Healthy_Food_Guide_UK_-_January_2020

70 HEALTHY FOOD GUIDE JANUARY 2020

Nutritionhighlights

Dried pasta is good value,

versatile and convenient, with a

long shelf life. It’s often viewed as

simply another starchy carb, but it

also has some nutrition benefits.

OPROTEIN

Regular pasta contains about 8g

protein per serving (equivalent

to a medium egg). Although it

lacks certain amino acids to

make it a ‘complete’ protein,

it will become so if served with

a sauce containing pulses.

OFIBRE

Wholegrain versions have around

a quarter of our daily 30g target

per 70g (dried weight serving)

plus a little iron, zinc and selenium

and a smattering of B vitamins.

OGI

When cooked al dente, both white

and wholegrain pastas have a low

glycaemic index (GI), which means

they give a slow and gentle rise in

blood sugar (read more about GI

in our Super Diets Section).

P

ASTA IS SUCH A UK DIET

STAPLE, it seems incredible

that until the 1970s it was

hard to find here except in

specialist Italian delis. Although

there are more than 600 shapes

and types in its homeland (with

each region having its favourites

and special recipes for serving

them), in the UK we tend to stick

with a few familiar styles. I’m often

asked whether fresh or dried is

better nutritionally – and are any

shapes better than others? See

my comparison chart for a quick

guide, plus cooked weights to

help you control portion sizes.

GIVE PASTA a

hea lthier twist

Don’t let

your favourite

pasta supper

spiral into

a waistlinedisaster.

Nutritioneditor

Amanda Ursell helps

you choose, measure

and cook, and offers

six nutritious toppings

D

yy

p

s

ii tlllii

What’s it made of?

Regular dried pasta, made the

Italian way, contains only durum

wheat and water, although new

variations with extra ingredients

(such as spinach, red lentils or

green pea flour) or diet-friendly

options such as gluten-free pasta,

are now widely available. Fresh

pasta is made with egg instead of

water. Although the shelves are

full of pasta ready meals and

ready to cook options such as

filled ravioli or tortellini, there are

so many dried versions and

healthy sauce options, it’s easy to

make your own special dish.