 |
Welcome to the this issue of The Truth About Pasta, the new monthly newsletter from the International Pasta Organization. Each month's newsletter features a new and different topic -- all pointing to The Truth About Pasta. The truth is......pasta is healthy, sustainable, convenient, delicious, affordable, doesn't make you fat, and much, much more. Be sure to look for each new issue, with new topics and information.
|
 |
Evidence that Pasta is Good for You
Nutrition experts have long known that energizing complex carbohydrate foods are a much smarter source of lasting energy than simple sugars. Pasta, with its unique starch structure and low impact on blood sugar, is one such food. A healthy staple food in its own right, pasta is the ultimate canvas for any healthy diet, no matter what your nutrition goals are. It can be paired with heart healthy olive oil and fish, fiber filled vegetables and pulses, protein packed lean meats and cheeses, or any number of delicious combinations. Research tells us that good health is determined by the whole diet, rather than single foods and nutrients. However, because pasta is an ideal partner for seasonal vegetables, herbs, and olive oil, healthy pasta meals are a winning strategy for those trying to adopt a healthier lifestyle.
Pasta is also a cornerstone of the scientifically proven Mediterranean diet, and in many other time-honored cuisines.
|
Experts Say...
While pasta is most well known for it's appealing taste, numerous scientists recognize pasta's contribution as a healthy staple food.
Unlike most other carbohydrates, pasta is low on the Glycemic Index, meaning the body digests it more slowly, for a more steady, sustained energy source. Dr. David Jenkins (left), one of the original developers of the Glycemic Index, explains that "slowing absorption of carbohydrates from the gut," by choosing low glycemic foods, like pasta, may even help prevent diabetes.
Remarkably, this low impact on blood sugar occurs not only at that meal, but also at the following meal, in a phenomenon dubbed the 'second meal concept.' When meeting in Rio de Janeiro in 2010 to discuss pasta and health, leading nutrition researchers from around the globe agreed that "pasta meals and other low-glycemic foods may help control blood sugar and weight especially in overweight people."
Indeed, experts agree that healthy carbohydrate foods, like pasta, are important for weight control. In a recent study of different grain based diets, presented at the 2015 Experimental Biology annual meeting in Boston, researchers classified adults into eight different grain eating patterns. They found that adults in the "pasta, cooked cereals, and rice" group weighed significantly less than adults that avoid grains. As the evidence for healthy carbohydrate foods like pasta continues to mount, it is refreshing to learn that what's nutritious can also be quite delicious.
|
Mothers Say...
Moms know the power of a healthy pasta meal. In an interview for Parents.com, Stacey Finch, R.D., a nutritionist at Arkansas Children's Hospital explains, "Unlike the simple carbs in sweets, pasta's complex carbs provide steady energy so kids aren't hungry an hour after dinner."
Parents.com recommends offering a variety of sauces and toppings, noting that "Even kids who love their mac with cheese will usually try healthier options."
Many moms have experienced this firsthand. Jennifer Carden, author of The Toddler Café, suggests planning a "Pick Your Toppings Pasta Night" as a great way to get kids involved in the meal planning process. This is her advice: "When it comes time to plan dinner have your kids help choose a veggie, a protein and a starch. Let them know that plain pasta just will not give them the energy they need to play for hours. (remember eating a rainbow is the way to grow) Letting your child understand choices gives them confidence and good decision making skills. Set them up for success by starting with simple choices."
|
Continuing the Tradition
As more nutrition and health experts adopt a "whole foods" approach to healthy eating, it is clear that healthy pasta meals are a winning choice. Pasta is a wholesome food with a simple recipe that has remained unchanged for generations: just durum wheat semolina flour and water.
For centuries, families have relied on pasta to transform a jumble of available vegetables, chesses, and herbs into tantalizing meals that could fill them up for hours. With diet related diseases on the rise, it is more important than ever to continue the tradition of generations past, and incorporate more whole, healthy foods into our meals.
Decades of research show that dieting doesn't work, so the best health solutions incorporate nourishing foods in enjoyable combinations and exercise regularly. Pasta, with its beneficial starch structure, simple ingredients, and culinary versatility, is the perfect foundation upon which to build a healthier, happier eating pattern and a healthy lifestyle.
Dr. David Katz, President of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, explains how healthy lifestyles, not diets, are the key to better health: "Dieting, as we have traditionally done it, is fatal to a better hope for the future of our children. It is fatal to the promise of lifestyle as universal medicine; to the eradication of chronic disease eight times in 10; to the addition of years to life and life to years. It is fatal to the better medical destiny we might bequeath our children if weight control and health were approached with a blend of science and sense, rather than fatalism and folly."
|
|
|
How to Make the Perfect Pasta Salad |
|
Perfect Summer Pasta Salad
Ingredients:
3 oz. cavatappi pasta
½ cup/4 oz. low-fat Greek yogurt
½ cup/4 oz. reduced fat sour cream
1 Tbsp./ 15 ml red wine vinegar
2 tsp./ 10 ml honey
2 Tbsp. / 5g finely chopped dill
2 Tbsp. / 5g finely chopped parsley
½ cup/2 oz. red onion
3 cups/6 oz. thinly sliced red or green cabbage
2 cups/4 oz. grated carrot
¼ cup/2 oz. raisins
Directions:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the cavatappi according to package directions. Drain and reserve.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sour cream, vinegar, honey, dill and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the onion, cabbage, carrot, raisins and cavatappi. Toss together, adjust seasoning, and serve.
Makes 8 1/2-cup servings.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 110, Total Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 50mg, Carbohydrate: 20g, Fiber: 3g, Protein: 4g
Recipe courtesy of PastaFits.org
|
 |
Follow us
|
For more information, contact
|
|
|
|
|
Copyright © 2015. All Rights Reserved.
|
|
|
|
|
