Americans eat some 20 pounds of pasta per person every year, but until recently it was almost all made from wheat with most of the nutritional value stripped away. Indeed, for people watching their carbohydrates- such as those with diabetes or at risk for it-a plate of pasta was a temptation to be avoided.Recently, however, whole-grain pastas have begun to share shelf space with noodles made from processed grains. Unlike standard white pasta, made from wheat flour containing only the grains inner endosperm, whole-grain pasta retains the nutrition- and fiberrich outer bran and germ. Eating whole grains can help improve cholesterol levels and may reduce your risk of heart disease. Whole grains are also higher in dietary fiber. (According to the Ameri – can Diabetes Association, Because fiber is not digested like other carbohydrates, for carbohydrate-counting purposes, if a serving of a food contains more than or equal to 5 grams of dietary fiber, you can subtract half the grams of dietary fiber from the total carbohydrate serving of that food.)The current federal dietary guidelines advise men over 50 and all women to consume 3 ounce equivalents of whole grains daily; men ages 31-50 should aim for 3 1/2, while younger men need 4. For whole-grain pasta, an ounce equivalent is 1/2 cup of cooked pasta.While the growing availability of whole-grain pastas is great news for the nutrition-savvy, until recently its been disappointing to true pasta lovers. As Cooks Illustrated magazine described the problem, Weve always found these tan-streaked noodles so mushy, gritty and overbearingly wheaty that we questioned their place under a blanket of marinara-or almost any other sauce. The bran in wheat, although packed with fiber, can give pasta a sandpapery texture or make it mushy by inhibiting the binding power of gluten. Nutrients and oils in wheat germ can contribute an off, fishy taste to pasta.Manufacturers have tackled these challenges with custom milling techniques and even Teflon-coated dies that extrude pasta shapes more quickly, exerting less pressure and heat. Slower drying times at controlled temperatures help the pasta stay intact during cooking, combating mushiness. The result is a new generation of whole-grain pastas that a recent Cooks Illustrated taste test deemed buttery, smooth, yummy and that caused testers to ask, Is this really whole wheat?
| Goodbye, Gluten! Sufferers of Celiac disease and gluten allergies can still enjoy pasta. Creative manufacturers are churning out pasta from glutenfree grains including brown rice, corn and quinoa. A recent Bon Apptit magazine taste test gave top marks to Riso Bello Spaghetti al Riso made of rice and corn, Ancient Harvest Supergrain Quinoa Pasta with quinoa and corn, and Rustichella dAbruzzo Organic Corn Spaghetti. Our own tasters also like Trader Joes brown-rice pastas. |
Smart shoppers, however, should be aware that the answer to that question is often, Not 100%. As the Whole Grains Council cautions, Be skeptical if you see the words whole grain (or whole wheat) without more details. Other phrases such as multi-grain can imply that pasta is made from whole grains, but dont guarantee that it is. Organic wheat has nothing to do with whether a product contains whole grains.Of the three top finishers in Cooks Illustrateds taste test, for example, only one-Bionature Organic 100% Whole- Wheat Spaghetti-was made from 100% whole grains. The others, on close inspection, turn out to contain only 21% whole grains (Heartland Per – fect Balance Spaghetti) or zero (Barilla Plus Multigrain Spaghetti). Two other highly rated brands also deliver 100% whole grains: Gia Russa and DaVinci 100% whole-wheat spaghettis. But even the Whole Grain Spaghetti from the worlds bestselling brand, Barilla, weighs in at only 51% whole wheat.
| Smart Substitutions Eating out doesnt have to mean going without whole-grain pasta. According to the Whole Grains Council, these chain restaurants will substitute 100% whole-wheat pasta in their dishes-you just have to ask: Bucca di Beppo Maggianos Little Italy Noodles & Co. These franchised eateries also offer whole-wheat substitutions, although not necessarily 100% whole-grain pasta: Olive Garden Pasta Pomodoro Romanos Macaroni Grill |
Heres how can you be sure youre buying 100% whole-grain pasta:
Look for the 100% Whole Grain stamp from the Whole Grains Council, which certifies that all the grain is whole and that a product contains at least 16 grams of whole grains per serving. The councils basic stamp means only that a product contains at least 8 grams per serving; it may also contain refined grains.
Since not all food packagers participate in the stamp program, look for the phrase 100% whole wheat or 100% whole grain. If pasta doesnt say 100%, it probably isnt.
Check the ingredients list. If a wheat pasta contains any flour besides whole wheat flour or whole durum wheat flour, its not 100% whole grains. Semolina or durum wheat flour without the word whole attached indicates refined grains.
Doing a little homework can make a big difference in the health effects of your 20 pounds of pasta this year, while still delivering delicious meals worthy of mamma mia.TO LEARN MORE: Whole Grains Council, www.wholegrainscouncil.org. MyPyramid, www.mypyramid.gov.