Whole Wheat Pasta vs White Pasta

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horizonflight
horizonflight Posts: 75
in Food and Nutrition
I've been wondering about this: Which is healthier for you? Whole Wheat Pasta or White Pasta?

Here's my argument: If you look under the nutrition labels on pasta boxes and compare, side by side, a brand that produces whole wheat pasta with it's counter of white pasta, you will notice almost no difference in the nutrients. I've done this with both, Brilla Pasta AND Great Value Pasta. Both had the same values for calories per serving, the same amount of Carbs per serving, the only differences were, the whole wheat pasta on both brands had .5 grams more of fat than the processed white pasta, and the whole wheat had anywhere from 3-4 grams extra dietary fiber. Some whole wheat pastas had an addition of 15% each of Phosphorous and Magnesium. However, the processed white pasta had additions (enriched flour) to it but added Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, and Folate and ALSO had a higher count for Iron. So, when eating pastas, which is better? The little bit more processed, enriched white pasta that has less fat but more "vitamins essential for lowering cholesterol and building blood cells" or the whole wheat pasta that has more fat and a few more grams of dietary fiber that you could be getting from eating vegetables and fruits and legumes?

I realize that dietary fiber is an essential element to weight loss according Nutrition.gov. But so are vitamins B1, B2, and B3.

Nutrition.gov was revitalized by the staff at the Food and Nutrition Information Center (FNIC) and the National Agricultural Library (NAL) in cooperation with a panel of food and nutrition expert advisors from agencies within United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). FNIC's staff of trained nutrition professionals, most of whom are Registered Dietitians (R.D.), provide information on food and human nutrition.
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Replies

  • pander101
    pander101 Posts: 677 Member
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    "Enriched" usually means the vitamins is sprayed on so you lose it all when you boil it. So unless you drink the water you boil it in. You won't get those nutrients.
  • LiL_MisS_C
    LiL_MisS_C Posts: 332 Member
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    Brown rice pasta is amazing, and even better for you than whole wheat, and especially better for you than white pasta. :)


    Crystal
  • FitForeverAgain
    FitForeverAgain Posts: 330 Member
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    Processed vs. Unprocessed. When they create the flour for white pasta, it loses the germ / bran portions of the grain...where the nutrients and fiber live. Sure, the nutrition label says about he same, because the 'add' in (fortified) nutrients. Your body breaks down the WW pasta slower i.e. it converts into sugar slower to fuel your system. So, you get a smoother energy, insulin doesn't surge, and you feel fuller longer. Hope that makes some sense...
  • Nerdy_Rose
    Nerdy_Rose Posts: 1,277 Member
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    I eat rice pasta.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    Brown rice pasta is amazing, and even better for you than whole wheat, and especially better for you than white pasta. :)


    Crystal

    how is brown rice pasta better than white pasta?
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
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    When it comes to things that are made from refined wheat it doesn't matter too much. Bread, pasta, etc. it doesn't matter. Yes, whole wheat is a little better because of the extra fiber, vitamins and minerals. Regular pasta had added vitamins, but if you're taking a multivitamin and are eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables you'll get everything you need.
  • AHealthierRhonda
    AHealthierRhonda Posts: 881 Member
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    Where do you find rice pasta?? Is it in a regular grocery store or in a health food store.
  • hopemueller
    hopemueller Posts: 5
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    It's not only about comparing the label side by side, but know that you're getting more natural nutrients that occur in the food by going whole wheat. You're getting nutrition that your body knows how to deal with and use. You can also take vitamin pills to get everything you need, but it's not very efficient when they aren't packaged in a food that contains Other nutrients that allow your body to better utilize what it is eating. The same goes for foods enriched with vitamins and other nutrients. The other components that occured naturally in the food to help your body use everything might be missing, meaning you might be eating those extra things, but they're also just passing on through.

    I'm no nutritional expert, but I've read several places that high fiber diets lower cancer risk. I've never read anywhere that a low carb or low fat diet does the same.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    Wholemeal pasta has a lower glycemic load than white (without added fiber) which is the main reason it's generally considered healthier. If you eat your white pasta al dente it has a much lower GL than if you cook it longer because it takes your digestive system longer to digest the hard center than if the whole noodle is soft.

    Barilla Plus pasta is made with lentils and chickpeas in addition to grains and is the most nutritious pasta I've been able to find.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    Where do you find rice pasta?? Is it in a regular grocery store or in a health food store.

    Look in the gluten free or Asian sections of your market.
  • DGerman
    DGerman Posts: 7
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    We always either make our own or go with a Whole Grain Dried pasta. If you make your own you have a little more control over what is put into it. But I some found a great Whole Grain pastas that seams to better for you then the white and Tastes Pretty good.
  • Espressocycle
    Espressocycle Posts: 2,245 Member
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    Whole wheat pasta is such a sorry excuse for pasta. I'd rather have the real thing. If you ever see buckwheat pasta though, that is yum.
  • darlalu00
    darlalu00 Posts: 187 Member
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    Whole wheat pasta
  • dosesr4winners20
    dosesr4winners20 Posts: 362
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    I've been wondering about this: Which is healthier for you? Whole Wheat Pasta or White Pasta?

