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Pasta is a staple of the #1 Best Overall Diet, The Mediterranean Diet
For the third year in a row, the Mediterranean Diet has been ranked #1 Best Overall Diet by U.S News & World Report! — and proudly, pasta, is a traditional staple of the Mediterranean Diet.

A recent published article in Nutrition Today, dives deep into the history of pasta, how it’s made, the nutritional attributes, the health benefits associated and more.


DID YOU KNOW?

Pasta has a unique structure: The unique combination of durum wheat’s high protein content + pasta’s extrusion and drying process, creates a compact protein-starch matrix which results in pasta being digested, absorbed, and metabolized more slowly than other refined carbohydrates.
Pasta has a low Glycemic Index (GI): Semolina pasta is a complex carbohydrate, with a low glycemic index (GI < 55) — or in other words, pasta helps to provide steady energy to the body instead of a spike in blood sugar. This is lower than other foods such as watermelon (avg GI 76) and sweet potato (avg GI 70).
Pasta is nutritious: Pasta is a perfect carrier for nutrient-rich vegetables, lean proteins and healthy oils. Enriched pasta provides an excellent source of folate (50% Daily Value (DV)) and a good source of iron (10% DV).
Pasta has a low environmental impact: Semolina pasta has a low environmental impact with a small carbon footprint, compared with most animal foods.




Source: Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition (BCFN), Double Pyramid.


EVER WONDER HOW TO MEASURE PASTA?

When you cook pasta, 2 ounces of dry pasta per person is a good rule of thumb to follow. What does 2 ounces of dry pasta look like? The answer is — it depends on the shape! See here for a list of helpful charts, outlining the product yields of pasta, to help you create perfect portions of pasta every time.

For example:

  Dry Pasta (2oz serving) Cups Cooked Pasta
Spaghetti 2 – 1/8 inches (circumference) 1 cup
Farfalle 3/4 cup 1 1/4 cups
Orzo 1/3 cup 4/5 cup

WHAT DOES YOUR FAVORITE PASTA CUT MEAN?

With over 600 pasta shapes produced worldwide, pasta creations are never ending!

     • Capellini = “little hair”
     • Manciotti = “long sleeves”
     • Orchiette = “little ear”
     • Rotini = “little wheels”
     • Fettucine = “little ribbons”


RECIPE INSPIRATION:

For inspiration, check out Barilla’s traditional Italian Recipe Builder and other recipe builders to build a pasta recipe under 500 calories or less, as well as delicious Mediterranean-inspired recipes below:

Bucatini pasta with fava beans
Orchiette pasta with cherry tomatoes
Seafood pasta with thick spaghetti and mussels


WANT TO LEARN MORE?

If you’re interested in keeping up-to-date with new products, recipes, research and more, sign up here to receiving a quarterly newsletter from Barilla.

For any questions or feedback, please contact Barilla Nutrition at barillanutrition@barilla.com.
Barilla