Pasta and Health: Is It Good or Bad for You?

There are few foods that are unhealthy for you. Pasta is becoming one of the most popular dishes in the fast paced world. It is a staple Italian dish that is mostly made with wheat flour. Pastas of different shapes and sizes are available in the market. However, many dieticians say that pasta can increase weight as it is rich in calories. Is pasta really unhealthy for your body?
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Is pasta healthy or unhealthy?

• It depends on the type of pasta you are eating. If you have all purpose flour white pasta, you are eating lots of calories, fats and carbohydrates that can lead to weight gain. Fat deposits are higher if you have all purpose flour pasta.
• If consumed in moderate amounts and with proper ingredients, pasta can hardly be unhealthy for the body. Cheese toppings, sauces especially tomato sauce can make pasta unhealthy. Cheese leads to weight gain and sauces cause acidity. Prefer low fat cheese or else tofu if you are diet conscious.
• White pasta is like white bread. If you have refined white flour pasta, you might end up increasing your body weight and blood sugar levels. t has high GI (glycemic index) carbohydrates that can increase the blood sugar levels. Diabetics should avoid having refined white flour pasta.
• Whole grains pasta made with herbs is healthy for both diabetic and non-diabetic patients. Even pregnant women can have whole grain pasta. According to the National Pasta Association , whole grain pasta is good for the unborn baby as it protects the foetus from congenital diseases.

These are few points to show whether pasta is really healthy or unhealthy. If you make it in the right way and eat it moderately, you can enjoy the benefits of pasta. Make sure you always prefer whole grain pasta over refined flour pasta. If you do not want to eat unhealthy pastas, eat these types.

Semolina pasta: Made with semolina (purified wheat middlings of durum wheat), this type of pasta is good for the body. This is because semolina pasta contains antioxidants like beta-carotene that is nutritious for your body. Whole durum semolina flushes out toxins from the body, fights diseases and maintains a healthy immune system. Prefer whole durum semolina over normal ones as they are filled with proteins and nutrients.

Wheat pasta: This is a whole grain pasta that is made with wheat flour. Unlike other white pastas, whole wheat pasta is only made with wheat flour that can be easily digested. Whole wheat flour is low in fat and has less calories. The three layers of wheat (endosperm, bran and germ) makes it an easy to digest pasta. If you are diet conscious, have whole wheat pasta as they control your cravings for a long time (because the body glucose levels are steady).

Corn, rice, herbs or soybean pasta: It is an alternative or rather a substitute for whole wheat and semolina pasta. If made with actual whole grains, these pastas can also be healthy for your body.