Pasta is the devil

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  • linz1125
    linz1125 Posts: 441 Member
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    What about quinoa? Not sure if I spelled that correctly, but I was too lazy to look it up. I've heard it's high in protein. Has anyone tried it?

    I love quinoa. I probably make it 2 x a week. Also I have been experimenting with barley and Lentils instead of pasta. When I really want pasta, I buy the dream fields brand. It's amazing, and you don't need as much of it to fill up.
  • Pooks1n1Schmoops
    Pooks1n1Schmoops Posts: 199 Member
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    I'll have to try some of these, thanks! I guess i didn't realize quinoa was higher in carbs. Maybe it was the protein I was thinking of. So far I've been eating almost the same things, just watching my portions. Last night I was at a birthday party and they had red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting. I ate two bites of the cake (sans frosting). It was a nice sweet taste and I didn't feel like I was bad. I did log it!
  • SunKissed1989
    SunKissed1989 Posts: 1,314 Member
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    Carbs are not the devil. That's just silly. A low Carb diet is just a low calorie diet in disguise. Eat within your limit and you're fine.

    I totally agree, I follow the eat well plate, within my calorie goals, and I've been losing weight just fine :smile:

    eatwellplatesmall2.jpg

    The two biggest sections in that place - fruit & veg and strachy carbs - nothing wrong with them:smile:
  • emnk5308
    emnk5308 Posts: 736
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    I now LOVE Light wheat bread, and wheat noodles =) Mmmm <3
  • paintlisapurple
    paintlisapurple Posts: 982 Member
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    I've seen the whole wheat pastas in the store. Some of them have the same nutritional values as those "tricolor" pastas, so what makes the whole wheat a better option?
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
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    Carbs are not the devil, but they are really easy to overeat. Measure your portions carefully- preferably by weight- and stick to whatever portion you've figured in to your macros. Try some of the pastas that are higher in protein or fiber or omega 3's if you need extra in those categories.

    If you want to cut them out, however, try shirataki noodles- they are VERY low calorie (20 cals/serving!), and low carb. They're generally in the refrigerated section of the grocery store in the produce aisle, wherever they sell tofu and vegetarian deli meat substitutes.

    tofu-shirataki-noodles.jpg
  • Pooks1n1Schmoops
    Pooks1n1Schmoops Posts: 199 Member
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    I think those tri-color pastas just have some natural coloring in them. I haven't seen any with a real nutritional difference. Whole wheat=more fiber=full longer!
    I've seen the whole wheat pastas in the store. Some of them have the same nutritional values as those "tricolor" pastas, so what makes the whole wheat a better option?
  • paintlisapurple
    paintlisapurple Posts: 982 Member
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    omg I've got to try these!

    Thanks for the info!
  • kayemme
    kayemme Posts: 1,782 Member
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    Sweets aren't really my go to thing. It's always been carbs. Brea, pasta, potatoes. I could exist on carbs alone. Ok, maybe cheese too. Does anyone know of any substitutes for carbs that are actually satisfying?

    i am/was in the same boat. i have found that fiber is my friend.

    therefore, i try to find other things that will work "in place" of bread & pasta, excepting when i'm at a party. so for instance, i use zucchini as a "noodle" replacement, cauliflower as a "pizza crust" and drink a crap ton of water. keep an eye on the recipes section of the forums. there are a lot of great "replacements"

    the summertime is a perfect time to start replacing or eliminating simple carbs from the diet because there's so much available so inexpensively.

    you might feel a little crappy at first, but then you start to feel SUPER good.
  • AbbsyBabbsy
    AbbsyBabbsy Posts: 184 Member
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    Sounds like a cold break from these trigger foods would be best for you! I had to do the same thing with chocolate, so I understand. Really, nothing I substitute will be as good, but it keeps the binging at bay. You don't have to go low-carb, just get carbs from fruits and veg.

    If you like mashed potatoes, I've heard mashed cauliflower tastes nearly identical. Roasting up some root veggies like sweet potato or parsnip might satisfy a french fry craving. Try wrapping things in lettuce instead of bread. The pasta I have no suggestion for because I hate the stuff. I'm making fresh pasta for dinner tomorrow, but only because my husband threatened a mutiny! LOL
  • kayemme
    kayemme Posts: 1,782 Member
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    What about quinoa? Not sure if I spelled that correctly, but I was too lazy to look it up. I've heard it's high in protein. Has anyone tried it?

    its a bit higher in carbs, but pretty tasty! i like it.

    higher in carbs as compared to what?

    plus it's super good for you. if you must have a grain, make quinoa the one.
  • Jill_newimprovedversion
    Jill_newimprovedversion Posts: 988 Member
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    I've been fortunate, I've found Nickels' 35 cal bread, so I haven't had to give up bread- even make paninis out of it

    and Ronzoni Smart Taste Pasta is 170 cal per 2 oz serving, 40 carbs, 5 g fiber, 6 g protein (which is A LOT of pasta, 1/6 of the package)

    so I haven't given up pasta either.

