Pasta is a culinary staple made from flour, water and (sometimes) eggs. In the United States, the majority of pasta consumed begins with refined flour, or flour that's milled to remove the two outer layers of the grain. Whole grain pasta, made from flours containing all three layers of the grain, provides more vitamins, minerals and fiber than its refined pasta counterpart.
Refined vs. Whole Grain
To understand what whole grain pasta is, it's necessary to understand whole grains and how they differ from refined grains. A grain is the seed of a grass. The common grains, often referred to as cereal grains, include wheat, rye, barley, oats and rice. Whole grain, the natural state of grain, contains three distinct layers: the endosperm, the germ and the bran. The two outermost layers, the germ and bran, contain the majority of the vitamins, minerals and fiber. When manufacturers refine grains (which is usually done to create a product with a milder flavor and smoother texture), they remove the germ and bran. Although manufacturers enrich products using refined grains with vitamins and minerals, they still contain fewer nutrients. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that adults consume between five and eight ounce-equivalents of grain foods per day, and at least half those should come from whole grains. Eating whole grain pasta helps to meet these requirements.
Types
If you enjoy refined pasta, you may find it difficult to switch from normal refined pasta to whole grain pasta. Whole grain pasta not only provides more nutrients, but it also differs in flavor and texture. Some whole grain pastas begin with whole wheat flours. Others are made using a combination of flours, including oat flour or barley flour. Using oats and barley increases the amount of soluble fiber, making these pastas even healthier for the heart. Some whole grain pastas include legume flours, or flours made from legumes like chickpeas or lentils.
Fiber
Eating whole grain pasta helps you meet your daily recommended intake of dietary fiber. Dietary fiber is the portion of a plant food that the enzymes in the intestines can not break down. As an essential component to any healthy diet, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults consume approximately 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories consumed. This means that, on average, men should consume 35 grams of fiber per day, while women should consume 28 grams. The fact that many Americans consume refined pasta over whole grain pasta contributes to why the average American consumes only about 14 grams of fiber per day, according to the Colorado State University Extension.
Benefits
Consuming whole grain pasta supports a healthy cardiovascular system. Soluble fiber attracts LDL cholesterol and then binds to bile, which the body excretes. This means that foods containing soluble fiber can help to lower the amount of cholesterol found in the blood vessels, which lowers your risk of heart disease. Eating high-fiber foods also helps you to feel full for a longer period of time, which reduces the amount of food you consume between meals. This helps to maintain a healthy weight, which is also important for a healthy heart. High-fiber pasta contains more vitamin E than its refined counterpart, which may also help protect against heart disease.
Member Comments