Pasta Recipes For A Balanced Diet
Pasta recipes come in all shapes and sizes, but contrary to the bad press surrounding the carb based food – it is healthy if cooked and prepared correctly.
The obsession with low-carb based foods has distorted the perception of pasta and convinced people to put their favoured pasta recipes to the back of the cupboard. Here we discover that there is much more to pasta, beyond the bad press.
Calories
Fundamentally, plain, cooked white pasta contains only 239 calories per 230g serving – around a medium portion. The misunderstanding lays with what you add to the pasta; if, for example, you team your pasta with a heavy, cream sauce such as Carbonara, the calorie intake will shoot up by 700.
‘Good Carbs’
As part of a healthy, balanced diet, and especially a weight loss plan, carbohydrates are key; they release slowly release energy thus keeping you fuller for longer and so lessening your appetite and desire to snack.
‘Good Carbs’ can be found in brown and basmati rice and wholegrain bread and pasta.
Good and Bad Pasta
Many types of pasta are produced using white flour; these are the bad pastas.
Wholegrain al dente, i.e. ‘firm’ pasta is the healthy option. Avoid the aforementioned heavy, creamy sauces and opt for a homemade unsweetened tomatoe sauce.
Whole grain pasta is higher in fiber, vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids compared to that of the bad pasta.
Health Benefits
Due to the slower absorption and high fiber content, wholegrain pasta helps protect against insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and constipation.
Studies have shown that those who consume more wholegrain foods have 37% less risk of metabolic syndrome, which can lead to diabetes.
The GI Diet
The GI (Glycemic Index) Diet is a measure of the food’s impact on your blood sugar. Foods with rated as having a high GI rating tend to raise your body’s blood sugar levels very quickly resulting in a ‘lull’ soon after. In comparison, foods with a low GI rating will raise them more slowly and over a longer period keeping you fuller and more energised, for longer.
The GI Diet is a fantastic diet to live by as part of a healthy and balanced diet, with a wealthy list of low GI foods, which include wholegrain pasta, it offers countless health benefits.
About the author: Francesca Rilotelli is a cooking enthusiast and fan of pasta recipes.
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