    I've gone to baking from scratch, using 50% white whole wheat flour and 50% all purpose and adding ground flaxseed meal
    to pizza doughs

    Spaghetti squash
    and
    shredded zucchini are good pasta swaps too- using marinara sauce or a light Italian dressing


    and as far carbs being the devil, throw some holy water on it - it'll cast out any demons and send them into your neighbor's pig farm
    Then sit down, and thank God for your *SANCTIFIED* food.
  • Sharyn913
    Sharyn913 Posts: 777 Member
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    Everyones body reacts differently to carbs....
  • kmm7309
    kmm7309 Posts: 802 Member
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    Whole wheat pasta and bread, sweet potatoes and the like.

    Seriously, don't avoid the carbs, but make them count. Complex carbs will help you feel full quicker and longer than refined carbs. My doctor told me to cut back my carbs to about 125 a day. This is a good number to strive for. I'm not trying to judge the atkin's diet, but I found it to be hard to sustain for me, a person who eats pasta and potatoes at every meal. 125 carbs/day was much easier for me to attain.
  • Pooks1n1Schmoops
    Pooks1n1Schmoops Posts: 199 Member
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    I've tried substituting some things for higher carb stuff. The really difficult part is my teenage boys. I can't even imagine the mutiny on my hands if I tried to replace pizza crust with cauliflower lol.
    Sweets aren't really my go to thing. It's always been carbs. Brea, pasta, potatoes. I could exist on carbs alone. Ok, maybe cheese too. Does anyone know of any substitutes for carbs that are actually satisfying?

    i am/was in the same boat. i have found that fiber is my friend.

    therefore, i try to find other things that will work "in place" of bread & pasta, excepting when i'm at a party. so for instance, i use zucchini as a "noodle" replacement, cauliflower as a "pizza crust" and drink a crap ton of water. keep an eye on the recipes section of the forums. there are a lot of great "replacements"

    the summertime is a perfect time to start replacing or eliminating simple carbs from the diet because there's so much available so inexpensively.

    you might feel a little crappy at first, but then you start to feel SUPER good.
  • Railr0aderTony
    Railr0aderTony Posts: 6,803 Member
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    I know I know. I'm looking for a magical no calorie carb. Anyone? LOL

    Miracle noodles, I love them, 0 calories and extreamly filling
  • elisabeisme
    elisabeisme Posts: 308 Member
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    Ricotta gnocchi. Solves the pasta craving but with less carbs.
  • MFPBrandy
    MFPBrandy Posts: 564 Member
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    I'll have to try some of these, thanks! I guess i didn't realize quinoa was higher in carbs. Maybe it was the protein I was thinking of. So far I've been eating almost the same things, just watching my portions. Last night I was at a birthday party and they had red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting. I ate two bites of the cake (sans frosting). It was a nice sweet taste and I didn't feel like I was bad. I did log it!
    Quinoa is healthy food; I love it. Carbs aren't bad; your body needs them for fuel. They key is having good carbs that are real grain, not overly-processed, nutritionless flour. I don't understand pasta cravings...pasta on its own tastes like nothing. It's the stuff that goes ON pasta that I crave, and I just put it on veggies instead. If you like the idea of pasta, a lot of people make "noodles" out of zucchini or other squash--I've seen some that look just like spaghetti. If you really need the pasta, maybe go with a whole-grain option and cut the amount of pasta in half, filling in th rest with veggies? Just some ideas....
    Now BREAD...I can't help you there. There's not much better than hot, crusty bread righ out of the oven, slathered in butter. Which is why the only bread I have in my house is deli oats or the occasional sandwich.
  • JosieRawr
    JosieRawr Posts: 788 Member
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    What about quinoa? Not sure if I spelled that correctly, but I was too lazy to look it up. I've heard it's high in protein. Has anyone tried it?

    It's worth trying, I love pasta... Quinoa is pretty good and versitile(from rice like dinners to oatmeal like breakfasts) I am a recent user, but I like it and found that it satisfied me much more than white pasta and fulfilled my carb craving with a smaller serving, i was full.
  • kayemme
    kayemme Posts: 1,782 Member
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    and as far carbs being the devil, throw some holy water on it - it'll cast out any demons and send them into your neighbor's pig farm
    Then sit down, and thank God for your *SANCTIFIED* food.

    heh. cute!

    i don't avoid carbs so much, but i do avoid simple carbs (anything refined) or not so much avoid, but carefully monitor. for me, it's a bit of a trigger. i have a bit more than i need here and then before I know it, I'm face down in a bag of chips.

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