Pasta Alternatives for Weight Loss

What is better than a plateful of spaghetti and meatballs? How about a plateful of a healthier pasta alternative that tastes just as good, but won't run your diet in the ditch? There are lots of pasta options today that can reduce the calories and carbs in your favorite dishes. So, if you crave pasta dishes, but are trying to lose weight, read on for ideas to stay on track!

First, a Reminder About Refined Grain Products

A majority of Americans today eat a diet full of refined grains lacking much nutritional value. When dieting, cutting out the refined "white" foods from your diet is an effective way to lose weight.

The Care2 website gives healthy and green living tips. Their article, "Whole Grains Vs. Refined Grains" explains how most of the nutrients are removed when grains are milled. "Modern milling of whole cereal grains puts the kernel through a high-heat milling process that removes the germ and bran (which contain 90 percent of the nutritional content of the kernel), leaving only the endosperm (starch). The starch is then ground into different sizes for different purposes. The result is "refined" flour." They tells us that refined wheat flour is so nutritionally insufficient bugs die eating it in silos! Also, foods that contain refined grains are higher on the glycemic index than whole grains, which can play havoc with blood sugar levels.

Whole Grain Pasta is Lower on the Glycemic Index

Pasta made from whole grain is lower on the glycemic index than its refined cousin. This helps blood sugar levels stay under control, which can alter that number on your scale for the better.

You can find a good selection of healthy whole grain pastas that are very tasty as you take a stroll down most any store's grain and pasta aisle. At Safeway you can find Barilla brand, which has a complete line of whole grain pasta made of whole durham wheat flour that includes linguini, spaghetti, shells, penne and more. Or look for Hodgson Mill Gluten Free Brown Rice Pasta with Milled Flax Seed. They also stock De Boles, which is a Weight Watcher's endorsed pasta that is made of whole grain with Jerusalem artichoke flour. Eating Right is a Safeway store brand that is made of whole wheat flour. There's also O Organics and Ronzoni Healthy Harvest.

Just take a minute to locate the whole grain pasta options in your favorite store and try them out. You'll be surprised at how good they are!

Low Carb Pasta

Another angle is low carb pasta that reduces the effective carb count. Dreamfields is low carb brand of pasta you'll find in your grocer's aisle, perfect for the low carb dieter. Dreamfields claims that their products have a glycemic index of 13, compared to regular pasta glycemic index of 38, and only 5 grams of digestible carbs per serving.

A new low carb option is Tofu Shirataki by House Foods. Tofu Shirataki is a high-fiber, low-calorie pasta alternative made from blending the root of the Konnyaku (from the yam family) and tofu. House Food's website gives the details for this product as follows:

>Comes shaped like spaghetti, fettuccine and angel hair.
>3 grams of carbs per serving
>20 calories per 4 oz. serving
>No cholesterol or sugar
>Gluten and dairy free
>Vegan

Hungry Girl's Newsletter has a side-by-side review of Tofu Shirataki and Ronzoni's Cappellini. They rave about the Tofu Shirataki and when comparing the nutrient details, the Tofu Shirataki saves 400 calories and 81 carbs over the cappellini for a 4 ounce serving! I'm picking up some tomorrow from Sprouts Farmers Market, and will report back on it. Tastebook.com has a recipe that looks very tempting, "Tofu Shirataki Spaghetti". Medi-Weightloss also offers a homemade chicken soup recipe that uses this product!

Spaghetti Squash Instead of Pasta

When I first heard of using spaghetti squash instead of spaghetti, I was doubtful. I had never eaten it before and imagined some mushy, gooey vegetable with spaghetti sauce on top. But I was wrong! Once this squash is cooked, you simply run a fork across the cooked flesh and it turns into firm, spaghetti-like strands that taste delicious with your favorite spaghetti sauce! Here is Emeril's Spaghetti Squash and Marinara Sauce recipe from Planet Green's Food & Health section.

Next time you are craving pasta, rather than blowing your diet, why not go whole grain, low carb or replace it with spaghetti squash? You might find that you don't really miss that plate of refined white spaghetti or penne pasta. Use these pasta alternatives to stay on track while you are dieting, and to maintain your weight loss once you've reached your goal. Your waistline will thank you!

Related Reading:
Can Hot Chili Peppers Help You Lose Weight?
Tips for Dining Out on a Diet
Use the Glycemic Index and Lose Weight

Resources:
Care2.com
Safeway Website
House-foods.com
Tastebook.com
Hungry-Girl.com
Planet Green