Is Pasta a Healthy Food?

Pasta is a grain and can come in many forms. Pasta offers a rich source of nutrients, vitamins and minerals that can help you meet your daily nutritional needs. A balance of whole and enriched grains can help promote a complete diet, and pasta's nutritional value is further enhanced when supplemented with vegetables, tomato sauce and lean meats. Athletes often use pasta to "carb-load," a clinically proven method of increasing the body's energy supplies for athletic performance.

Carbohydrate

Pasta is perhaps most-recognized as supplying a high dose of carbohydrate. Carbohydrate is a macronutrient that helps provide the body with energy and restore depleted glycogen. Pasta is a complex carbohydrate, a specific type of carbohydrate that is broken down slowly and provides sustained energy throughout the day. Simple carbohydrates cause sharp spikes in blood sugar levels, and may contribute to weight gain and diabetes.

Protein

Pasta is surprisingly high in protein, a macronutrient that promotes tissue growth and repair. A cup of spaghetti has about 8 g of protein. When consumed with meat sauce and many plant ingredients, pasta dishes can contribute even more protein to the diet. An adult body needs at least 50 g of protein each day, according to MayoClinic.com.

Vitamins And Minerals

Vitamins and minerals are micronutrients that help promote healthy organ, cellular and metabolic function, such as vision and skin health. Pasta is high in B vitamins, fiber, thiamin, selenium, folic acid, and has traces of many other vitamins and minerals. Furthermore, many whole wheat pastas are low in sodium, a mineral that can lead to cardiovascular problems, reports the National Pasta Association.

Additional Nutrition

Pasta is relatively free of fat, saturated fat and cholesterol. One cup of spaghetti contains about 1 g of fat. Pasta can be part of a well-balanced diet that promotes healthy weight-loss because of its low calories and fat. Despite popular belief, a reduction in carbohydrate does not cause weight loss, but rather, a reduction in calories does. Regardless of your daily caloric needs, carbohydrates should account for about 65 percent of your diet.

Grain Group Guidelines

Pasta fits into the United States Department of Agriculture's grains group. For a standard 2,000 calorie diet, the USDA recommends consuming about 6 oz. of grains each day. At least half of these grains should be whole, meaning they contain bran and germ, and whole wheat pasta can help you meet this need. Add plenty of vegetables, low-sodium sauces and lean proteins to pasta to create meal packed with nutrients, vitamins and minerals.