Turns out pasta is not bad for your health! 5 convincing reasons to add it to your diet

We might like it in different sauces, or in soup, or as a part of our salads, but you can’t deny that no one can say ‘no’ to pasta. This Italian dish is loved all across the world, from the US to India.

Generally made from durum wheat flour, pasta is consumed in multiple forms like spaghetti, fusilli, tortellini, cannelloni, penne, and macaroni. All of these are boiled in water to be prepared for consumption.

But, did you know that the widely consumed refined pasta could put you at the risk of high glucose levels, insulin resistance and high blood pressure? But, this doesn’t mean you stop eating pasta. Instead, you need to shift to whole wheat pasta given that it is a great source of fibre, selenium, copper, manganese, and phosphorus. Hence, if you’re a pasta lover, we say you make a shift right about now.

Clearly it is not as bad for your health as you thought it was and can come with multiple benefits as long as the ingredient used to make it is healthy.

So, let’s take a look at the goodness that pasta brings to your plate:

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1. It has antioxidant properties
Antioxidants prevent cell damage that is caused by highly unstable molecules known as free radicals which are concerned with ageing, heart disease, and cancer.

Manganese is part of an antioxidant enzyme called superoxide dismutase (SOD) and 140 gram or one-cup serving of whole wheat pasta is enriched with 97% of our daily need for manganese. This is why you could actually consider making pasta a part of your weekly diet.

2. It is low on sodium and cholesterol-free
Pasta contains low sodium levels and absolutely no cholesterol. This makes it a functional food to consume.

3. It is rich in folic acid
Folic acid is a very crucial nutrient for every pregnant woman. One cup of enriched pasta can supply you with about 26% of the daily recommended value. So, mothers-to-be, it’s time for you to go Italian.

4. It can be a part of your balanced diet
Around 45 to 65% of our calories must be from a source of carbohydrates, preferably complex carbohydrates. Whole wheat pasta is a great source of it. When combined with lean protein and vegetables, pasta makes a complete and wholesome meal that caters well to our dietary needs.

5. It helps you avoid hunger pangs
So, if you are a sucker for Italian food and have been keeping away from pasta because of your diet, this is your good news for the day! Try to avoid heavily processed pasta. We suggest you consume a small to regular portion of whole wheat pasta. While you are at it, you must also try to reduce the sugary, and high-fat ingredients for making your pasta.
So, it turns out that you don’t need to avoid pasta when you want to be healthy. Instead, you should just consume whole wheat pasta!