Most of the dieters feel guilty even thinking about the pasta. Pasta is considered to be bad for the diet as it allegedly contains many calories and carbohydrates. However, this isn’t quite true. Pasta has a reasonably the low calorie value and the carbohydrates, found in pasta, are essential in providing the body with glucose.
Glucose is the primary source of energy our body uses to function. Too many carbohydrates can be fattening, but one plate of pasta will certainly do no harm. It has few calories and enough of carbohydrates to chase away the feelings of exhaustion and moodiness, on which most of the dieters complain.
Calories in pasta
The amount of calories in pasta slightly varies depending on the type. Here is the quick overview of caloric value for a couple of most popular pasta types. Each serving equals one cup of dry pasta.Spaghetti - 170Whole Wheat Spaghetti - 165Gnocchi - 175Macaroni - 170Whole Wheat Macaroni - 175Cannelloni - 175Lasagna - 180Nutritional value of pasta
As already mentioned, pasta is another great healthy option for dieters menu. It contains traces or no sodium at all. Whole-wheat and enriched brands may provide precious amounts of vitamin B and as much as 25% of recommended daily value of dietary fiber per cup. Dietary fiber is especially important constituent in every diet as it adds the volume to the food, introduces the feeling of fullness, suppresses the appetite and promotes the regular movement of the bowel. Enriched varieties may also provide folic acid, essential for women. One cup of enriched pasta satisfies approximately 25% of recommended daily value for folic acid.
Complex carbohydrates from the pasta are releasing slowly providing the body with precious glucose. This way, dieters can avoid rapid drops in blood sugar levels and undesirable food cravings. Glycemic index of pasta is actually very low.
Health benefits of pasta
Combined with a lot of vegetables and low-calorie sauces, pasta may be the nutritious and healthy food. It may also play an important role in prevention of different diseases. For example, low glycemic index pasta may help to decrease the risk of breast cancer. Mediterranean diet, based on pasta, may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Prepared with tomato sauce, it may help to prevent prostate cancer. Antioxidant features of tomatoes will also play the significant role in prevention and repair of the cell damage. Pasta-based diet, with balanced levels of proteins and carbohydrates, may even help in losing weight.
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