Pasta is a staple food of traditional Italian cuisine, with the first reference dating to 1154 in Sicily. Pasta is a noodle made from an unleavened dough of a durum wheat flour mixed with water or eggs and formed into sheets or various shapes, then cooked by boiling or baking. It can also be made with flour from other cereals or grains. Pastas has two broad categories, dried (pasta secca) and fresh (pasta fresca). Pasta is a low fat, low sodium, low glycemic, complex carbohydrate and a good source of thiamine, folic acid, iron, riboflavin and niacin.
According to Barilla, "The protein and the starch create a strong network that makes the microstructure of pasta really unusual. And cooked al dente, pasta's GI index is lower than if it's overcooked. One way you can tell if you have a good quality pasta is if the water stays clear (instead of cloudy) as you cook it and the pasta is not sticky when you drain it, which means the starch remains trapped in the pasta."
"Durum wheat is different from the grains in white rice or white bread; the protein in it helps to create a structure and texture that hepls keep blood sugar steady. So we don't want to see pasta lumped together with cookies, pies, pastries and snack foods in the 'foods to eat less of' category, because these are completely different foods." Says Prita Wadwhani, Senior Integrated Marketing Manager at Barilla.
Pasta is a perfect foundation for healthy, nutritious and satisfying meals. Pasta is generally eaten with nutrient-dense food partners, such as fiber-filled vegetables and beans, heart healthy fish and monounsaturated oils, antioxidant-rich tomato sauce and protein-packed cheeses, poultry and lean meats. Pasta offers:
- SUSTAINED ENERGY: Carbohydrates like pasta provide glucose, the crucial fuel for your brain and muscles. Pasta is an excellent source of complex carbohydrates, which provide a slow release of energy. Unlike simple sugars that offer a quick, yet fleeting boost of energy, pasta helps sustain energy.
- LOW SODIUM & CHOLESTEROL-FREE: Pasta is very low in sodium and cholesterol-free. Per cup, enriched varieties provide a good source of several essential nutrients, including iron and several B-vitamins. Whole wheat pasta can provide up to 25% of daily fiber requirements in every one cup portion.
- FOLIC ACID: Enriched pasta is fortified with folic acid - essential for women of child-bearing age. FDA regulations require enriched grain products to contain this important vitamin. A serving of dry pasta supplies the equivalent of roughly 100 micrograms of folic acid, or 25% of the recommended daily intake.
- BALANCED DIET: Pasta is part of a well-balanced diet. Current dietary guidance calls for up to 65% of daily calories to come from carbohydrates, such as pasta.
- LOW GI: Pasta has a low Glycemic Index (GI) so it does not cause blood glucose levels to rise quickly. Blood glucose is sometimes referred to as blood "sugar".
