Calming effect. Your mood is affected by naturally occurring chemicals called neurotrans-
mitters that allow cells in your brain to transmit impulses from one to the other. Tryptophan,
an amino acid, is the most important constituent of serotonin, a “calming” neurotransmitter.
High-carbohydrate foods like pasta help move tryptophan into your brain, increasing your
ability to use serotonin. Eating pasta can be a soothing, calming act.
Adverse Effects Associated with This Food
Food allergy. According to the Merck Manual, wheat is among the foods most often implicated
as a cause of the classic food allergy symptoms—upset stomach, hives, skin rashes, angio-
edema (swelling of the face, eyes, and lips). For more information, see under wheat cereals.
Gluten intolerance (celiac disease). Celiac disease is an intestinal allergic disorder that results
in an inability to absorb the nutrients in gluten and gliadin. People with celiac disease cannot
absorb the nutrients in wheat or wheat products, such as pasta. Corn flour, potato flour, rice
flour, and soy flour are gluten- and gliadin-free. So are pasta products made of flour ground
from Jerusalem artichokes.
Food/Drug Interactions
Pasta