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Pasta Nutrition
 Pasta is as nutritious as it is delicious. It is low in fat and sodium, has no cholesterol and contains complex carbohydrates, which can provide longer lasting energy and help you to feel fuller longer.
- Complex carbohydrates are starches that require more time to digest than simple carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates are the body’s best source of energy because they are burned in a constant, time-released manner.
Pasta can be made with whole grain or enriched grain flour. Pasta, as with most grain foods, is a good source of fiber, the major B vitamins (thiamin, niacin and folic acid) and iron.
- Fiber is a general term for the indigestible part of plant foods. It provides almost no energy or calories, yet is an important part of a healthy diet. There are two types of dietary fiber: insoluble and soluble.
- White flour products contain some soluble fiber, which has been shown to lower blood cholesterol levels when eaten as part of a low-fat diet.
- Whole-wheat products and bran are sources of insoluble fiber, which acts as a bulk producer to help reduce the risk of constipation and diverticular disease, and help relieve hemorrhoids. Foods containing insoluble fiber may also reduce the risk of colon cancer, and according to recent studies, may help reduce the risk of breast cancer.
- Folic acid is a B vitamin that has been shown to protect against neural tube defects such as spina bifida (a birth defect in which the spinal cord is not completely encased in bone) and anencephaly (a fatal defect in which part of the brain never develops).
The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend five to ten ounces of grain foods such as bread, cereal, rice and pasta daily (depending on age, gender and activity level), with half of them coming from whole-grain foods. One serving or ounce-equivalent equals 1/2 cup of cooked pasta or about 2.5 ounces.
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