Is it Okay to Eat Pasta Every Day?

Boiling water, dry pasta and 10-20 minutes. Few foods can beat the ease of cooking noodles. Combine this simplicity with the versatility of pasta and individuals can find themselves consuming pasta on a regular basis. So, is it okay to eat pasta every day?

Eating pasta every day can contribute to an overall healthy eating pattern. However, extreme intake of any food will decrease quality of a diet. Pasta doesn’t have a lot of nutrients and too much pasta can displace other foods with important nutrients and may result in excessive intake of calories. The MyPlate model offers a good way to practice moderation and balance for a healthier meal. The diagram suggests making half the plate fruit and vegetables, a quarter protein and a quarter grains for meals.

Continue reading to find out more regarding the nutrition of pasta, what happens when pasta is consistently eaten and how to create more nutrient dense pasta dishes.

Can I eat pasta every day?

When eaten along with other nutrient dense foods, a daily portion of pasta poses little health risk. Choosing whole grain pasta varieties will offer additional nutrition benefit. Health recommendations suggest making at least half of the grains whole rather than refined.

While pasta noodles come in many forms, they all generally offer similar nutrition. The following table demonstrates the nutrition value of a one cup serving of cooked whole wheat spaghetti noodles and refined wheat (white) spaghetti noodles.

Comparing the Nutritional Value of Pasta

	Whole-Wheat Spaghetti	Refined/Enriched Spaghetti
Calories	174	220
Protein	7.5 grams	8.1 grams
Carbs	37 grams	43 grams
Fiber	6 grams	2.5 grams
Fat	0.8 grams	1.3 grams
Manganese	97% of the RDI	23% of the RDI
Selenium	52% of the RDI	53% of the RDI
Copper	12% of the RDI	7% of the RDI
Phosphorus	12% of the RDI	8% of the RDI
Magnesium	11% of the RDI	6% of the RDI
Thiamin (B1)	10% of the RDI	26% of the RDI
Folate (B9)	2% of the RDI	26% of the RDI
Niacin (B3)	5% of the RDI	12% of the RDI
Riboflavin (B2)	4% of the RDI	11% of the RDI
Iron	8% of the RDI	10% of the RDI

Whole grain pasta generally provides more fiber, manganese, copper, magnesium and phosphorus while refined or white pasta will be higher in B-vitamins. In either variety, pasta is a good source of energy rich carbohydrates, selenium and iron.

How much pasta is too much?

While pasta works as a great carbohydrate option for energy and other nutrients, the portion matters. Too much pasta can negatively affect health and decrease the nutrition quality of an eating pattern.

The amount of pasta uniquely depends on each person due to differing nutrient and energy needs. When pasta consumption leads to reduced intake of other food groups and nutrients, this displacement indicates excessive consumption. For example, an uncomfortable feeling of fullness after eating pasta to the point at which an individual does not feel able to eat fruits, vegetables or protein foods at a meal.

Additionally, eating mainly pasta instead of other grains can result in poor intake of nutrients and other beneficial components that pasta does not offer. For example, oatmeal contains a special fiber called beta-glucan and antioxidants that improve health outcomes. Quinoa presents as both a complex carbohydrate and complete protein. Therefore, a lack of variety from eating mainly pasta decreases a teenager’s ability to meet all his or her nutrition needs.

How much pasta can you eat per day?

Since pasta doesn’t contain as many nutrients as other foods (it does contain some protein, fiber, and B vitamins), if you eat pasta too often, you may be missing out on a lot of essential nutrients for a healthy body such as healthy fats, calcium, vitamin C, zinc, etc. You can healthily eat about 2-3 servings of pasta per day, but even that might be a lot for some people (a serving size is typically 2 oz of dry pasta or 1 cup of cooked pasta). To make sure you have a varied diet, be sure to plan a balanced meal around pasta. Here are my tips below.

How to plan a balanced meal with pasta:

Protein– Add some protein such as meatballs, chicken, shrimp, chickpeas, or tofu
Vegetables and fruit– Add a side salad or vegetable or fruit dish for added fiber, vitamins, and minerals
Healthy fats– add some healthy fats such as avocado slices, fish, nuts, seeds, olive oil

What happens if you eat too much pasta?

Yes, there is a point where too much pasta affects your health and feelings of well-being. So what happens to your body if you eat pasta for too many meals? Keep reading to find out.

1. Poor intake of certain nutrients

As mentioned earlier, consuming pasta too frequently increases likelihood for poor intake of certain nutrients. In particular, pasta noodles themselves are low in protein, healthy fats, antioxidants, phytochemicals, calcium and vitamin A,C,D,E,K, B-12 among other nutrients.

2. Impacts blood sugar

White or refined noodles consist mostly of quickly digestible carbohydrates with little fiber. These characteristics mean eating a pasta focused meal will lead to a sharp spike and crash in blood sugar. This rapid blood sugar change results in quick hunger and subsequent overeating, shorter lasting energy and a possible increase in risk for chronic disease.

3. May cause an imbalance in a diabetic diet

As a carbohydrate heavy food, individuals with diabetes should be particularly mindful regarding pasta portion size. One carbohydrate exchange/serving equal to 15 grams of carbohydrates is generally about 1/3 cup of cooked pasta. Eating too many carbohydrates in one sitting significantly alters blood sugar levels. Extreme high or low levels in blood sugar increases risk for negative health outcomes in those with diabetes.

