Question about pasta

kailyamie
kailyamie Posts: 130
in Food and Nutrition
I am attempting a low carb diet, and today I went to the store to get some whole grain pasta b/c I'm making spaghetti for dinner. My husband and I were comparing labels on the different kinds of pasta, and low and behold, white, whole grain, and whole wheat pasta have pretty much the same nutrition info with the exception of a higher fiber content in whole grain. But the amount of carbs and calories is the same. So what's so special about eating whole grain pasta?? Is there a difference between whole grain carbs and white carbs? Or no? I bought the whole grain angel hair noodles anyway, I am just wondering if there's actually a difference??

Replies

  • Rilke
    Rilke Posts: 1,201 Member
    http://www.shapefit.com/healthy-carbohydrates-brown-carbs-white-carbs.html

    Nutshell:
    - White pasta is more processed. The bran and germ have been removed, which takes out the fiber as well as other things that are not listed on labels, like B vitamins, trace minerals, phytochemicals, and probably other things we don't even know exist yet.
    - Whole grains are absorbed more slowly.
    - Fiber is important.
  • babyblake11
    babyblake11 Posts: 1,107 Member
    wholegrain pasta is alot better for you, just like wholemeal bread.
    the wholemeal/wholegrain options keep you fuller and give your body more nutrition, you get cravings when your body lacks nutrition so although you may be full, you will crave more food because your body is lacking something.
  • catwrangler
    catwrangler Posts: 918 Member
    some more:

    http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/not-all-carbs-are-created-equally
  • skinnyminniexx
    skinnyminniexx Posts: 67 Member
    white carbs are also known as simple carbs. whole wheat carbs are also known as complex carbs. it takes your body more work (and essentially more calories) to break down a complex carb than a simple carb. simple carbs are also turned into sugar in your body.
  • Meggles63
    Meggles63 Posts: 916 Member
    Fiber!!
  • dmpizza
    dmpizza Posts: 3,321 Member
    Any "white" product, rice or flour needs to have nutrients added back in. The bleaching process destroys the original nutritional value. This was discoverd about 100 years ago when people started starving even though they had enough food and money.

    A whole grain product doesn't need to have things added back.
  • farmgirlsuz
    farmgirlsuz Posts: 351 Member
    Sort of off topic here but I had heard that by tossing the pasta in a little Extra Virgin Olive Oil helps to prevent the body from absorbing the carbs. I am sure someone will correct me if I am wrong, but just wanted to throw that out there.
  • teagin2002
    teagin2002 Posts: 1,900 Member
    Hello,
    If you still have the box compare the sugar count, on a low carb diet a person wants to focus on items with low sugar count because he/she wants to avoid a spike in blood sugar. Also keep in mind fiber does not effect blood sugar. So you should find that the difference is the pasta with more fiber will not have as much as an effect on your blood sugar as the one without.
    Fiber makes the carbs digestion process slower and there for avoiding a spike in blood sugar. The high fiber pasta will also have more nutrients in it that our body's need. For me it makes my body feel happier, maybe cause I know that it is better.

    I hope with helps.
  • LilMissFoodie
    LilMissFoodie Posts: 612 Member
    For pasta, I don't think there is that much difference between them. For bread there is quite a significant difference. It really depends on the type of carb as to the difference wholegrains make but in general, there isn't any downside nutritionally to having the wholegrain over the white (but taste or cooking time there might be so it's all about working out what you are willing to live with!).
  • LilMissFoodie
    LilMissFoodie Posts: 612 Member
    Sort of off topic here but I had heard that by tossing the pasta in a little Extra Virgin Olive Oil helps to prevent the body from absorbing the carbs. I am sure someone will correct me if I am wrong, but just wanted to throw that out there.

    It won't stop the body from absorbing the carbs but it will make the overall GI (glycaemic index) of the meal lower so the carbs will be absorbed more slowly and your blood sugar won't peak as high or as quickly.
  • farmgirlsuz
    farmgirlsuz Posts: 351 Member
    Sort of off topic here but I had heard that by tossing the pasta in a little Extra Virgin Olive Oil helps to prevent the body from absorbing the carbs. I am sure someone will correct me if I am wrong, but just wanted to throw that out there.

    It won't stop the body from absorbing the carbs but it will make the overall GI (glycaemic index) of the meal lower so the carbs will be absorbed more slowly and your blood sugar won't peak as high or as quickly.

    I knew it was something like that! Thanks for clarifying it for me!
  • dawniegirl128
    dawniegirl128 Posts: 2
    I have recently been using shiratake noodles as a pasta alternative. I like the angel hair version best. You get them in the refridgerated section. They come in a liquid, you rinse for a while in very hot water. They are great in stir fry. Three grams of carbs and 20 calories a serving.
  • Wynterbourne
    Wynterbourne Posts: 2,224 Member
    I have recently been using shiratake noodles as a pasta alternative. I like the angel hair version best. You get them in the refridgerated section. They come in a liquid, you rinse for a while in very hot water. They are great in stir fry. Three grams of carbs and 20 calories a serving.

    I just purchased some for the first time today. Been scouring recipes, but haven't decided on what to do with the first batch yet.
  • megan6709
    megan6709 Posts: 60 Member
    You could try Dreamfields pasta - it has the regular amount of carbs, but they make it so that you only digest a small portion of the carbs, therefore it might count less. Not sure how you would put that into the software though...
  • kailyamie
    kailyamie Posts: 130
    Thanks everyone, the whole grain pasta that I had was delicious. It was the Mueller's new whole grain angel hair. It wasn't chewy like other whole grain pasta that I've had :)

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