    Here's my argument: If you look under the nutrition labels on pasta boxes and compare, side by side, a brand that produces whole wheat pasta with it's counter of white pasta, you will notice almost no difference in the nutrients. I've done this with both, Brilla Pasta AND Great Value Pasta. Both had the same values for calories per serving, the same amount of Carbs per serving, the only differences were, the whole wheat pasta on both brands had .5 grams more of fat than the processed white pasta, and the whole wheat had anywhere from 3-4 grams extra dietary fiber. Some whole wheat pastas had an addition of 15% each of Phosphorous and Magnesium. However, the processed white pasta had additions (enriched flour) to it but added Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, and Folate and ALSO had a higher count for Iron. So, when eating pastas, which is better? The little bit more processed, enriched white pasta that has less fat but more "vitamins essential for lowering cholesterol and building blood cells" or the whole wheat pasta that has more fat and a few more grams of dietary fiber that you could be getting from eating vegetables and fruits and legumes?

    I realize that dietary fiber is an essential element to weight loss according Nutrition.gov. But so are vitamins B1, B2, and B3.

    I say whole wheat only b/c the extra fiber is a good thing but also b/c it fills me up on half as much thus lower carbs and generally eating less but staying full longer.
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
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    Whole wheat pasta is such a sorry excuse for pasta. I'd rather have the real thing. If you ever see buckwheat pasta though, that is yum.

    How is whole wheat pasta not real pasta?
  • ncwingnut71
    ncwingnut71 Posts: 292 Member
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    Where do you find rice pasta?? Is it in a regular grocery store or in a health food store.

    I get it at Trader Joe's or Whole foods. Haven't seen it at any regular stores around here, but I haven't checked the higher end ones, either.
  • yoshi91610
    yoshi91610 Posts: 177 Member
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    Processed vs. Unprocessed. When they create the flour for white pasta, it loses the germ / bran portions of the grain...where the nutrients and fiber live. Sure, the nutrition label says about he same, because the 'add' in (fortified) nutrients. Your body breaks down the WW pasta slower i.e. it converts into sugar slower to fuel your system. So, you get a smoother energy, insulin doesn't surge, and you feel fuller longer. Hope that makes some sense...

    This is really the reason why Whole Wheat is healthier. Sure comparing side to side they seem about the same, but for energy purposes (and diabetics) whole wheat is better. Basically, if you take white pasta, and eat it, your insulin levels rise faster, you burn the energy faster and become hungrier, so you eat more. If you eat whole wheat, those same levels rise slower, you burn the energy slower and stay fuller longer. Our bodies aren't really made for processed foods that spike our insulin levels, which is a part of why diabetes is such a problem now a days.
  • EDesq
    EDesq Posts: 1,527 Member
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    I've been wondering about this: Which is healthier for you? Whole Wheat Pasta or White Pasta?

    Here's my argument: If you look under the nutrition labels on pasta boxes and compare, side by side, a brand that produces whole wheat pasta with it's counter of white pasta, you will notice almost no difference in the nutrients. I've done this with both, Brilla Pasta AND Great Value Pasta. Both had the same values for calories per serving, the same amount of Carbs per serving, the only differences were, the whole wheat pasta on both brands had .5 grams more of fat than the processed white pasta, and the whole wheat had anywhere from 3-4 grams extra dietary fiber. Some whole wheat pastas had an addition of 15% each of Phosphorous and Magnesium. However, the processed white pasta had additions (enriched flour) to it but added Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, and Folate and ALSO had a higher count for Iron. So, when eating pastas, which is better? The little bit more processed, enriched white pasta that has less fat but more "vitamins essential for lowering cholesterol and building blood cells" or the whole wheat pasta that has more fat and a few more grams of dietary fiber that you could be getting from eating vegetables and fruits and legumes?

    I realize that dietary fiber is an essential element to weight loss according Nutrition.gov. But so are vitamins B1, B2, and B3.

    Nutrition.gov was revitalized by the staff at the Food and Nutrition Information Center (FNIC) and the National Agricultural Library (NAL) in cooperation with a panel of food and nutrition expert advisors from agencies within United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). FNIC's staff of trained nutrition professionals, most of whom are Registered Dietitians (R.D.), provide information on food and human nutrition.

