at last is the answer – from the inside out – to what happens when
you eat pasta, and the truth about how it makes you look and feel. Meanwhile,
take notes: once and for all, from the inside out, here is what happens to your
body when you eat pasta …
The Downside of Pasta:
Why You Shouldn't Make It a
Daily Staple It’s delicious, filling – but it’s still pasta, which means you
shouldn’t eat it every day There’s a fatal flaw with pasta hiding in its carb
content. The major component of pasta is refined wheat flour, so it falls into
that ‘white foods’ category that are now widely vilified as bad for you. You
need carbohydrates to live, but you don’t need refined carbohydrates. Chowing
down on lots of refined carbohydrates, even if it’s white-flour pasta, will
cause spikes in blood sugar level that can lead to metabolic disorder such as
diabetes and obesity. Did I mention another pasta flaw?
Calories: hyperpalatable foods
are easy to overeat on, portion sizes are bigger than where most people’s
nutritional needs lie, and if it isn’t accompanied by other health-promoting
foods and a lot of exercise, there’s the potential to gain a few pounds over
the longer haul. Moreover, unless it is wholegrain, pasta is typically lacking
in significant portions of fibre and protein compared with other options. Fibre
keeps us regular and keeps blood-sugar levels in control, while protein is very
satiating and keeps muscle in good repair. By making pasta your main carb, you
might miss out on these other nutrients. More troubling, most pastas have
numerous things with high glycaemic indexes (GI) – rapid surges of blood
glucose from eating – that will make you hyper for a moment, then cause a
sudden drop in vitality. That is not what you need to remain vital and
productive for most of the day. That isn’t to imply that there’s necessarily
anything wrong with eating pasta once in a while — quite the opposite, in fact,
especially if you’re thinking of a healthy spaghetti-and-tomato sauce as the
one weekly furlough on which you make your pilgrimage to Pasta Paradise. But if
you’re eating it every day, you ought to start noticing a few more of those
others. On the other hand, if like Italians absolutely everywhere you’ve become
addicted to pasta, there are ways to consume it without wrecking your dietary
health or your palate.
The Nutritional Profile of Pasta
Here are some information
about the : composition of pasta .
First of all, is mainly made
out of one type of flour from the wheat. Therefore, pasta contains a lot of
carbs as bread, because the main ingredient is flour. Carbs, however, are one
of the main fuel for the body, and for that reason, it is important to eat
pasta as often as possible to survive. Similarly, protein from pasta is also
there, the amount being significantly lower than in other sources such as meat,
or even other beans, but one that may complement a more vegetarian diet that
demands sources of protein from plants. Second, it’s relatively lean – plus,
it’s cholesterol-free for almost everyone To be clear, pasta, like most foods,
is what you make of it, and the sauce or toppings will range widely in
saturated fat and calories, as well as vegetables. You can just as easily make
your pasta more balanced and substantial with leaner, plant-based sauces and
toppings made with minimal oil, and plenty of vegetables and lean protein.
Pasta is also a good source of B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin) as well
as minerals (iron and selenium) that support metabolism and cellular health.
Yet we can claim only one victory for pasta – fibre. Depending on the recipe,
white pastas are often lacking in dietary fibre. After all, most of the bran
and germ was removed when the grains were . . . yep, machined.
Look for whole-grain (or
wholewheat) pastas, which have been milled less, and retain more of their bran
and germ fibre. While providing energy, particularly in the form of B vitamins
and iron, pasta should be consumed in a sensible, healthy fashion with fruits,
vegetables, lean proteins and healthy fats. The Ugly Side Effects of Eating Too
Much Pasta
A plate of pasta makes anyone
happy; the soft, chewy, delicious, prepare your taste buds kind of meal.There
is nothing better than a large helping of Spaghetti Bolognese to wash away a
long day’s work. Or some Eggplant Lasagna for a good Sunday lunch, and what
could be more romantic than a couple’s Cannelloni for dinner under the
moonlight?Although eating a plate of pasta is always an absolute delight for
the senses, it can have some not so pleasant consequences for our body.
Likewise, eating portions of
pasta too large, too regularly, can give your blood sugar levels a sharp boost,
thanks to its high glycaemic index (GI). While you’ll initially enjoy a burst
of energy, it’s likely to be short-lived, leaving you feeling tired and crabby
soon after. Moreover, excessively consuming pasta may also lead to the
deficiency of various nutrients, as it is lacking popular vitamins and minerals
found in other food groups like vegetables and fruits. Therefore, relying on
pasta daily as a source of nourishment will lead people to suffer from
avoidable nutritional deficiency. Last but not least, it is important to
remember that anything eaten in excessive quantity or with excess frequency is
unhealthy! But more so, moderation should always be on mind! A healthy diet is
a mix of several foods from multiple sources each contributing many diverse
nutrients found in foods. Remember, the occasional plate of pasta is not going
to get you into trouble but, if you start thinking of this as the foundation of
your diet and you don’t take into account how much you are eating, that plate
of pasta could very quickly end up heading down a very dark road indeed.
