Launched in 2004, Dreamfields pasta is marketed as pasta for people who are diabetic or want to limit carbohydrate consumption. It's produced using technology that creates pasta that looks and tastes like regular pasta but has fewer "digestible carbohydrates," so it does not cause a spike in blood sugar for most people. It's also a good source of dietary fiber, B vitamins and iron.
Function
The way Dreamfields pasta is made prevents most of the carbohydrates from being digested. This allows the manufacturer to make a pasta that's just like traditional pasta because it consists primarily of semolina, but when their blend of dietary fiber (inulin) and protein is added, the structure of the pasta is changed in a way that prevents digestive enzymes from breaking down the carbohydrates. The result is a decrease in the number of carbohydrates that are digested.
Ingredients
The nutrition label on Dreamfields pasta states that the ingredients include: enriched semolina, iron, B vitamins, inulin, wheat gluten (plant protein), xanthan gum (food fiber), pectin (fruit fiber) and potassium chloride.
Basic Nutrition
A 2 oz. serving (uncooked) of Dreamfields pasta has 190 calories, 1 gram (g) of sugar and 1 g of fat. It provides 5 grams of fiber, which is about twice the fiber found in regular pasta. The nutrition information comes from the package labeling and does not include the amount of vitamins and minerals; nutrients are reported only as a percentage of the recommended daily value. Keep in mind that the percentages are based on a 2,000 calorie a day diet, so the nutrition you receive may be more or less, depending on the number of calories in your diet. Dreamfields pasta provides six of the B vitamins. It has 2 percent of the recommended daily value (DV) of pantothenic acid, 4 percent of vitamin B6, 15 percent of riboflavin, 20 percent of niacin and 40 percent of both thiamin and folate. It also supplies iron (10 percent DV), phosphorus (8 percent DV), copper (8 percent DV) and zinc (6 percent DV).
Carbohydrates
Dreamfields pasta has 41 grams of carbohydrates, which is about the same as regular pasta, but the manufacturer's research shows that only 5 grams of the carbohydrates are digested. The glycemic index is a number used to rate how quickly blood sugar levels increase after eating a specific food. The Dreamfields Foods website states that every batch of pasta is tested to ensure it has a low glycemic index (GI) rating of about 12. Traditional pasta products have a glycemic index of 38 to 44.
Inulin
Inulin is a soluble fiber found in plants that is not digestible by intestinal enzymes. It's also lower in calories than carbohydrates and can be added to food to increase fiber content without changing the food's flavor. After it passes through the mouth, stomach and small intestine, it enters the colon and serves three functions: It produces 1.5 calories of energy for every gram, it's a fiber that stimulates bowel movements and it nourishes a type of "good" bacteria called Bifidobacteria. Bifidobacteria has been credited with stimulating the immune system and helping with the production of B vitamins.
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