    YOU have to decide what is BEST for YOUR needs. Get off of this "Processed vs Not processed" kick. THINK about what you are choosing to eat...Almost EVERYTHING you buy is Processed, some more than others...PASTA, ALL of it is PROCESSED, ALL, Highly Processed! Why? Because it all comes from WHEAT, just Like Most Bread..No matter what you do to it a LOT of nutrients will be lost. Adding nutrients back by Enrichment is good (AND it is NOT Sprayed on, it is ADDED into the process of forming the product, just like with Enriched Bread or Milk...it is added IN the thing. Also keep in mind that when ANYTHING is COOKED, nutrients will be lost, how much is lost is determined how MUCH it is cooked, Example: Kale is LOADED with certain vitamins when eaten RAW, when you put it in water and cook it, many of the vitamins will leach out into the water (in the South, we call that Pot Liquor and we Drink it, we love the liquor off of our Greens...and it is VERY Nutritious.)

    So, it is important to know what YOU want and do your own research...ME, I like regular, enriched pasta better, because of Texture. I only eat pasta about once every 2-3 weeks so it is Negligible to Me...NOW, if it were Rice or Oatmeal it would be different. Because I eat these almost daily, I ONLY eat WHOLE grains. And Remember, just because it says Wheat...mean NOTHING, it MUST say WHOLE Wheat or Rye...or Whole Grain.
  • lanicota
    lanicota Posts: 19
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    Whole pasta is BETTER than white pasta. Whole wheat pasta has bran, germ & endosperm. When pasta gets processed (white pasta) the wheat and the germ come off and the only thing left on the pasta is part of the endosperm. Bran and germ are important because of fiber.
  • FitForeverAgain
    FitForeverAgain Posts: 330 Member
    Options
    I've been wondering about this: Which is healthier for you? Whole Wheat Pasta or White Pasta?

    Here's my argument: If you look under the nutrition labels on pasta boxes and compare, side by side, a brand that produces whole wheat pasta with it's counter of white pasta, you will notice almost no difference in the nutrients. I've done this with both, Brilla Pasta AND Great Value Pasta. Both had the same values for calories per serving, the same amount of Carbs per serving, the only differences were, the whole wheat pasta on both brands had .5 grams more of fat than the processed white pasta, and the whole wheat had anywhere from 3-4 grams extra dietary fiber. Some whole wheat pastas had an addition of 15% each of Phosphorous and Magnesium. However, the processed white pasta had additions (enriched flour) to it but added Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, and Folate and ALSO had a higher count for Iron. So, when eating pastas, which is better? The little bit more processed, enriched white pasta that has less fat but more "vitamins essential for lowering cholesterol and building blood cells" or the whole wheat pasta that has more fat and a few more grams of dietary fiber that you could be getting from eating vegetables and fruits and legumes?

    I realize that dietary fiber is an essential element to weight loss according Nutrition.gov. But so are vitamins B1, B2, and B3.

    Nutrition.gov was revitalized by the staff at the Food and Nutrition Information Center (FNIC) and the National Agricultural Library (NAL) in cooperation with a panel of food and nutrition expert advisors from agencies within United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). FNIC's staff of trained nutrition professionals, most of whom are Registered Dietitians (R.D.), provide information on food and human nutrition.

    YOU have to decide what is BEST for YOUR needs. Get off of this "Processed vs Not processed" kick. THINK about what you are choosing to eat...Almost EVERYTHING you buy is Processed, some more than others...PASTA, ALL of it is PROCESSED, ALL, Highly Processed! Why? Because it all comes from WHEAT, just Like Most Bread..No matter what you do to it a LOT of nutrients will be lost. Adding nutrients back by Enrichment is good (AND it is NOT Sprayed on, it is ADDED into the process of forming the product, just like with Enriched Bread or Milk...it is added IN the thing. Also keep in mind that when ANYTHING is COOKED, nutrients will be lost, how much is lost is determined how MUCH it is cooked, Example: Kale is LOADED with certain vitamins when eaten RAW, when you put it in water and cook it, many of the vitamins will leach out into the water (in the South, we call that Pot Liquor and we Drink it, we love the liquor off of our Greens...and it is VERY Nutritious.)

    So, it is important to know what YOU want and do your own research...ME, I like regular, enriched pasta better, because of Texture. I only eat pasta about once every 2-3 weeks so it is Negligible to Me...NOW, if it were Rice or Oatmeal it would be different. Because I eat these almost daily, I ONLY eat WHOLE grains. And Remember, just because it says Wheat...mean NOTHING, it MUST say WHOLE Wheat or Rye...or Whole Grain.

    If you think WW and white pastas are processed by our bodies the same - I've been misinformed through many years of schooling. This is the number one reason we need to eat more WW over refined white...our insulin response.

    Secondly, if you think the added nutrients to white pasta are equal to what is removed when the bran / germ / endo come out, you're mistaken. I'm also a bit confused by the fact that you argue that white is essentially just as good as WW in terms of nutritional value. Yet, you eat white pasta only every 2-3 weeks, and if it were more regularly, you'd do like you do with your other "whole grains" and only eat them. Why worry about it if they're essentially equal?

    I believe the OP is beginning their own research, right here. Though some of it may be misguided, it's not much more of a hit / miss proposition as google and the people spewing idiotic theories there.

    EDIT: Typo.

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