Who doesn’t like going to an Italian restaurant? As an avid pasta lover myself, I want to touch on some of the health benefits of pasta. Before I do that, however, I want to talk about the difference between different brands of pre-packaged pasta. Here is an example of a list of ingredients in one brand vs another.

Brand 1 – Enriched Macaroni Product (Wheat flour, ferrous Sulfate, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin)

Brand 2 – Wheat Semolina

As you can see, the final product might look the same but Brand 1 has a whole bunch of names that I can’t pronounce so it is important to note that as I speak on the health benefits of pasta, I am speaking about Pasta that only has 1 ingredient – Wheat Semolina.

There are other healthier alternatives nowadays that tailor to Gluten sensitive individuals, low carb/Keto diets, etc. The most common ingredients in those types of pasta are: quinoa, brown rice, rice or corn. However, in my description of the health benefits of pasta, I will be referring to Wheat Semolina pasta.

Additionally, adding protein, sauces, and other ingredients will change the health benefits of Pasta. I recommend a pure tomato sauce, boiled zucchini, garlic, red pepper and onion as a healthy choice of sauce.

Here are some health benefits of pasta:

    1. It is high in Vitamin B
    2. It has both protein and Fiber. It slows down digestion which helps increase the feeling of fullness between meals.
    3. It Supports Heart Health. Because it is rich in Fiber it may reduce the risk of heart disease. It also helps lower LDL (Bad Cholesterol), blood pressure and overall inflammation.
    4. It helps control Blood Sugar. Because Semolina is high in fiber and magnesium it promotes blood sugar control.
    5. Wheat semolina is also rich in Iron which is an essential mineral for transporting oxygen and supporting growth and development.

In summary, there are plenty of articles out there that talk about the health risks of carb and Pasta. My recommendation is to look at the list of ingredients on the packaging, make a vegetable-based sauce and enjoy pasta guilt-free.

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