Alternative Pasta Options for Nutritional Boost
- Lentil, brown rice, or even yellow pea pastas are becoming more common and can increase the fibre, protein, and nutrient content of your meals.
- Refined pastas are now often enriched with iron, folic acid, or B vitamins to enhance their nutritional value. Folic acid is particularly important as it helps prevent certain birth defects. According to Lambert, these enriched pastas contain six times more folic acid than wholegrain pasta.
- High-protein, low-carb carbohydrate varieties might be a good choice for those who need to increase their protein intake or manage their blood sugar levels, suggests Lambert. However, for the average person, these types of pastas are often more expensive and harder to find than regular pasta, and they contain less fibre than whole grain options.
- Opting for wholegrain pasta is recommended to enhance your fibre intake, as it provides broader nutritional benefits compared to high-protein, low-carb alternatives.
Caution on Gluten-Free Products: While marketed as a healthy option, many gluten-free products are ultra-processed and may contain artificial sweeteners or flavourings that could be detrimental to your health. The ‘health halo’ surrounding gluten-free products is not backed by substantial scientific evidence for those without coeliac disease or non-coeliac gluten sensitivity, according to Lambert.
- Gluten-free pasta options are often made from refined grains and lack the broader nutritional benefits of wholegrain alternatives. Choosing gluten-free pasta when it’s not necessary could mean missing out on important nutrients.
On the health scale, pasta is a relatively better choice compared to other foods like boiled potatoes (GI value around 78), white bread (GI score of around 75), or even brown rice (GI score around 68).
