Every once in a while a headline comes along and makes you think, "wait, what?!?!" That was exactly my response to, "Science Says Eating Pasta Could Make You Thinner." Because, if this is the case, then I have to cook pasta for my husband more often!
I mean, come on, is this possible? Now, granted, they do have an out with the word, "could." But my Italian man will be throwing a party if this is true. He would seriously eat pasta every night if the doctor hadn't told him he needs to lose weight; not potatoes, not rice or bread, just pasta. (After all, he's Italian, I think it might be genetic!)
So I looked into it a little further and, hallelujah, it seems to be true! Of course the study took place in Italy, and thank goodness it included over 20,000 people so the results should be fairly reliable.
The bottom line is that it's all about your total diet and portion size; we've heard that before, right? Since the study was conducted in Italy most of the participants were already following a Mediterranean diet. This is key. The Mediterranean diet consists of fresh veggies and fruits, fish, grains, legumes, and, of course, yummy olive oil!
"In popular views, pasta is often considered not adequate when you want to lose weight. And some people completely ban it from their meals. In light of this research, we can say that this is not a correct attitude. We're talking about a fundamental component of Italian Mediterranean tradition, and there is no reason to do without it. The message emerging from this study, as from other scientific analyses conducted in the context of the Moli-sani Project and INHES, is that Mediterranean diet, consumed in moderation and respecting the variety of all its elements (pasta in the first place), is good to your health." So says Licia Iacoviello, Head of the Laboratory of Molecular and Nutritional Epidemiology at Neuromed Institute
So, limit your portion to about ½ cup of cooked pasta, or just under 3 ounces. And serve it with a tomato based sauce or other veggie sauce.
My son is fond of quoting Oscar Wilde, "Everything in moderation, including moderation."
So have your pasta and eat it, too, in moderation! Meanwhile, I'm preparing that party for Vince!
Be a Gr8 Friend and tell us what you think!