Can You Lose Weight While Eating Pasta?
When it comes to weight loss,
there is no better villain than pasta. Carb-heavy, it does not blend into the
healthy meals we craft for ourselves – so doesn’t it just beg to be eliminated
when the New Year’s diet kicks in? Well, it turns out that you can lose weight
and enjoy your pasta at the same time. It’s not the pasta which is necessarily
fattening, it’s the feast you surround it with and the pattern you set for your
other meals throughout the day. Eat a plate of pasta and fatten yourself up? If
you’re going to eat plate of pasta, and only that, and then go to bed
motionless for the rest of the night, then yes. If you’re eating plate after
plate of pasta, and consuming 3,000 or 4,000 calories while your body is
burning up only 1,800, then that’s going to be fattening, right? An Italian
diet is not one where you eat plate after plate of pasta, it is one where you
follow a feast-and-famine pattern: large quantities fueled by high-calorie meat
and cheese, but then small quantities or even none the next day or for a few
days. Pasta with pasta leads to fattening; pasta with other things leads to
slimming, and mixed with vegetables, grilled meats and salads it can be part of
a regime that will slim you up. Portion size is another important issue. Follow
the serving size stated on the package and don’t go over it. Whole-grain or
vegetable pastas or rice present excellent opportunities to provide additional
fibre and other nutrients and to fill you up even more. Another factor to
consider here is the amount of sauce: a creamy Alfredo or cheese-laden sauce
might taste good but has more calories and fat than would lighter sauces (such
as a tomato-based sauce or olive oil with garlic and herbs). Another strategy
is to boost the volume of a typical pasta dish, which achieves the same goal
without significantly increasing the calorie count. So pack your pasta dishes
with colourful vegetables – spinach, broccoli, peppers and even zucchini add an
abundance of fibre, micronutrients and satiety to the meal. Remember that weight
loss is created by calorie deficit – using more calories through exercise than
you take in from food – so any physical activity you work in will improve your
outcomes further. Don’t give up on pasta altogether if you’re trying to lose
weight! Pace yourself – mixed with the right choices, portion control, healthy
ingredients, and a good combination – and you might be able to shed those extra
pounds while still leaning over a plateful of spaghetti!
Strategies for Maintaining a Healthy Pasta Diet
However, when used prudently, pasta can easily complement a healthy diet. Here’s how you can enjoy pasta in a balanced and nutritious manner. Reach for whole-grain or whole-wheat pasta rather than refined pasta for your meal. When compared with refined pasta, whole-grain varieties contain more fibre, vitamins and minerals, which can keep your digestion humming and help you maintain steadier energy levels. And remember to watch your portions – healthy pasta eaters generally do not overindulge and gobble up a huge serving bowl at once. Another tactic is to pair your pasta with healthful foods. Add green vegetables (spinach, tomatoes, broccoli, etc) or mushrooms to give your dish added vitamins and antioxidants. Use lean proteins such as grilled chicken or lightly sautéed shrimp to give your dish needed nutrients but also added staying power. Playing with different sauces will make your pasta entree healthier and tastier too. For example, save those large quantities of fat, calories and carb calories in cream-based sauces to use on desserts instead by turning to tomato-based sauces or olive oil mixed with herbs such as fresh garlic and basil. Do not consume pasta as the base for all your meals. Don’t forget to load up on your fruits and vegetables, lean proteins and healthy fats to live a full life. It doesn’t have to be overly difficult and complicated. Eat your pasta not only for comfort but for health, too. Employing them daily is a sure way to savour a plate of pasta without feeling guilty and enjoy all its nutritional goodness. Is Whole-Grain Pasta a Healthier Option? Whole grain or refined? Which is healthier? Demands for whole-grain pasta are strong but it still has some ways to go before it can compete the refined version. Whole-grain pasta is made from flour that has all parts of the kernel intact – the bran, germ and endosperm. That translates into more fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants than white pasta. The added fibre in whole-grain pasta can stabilise blood sugar levels and encourage satisfaction with smaller amounts of food. Second, whole-grain pasta has a lower glyceamic index (GI) (this is a ranking of carbohydrates based on how they affect glucose levels in your blood). And a lower GI can promote weight-management and can help lower the chance of type 2 diabetes.
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