From famous Italian pasta recipes that make your mouth water, to a quick and satisfying macaroni and cheese for the kids, this wonderfully versatile dish is a well-loved staple around the world.
The following guide will explain the origins of pasta, as well as describe its main health benefits.
The History of Pasta
The origination of pasta has been the subject of much debate and speculation. While it’s widely believed to have been first created in Italy, the oldest known noodle-like food is in fact traced back to China 4,000 years ago.
It’s also true that many different cultures ate some sort of noodle-like food dating back to antiquity. This meal was originally composed mostly of grain, while the key ingredients of the pasta we know today are durum wheat semolina.
The technique that produces pasta allows the dough to be highly malleable, thus the many shapes and sizes available today.
Health Benefits of Pasta
Nutrition
Pasta is a rich source of grains and carbohydrates, which form part of a complete diet that provides the essential vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients (the healthy substances found in plants, fruits, vegetables and grains) that the human body needs. Most international dietary guidelines recommend a daily allowance of 65% of your calorie intake should come from carbohydrates as part of a balanced diet.
In addition to being a prime source of carbohydrates, pasta is also beneficial in that it’s generally eaten with nutrient-dense food partners, such as fibre-filled vegetables and beans, protein-packed meats and cheese, monounsaturated oils and antioxidant-rich tomato sauce. This makes pasta meals a brilliant “delivery system” for a very nutritious meal.
Carbohydrates and Glucose
Carbohydrates such as pasta are a rich source of glucose, which is vital for your brain and muscles. Pasta is also an excellent source of complex carbohydrates, which deliver a slow release of energy, so it’s perfect for people on the move. Unlike simple sugars that give you a quick but fleeting boost, pasta works to sustain your energy levels.
Put more scientifically, pasta has a low Glycemic Index (GI), which measures how rapidly a carbohydrate triggers an increase in blood sugar i.e. the higher the number, the greater the blood sugar response. Thus it’s been proven that pasta does not cause sugar in the blood to rise quickly.
Sodium and Cholesterol
A great health advantage of pasta is that it’s cholesterol-free and very low in sodium. Some varieties also provide an excellent source of several important nutrients, such as iron and many B-vitamins.
Fibre
Just one cup of whole wheat pasta per day can provide your body with up to 25% of your recommended fibre requirements.
Folic Acid
Enriched pasta is fortified with folic acid, which is vital for women during pregnancy. One serving of dry pasta supplies the equivalent of roughly 100 micrograms of folic acid, or 25% of your recommended daily intake.
Weight Loss
While many people who want to lose weight look down on pasta, the true fact is that it’s losing calories, not carbohydrates, that results in weight loss. Studies show there are in fact no significant differences in weight reduction over the long term between low-carbohydrate diets and those considered to be high in carbohydrates when dieters cut back on similar calorie amounts.
Conclusion
Apart from being a wonderful source of slow-energy release carbohydrates and nutritious grains, pasta recipes make it easy for you to prepare a healthy, nutritious meal since they entail other beneficial ingredients such as tomatoes, vegetables and proteins (whether meats or beans). What’s more, pasta comes in so many appealing forms, plus it’s one of the easiest dishes to throw together.
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