The food police just want you to be anxious and stop you eating nice stuff!
OK so pasta isn’t a huge source of nutrients but at the same time it’s not going to hurt you (unless you’re coeliac, which most people aren’t). Not everything you eat has to have a long and scientific list of vitamins and minerals.
Pasta is a fab source of energy-giving complex carbs and also has energy-unlocking B vitamins and it acts as a delicious host for all the nutritious foods like tomato sauce, ratatouille, bolognese, shellfish and, well, virtually anything and it’s GERT LOVELY and tastes nicer than flippin’ keenwaaaahhh! Gak!
To make pasta a healthier part of your eating try these:
- Thicker pasta shapes. They release their energy more slowly than something thinner like vermicelli. But remember that certain sauces go better with certain pastas, more delicate sauces such as our mushroom, garlic and lemon one, need thinner shapes.
- Cook it ‘al dente’so it still has some bite and isn’t all squish and mush. That way it takes longer to break down.
- Have the right amount for your body, which isn’t usually a washing-up bowl size portion unless you’re a baby gorilla.
- Have some protein with it to slow things down, try our creamy chilli chicken spaghetti or lentil and tomato bolognese.
- Mix half white half wholewheat but remember, white is fine, it’s not like you’re eating it every day and the sauce’s nutrients make up for any shortfall in the pasta. Wholewheat just sometimes doesn’t tick the niceness box does it?
- Have a side salad with a lovely dressing. Pimp your meals with plant-foods if you can 🥗❤
- Use dried instead of fresh-bought. It’s less mushy and releases more slowly.
“Everything you see I owe to spaghetti.”
Sophia Loren
Nutrition for Everyone
Add more life to your years with a beautiful, healthy Mediterranean-style diet.
