Multi-Grain or whole wheat?

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Ok, so I am having a bit of a delemma. I love pasta and like to treat myself to it once every week or two, and have been buying whole wheat pasta for a long time. The other day I went to the grocery store and saw multi-grain pasta next to the whole wheat pasta and I was at a loss. I compared the nutritional values on each and found not much of a difference, so since I usually buy whole wheat, I bought the multi-grain for a change. I know pasta is crap either way, lol, but for the days that I do eat it, which is the worst of the evils?
Thanks in advance for your replies!!!!
Jenn :bigsmile:

Replies

  • sarabear
    sarabear Posts: 864
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    mmmmmmmmmm pasta! I don't know if there is a difference, not a nutritionist, but I'd pick the higher fiber. And make sure that they aren't refined. That's just me, I like to feel full.
  • MDF08
    MDF08 Posts: 57
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    I say have some greens before eating and just watch your portions.

    I'm not a big fan of the whole grain pasta. :flowerforyou:
  • kpnuts23
    kpnuts23 Posts: 960 Member
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    i had a MASSIVE plate of wholemeal pasta for lunch!! :happy: i wouldnt know the difference between wholegrain n wholemeal tho?
  • jb_sweet_99
    jb_sweet_99 Posts: 856 Member
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    The fiber in both is almost identical....I do try to watch the portions, I'm just wondering which has more benefits...hummm.
    And I wouldn't know the diff btwn whole grain and wholemeal either :wink:
  • Iceprincessk25
    Iceprincessk25 Posts: 1,888 Member
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    I found a scientific journal study that covered this. They wanted to determine the effect on the glycemic response to bread of the ratio of whole cereal grains to milled flour.

    Conclusion: Breads containing a high proportion of whole cereal grains may be useful in reducing the postprandial blood glucose profile in diabetics because they are more slowly digested. These breads should be called "wholegrain" in distinction to "wholemeal" breads made from milled flour.

    Basically it was saying the wholegrain is more slowly digested and had a lower glycemic response than the wholemeal.

    http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1834634
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
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    to clarify, pasta isn't crap. Too much white flour pasta is not a good thing, but if you use the whole grain or unprocessed whole kernel wheat type it's a healthy choice.
  • JoyousMaximus
    JoyousMaximus Posts: 9,285 Member
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    I don't understand why pasta gets a bad rap. I understand not going to the Olive Garden where the lowest calorie dish is still 600/calories but at home it can be an amazing meal. I use whole grain pasta (180/cals), a Newman's Own red sauce (60-70/cals plus supporting good causes) and some california mixed veggies (50/cals) and get an extremely healthy, filling meal for about 300/calories. Sometimes I'll toss the pasta in olive oil when my fats are kind of low for the day but still its only 350/calories.

    Whole grain pasta can be your friend while losing weight.
  • jb_sweet_99
    jb_sweet_99 Posts: 856 Member
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    Wonderful!!! Thanks sooo much for the help on this, whole grain it is!
    Also, I appreciate the info on the glycemic response for both of those as well, I have PCOS and really try to keep an eye on this!
    Thanks again, man I love the people on this site! I would have spent all day searching the net and not knowing if I should believe what I read or not!! :bigsmile:
  • jb_sweet_99
    jb_sweet_99 Posts: 856 Member
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    I don't understand why pasta gets a bad rap. I understand not going to the Olive Garden where the lowest calorie dish is still 600/calories but at home it can be an amazing meal. I use whole grain pasta (180/cals), a Newman's Own red sauce (60-70/cals plus supporting good causes) and some california mixed veggies (50/cals) and get an extremely healthy, filling meal for about 300/calories. Sometimes I'll toss the pasta in olive oil when my fats are kind of low for the day but still its only 350/calories.

    Whole grain pasta can be your friend while losing weight.

    I'm with ya there, pasta is just my personal evil, lol, it spikes my blood sugar and with PCOS it is VERY hard to digest carbs, which is why I too stick to the whole grain pasta. The reason I only eat it once every week or two is I eat too much of it, because I love it, lol, so now I have it for a treat so I don't over do it. :bigsmile:
  • JoyousMaximus
    JoyousMaximus Posts: 9,285 Member
    Options
    I don't understand why pasta gets a bad rap. I understand not going to the Olive Garden where the lowest calorie dish is still 600/calories but at home it can be an amazing meal. I use whole grain pasta (180/cals), a Newman's Own red sauce (60-70/cals plus supporting good causes) and some california mixed veggies (50/cals) and get an extremely healthy, filling meal for about 300/calories. Sometimes I'll toss the pasta in olive oil when my fats are kind of low for the day but still its only 350/calories.

    Whole grain pasta can be your friend while losing weight.

    I'm with ya there, pasta is just my personal evil, lol, it spikes my blood sugar and with PCOS it is VERY hard to digest carbs, which is why I too stick to the whole grain pasta. The reason I only eat it once every week or two is I eat too much of it, because I love it, lol, so now I have it for a treat so I don't over do it. :bigsmile:

    I didn't mean you specifically. Sorry if it came off that way. :flowerforyou: I've heard a lot of people talk about how pasta is bad for you.
  • jb_sweet_99
    jb_sweet_99 Posts: 856 Member
    Options
    I don't understand why pasta gets a bad rap. I understand not going to the Olive Garden where the lowest calorie dish is still 600/calories but at home it can be an amazing meal. I use whole grain pasta (180/cals), a Newman's Own red sauce (60-70/cals plus supporting good causes) and some california mixed veggies (50/cals) and get an extremely healthy, filling meal for about 300/calories. Sometimes I'll toss the pasta in olive oil when my fats are kind of low for the day but still its only 350/calories.

    Whole grain pasta can be your friend while losing weight.

    I'm with ya there, pasta is just my personal evil, lol, it spikes my blood sugar and with PCOS it is VERY hard to digest carbs, which is why I too stick to the whole grain pasta. The reason I only eat it once every week or two is I eat too much of it, because I love it, lol, so now I have it for a treat so I don't over do it. :bigsmile:

    I didn't mean you specifically. Sorry if it came off that way. :flowerforyou: I've heard a lot of people talk about how pasta is bad for you.

    No problem at all, I wanted to clarify for others as well before I got bombarded for calling it crap, lol!! :flowerforyou:
  • cherapple
    cherapple Posts: 670 Member
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    "Multi grain" just means the manufacturer threw a few different grains in there, not necessarily a lot of them, and not necessarily whole. "100% whole grain" is always the best choice over "multi grain."