W
hen you think pasta, what comes to mind? Fettuccine Alfredo? Lasagna with a topping of rich béchamel sauce? Or, the all-time pasta favourite, spaghetti Bolognese? Yes? Then you’re probably also thinking of all the calories such decadent meals contain, not to mention feeling pangs of guilt about eating pasta at all. In Canada we eat 6.5 kg of pasta per person per year, well above the world average of 5.6 kg. But this is a mere fraction of the Italian consumption at 26 kg. Now, if pasta were really such a fattening food, one would expect Italy’s obesity rate to be high. But according to the CIA World Factbook, Italy’s obesity rate stands at 19.8 per cent, compared to Canada’s 26.2 per cent. Surprise, surprise — pasta may not be such a self-indulgent food after all.
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Pasta by the numbers It’s spring, time to start thinking about what we’ll look like in a few months on holiday in our swimsuits. But do we have to cut out pasta to lose weight? For many people carbohydrates are anathema to a diet, but in reality carbs are a primary source of fuel for our bodies. According to Health Canada, 45 to 65 per cent of our calories should come from carbohydrates, only 10 to 35 per cent from protein, and 20 to 35 per cent from fat. Carbohydrates come in two types: simple (sugar, candy, pop, fruit, milk and some vegetables) and complex (pasta, whole grain bread, grains, lentils, beans etc.). Pasta is a source of complex carbohydrates, which help to sustain energy. What makes pasta particularly healthy is its low glycemic index (GI); between 25 and 45. A lower or higher score indicates how Pasta 101 slowly or quickly sugar is absorbed into the body. In this case, slower is better. Compare this to other staples of There are more than 600 documented North American kitchens: white bread at around 75 and pasta shapes, potatoes at about 80. Any food with a GI score of less according to Chef than 55 will raise blood sugar levels slowly and therefore Peter Zambri. Search provide a slower release of energy. online and you’ll find Foods like pasta, with a lower GI, are more likely to be oodles of noodles higher in fibre and will keep us feeling full longer. They from acini de pepe also help reduce cholesterol, and therefore the risk of (peppercorns), tiny heart disease. The fuller we feel, the less likely we are pasta used in soups, to consume more food, thus packing on fewer pounds. to ziti (bridegrooms), Because these types of food are digested slower, they keep a tubular pasta blood sugar levels stable and help you feel more energetic. that goes well with As Cesare Trani, previously of Il Covo Trattoria, says, chunkier sauces. “It’s not pasta that makes you fat, it’s the sauces.” His Many types of pasta have amusing recipe for crudaiola orecchiette, featured on page 71, nicknames: linguine shows how you can prepare a simple, light, healthy, yet (little tongues); gourmet pasta dish.
Fuel for thought
gemelli (twins); ditalini (little thimbles); orecchiette (little ears); and strozzapreti (choke the priest) to name just a few. Dried or fresh pasta? One is not better than the other — they’re just different. Dried pasta is better with heartier sauces and in salads.
Pasta may actually be as healthy for your brain as it is for your body. According to Dr. Gene Bowman of the Oregon Health and Science University, who works in the field of nutritional neuroscience, and is studying the link between diet and cognitive brain function, “The brain’s preferred fuel is glucose which comes from the metabolism of carbohydrates found predominantly in green foods, bread, pasta, rice, fruits, vegetables and dairy products …” Pasta is the perfect fit for fuelling the brain, and it’s a wonderful delivery mechanism for other healthy foods that keep us physically and mentally fit. If weight loss is an issue, pasta can still be part of your diet; it contains no fat (unless you add it), is salt free (do check the label on your particular brand), and contains 100 calories