4. Higher intake of calories

Noodles are an energy dense food and pasta dishes often contain ingredients higher in saturated fat and sodium, like cheese, cream and beef. Therefore, large pasta meals can contribute to eating more calories than the body needs. When calorie intake exceeds output, undesired weight gain may occur.

5. Possible intolerance symptoms

Those with gluten sensitivities may experience unpleasant symptoms from large quantities of noodles. Pasta generally comes from gluten containing durum flour, but other varieties such as chickpea and rice are available. Those with wheat allergies or celiac disease should avoid wheat pasta varieties.

Pasta itself is not an unhealthy food. In moderation and with balance, pasta adds nutrients and energizing carbohydrates for a satisfying meal. Portion control and the following tips help make pasta a healthier choice for meals.

Healthy tips for making pasta

Add protein

Protein works as building blocks for the body, helps regulate blood sugar and increases feelings of fullness between meals. Protein foods include meat, poultry, seafood, nuts, seeds, legumes (beans, soy, lentils), eggs and dairy.

Cheese, cottage cheese, eggs and legumes make great pasta salad additions while meat, poultry, seafood and legumes offer a satisfying addition to cooked pasta dishes.

Bump up the fiber

Fiber slows down digestion for longer lasting energy and satiety. Adequate fiber also improves gut health, bowel movement and reduces the risk of many chronic diseases. Plant foods are the best sources of fiber.

An easy way to include more fiber involves a simple switch from refined grain noodles to whole grain noodles. Using plant-based protein such as soy, lentils or beans also significantly increases both fiber and nutrient content. Don’t forget about creating more color through fiber rich vegetables as well.

Choose healthy fats

Some pasta dishes use heavy cream, butter and other high saturated fat food additions for taste. However, high amounts of saturated fat may negatively impact health. Swapping out saturated fats for unsaturated fats maintains good flavor while improving nutrition quality.

Plant oils, olives, seafood, avocados, nuts and seeds all provide heart healthy unsaturated fats. This swap can look like making a pasta salad with some olive oil vinaigrette and shrimp instead of a cream and butter-based Alfredo.

Beware of sodium, saturated fat and sugar content

A jar of pasta sauce with some pre-made meatballs and noodles makes an easy and convenient meal. However, the nutrition label might surprise you with the content of sodium, saturated fat and even sugar used in these foods.

Frequently eating these processed ingredients contributes to unhealthy intake of sodium, saturated fat and sugar in the diet. Studies link high levels of these food components to a decrease in health and an increased risk of chronic diseases. Make sure to check nutrition labels and choose options lower in sodium, saturated fat and sugar.

Increase flavor with fruits and vegetables

A colorful plate not only looks amazing, but generally outshines other less colorful dishes in flavor as well. Using vegetables and even fruit in a pasta recipe enhances color, taste and nutrition of a pasta dish.

Fruits and vegetables provide fiber, phytochemicals, antioxidants and a plethora of vitamins and minerals. Vegetables work well when chopped and cooked into sauces or in their chopped, raw form with cold pastas. Fruit adds sweetness as a side or adds a depth of flavor when incorporated into dishes.

Try other pasta varieties

While most pasta noodles consist of durum wheat, noodles made from other ingredients are appearing on shelves as well. When pasta makes a consistent appearance in meals, an individual can introduce variety in nutrition by occasionally switching up the pasta noodle form. Other types of pasta include noodles made from protein and fiber packed chickpeas, gluten-free brown rice, nutrient dense quinoa and others.

Portion control and mindful eating

Even pasta dishes that don’t follow the preceding health tips can still be part of a healthy and balanced meal pattern. An individual who wants a heavy, creamy dish of alfredo pasta for dinner should allow themselves the option. Restriction usually backfires and increases cravings and often likelihood of overeating later.

Enjoy the favorite pasta dish thoroughly through mindful eating. Savoring the experience without feelings of guilt or shame will increase satisfaction. Slower eating as a result of mindful practices also makes it easier for individuals to tune into hunger and fullness cues and practice better portion control.

Homemade Pasta Sauce

Try this recipe for homemade pasta sauce for increased nutrients and flavor to add to a delicious pasta dish.

Ingredients:

– 15 Fresh tomatoes

– 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

– 1 Large Onion, Chopped

– 6-7 Cloves garlic, minced

– 1 1/2-2 tsp. Dried Basil

– 1 Tbsp Oregano

– 1 Tbsp Salt (to taste)

– 1 Tbsp Pepper

Brown onions in oil in large pot. Crush tomatoes in food processor along with garlic and pour into pot. Mix in spices. Bring to simmer for 1-2 hours while stirring occasionally. Longer is better as the flavor increases and deepens.

Summary

Eating pasta every day works as a healthy option, especially while following principles of moderation, balance and variety. Eating too much pasta will result in uncomfortable feelings of fullness, displacement of other nutrients and blood sugar swings.

However, when eaten in appropriate quantities, pasta provides energy rich carbohydrates, fiber, B-vitamins, and iron. Pasta dishes can also provide an opportunity for adding in more fruit, vegetables, protein and healthy fats to assist individuals in meeting their unique nutrient needs.