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HEALTHY LIFESTYLE








Importance of well balance diet

All food contains all of the nutrients we need to be healthy, it is necessary to eat various foods in sufficient amounts. A good diet will include many different foods, and sufficient in quantity and quality to meet an individual’s need for food energy and other micro nutrients.

PASTA

Typical serving size:

½ cup (2
5 oz or 70 g)

HOW IT HARMS

Weight gain (white pasta) Diabetes (white pasta)

WHAT IT HEALS

Mood Diabetes (whole grain pasta) Heart disease (whole grain pasta)
  • Colon cancer First introduced to North America by Thomas Jefferson, pasta has become a staple in many homes
    Made from a variety of grains, pastas are a good source of iron (about 2 mg in a 1-cup serving); many are also enriched with thiamine, niacin, and other B vitamins
    Although the protein in white pasta (about 5 to 7 grams in a 1-cup serving) lacks some essential amino acids, these can easily be obtained from a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese as a low-calorie (25 calories per tablespoon) topping
    Nutrition profiles differ slightly with each type of pasta
    For instance, egg noodles provide complete protein while varieties flavored with spinach or tomato offer a few more antioxidants and high protein pastas are enriched with soy flour and milk solids
    These variations, however, are not significant
    210 calories are in a typical serving of pasta, which should be about the size of a baseball
    The big difference is between pastas made with refined flours and those made with whole grains
    Whole grain pastas, such as those made from quinoa, buckwheat, or whole wheat, offer two to three times the fiber of white pastas, which helps with a variety of health conditions

    Health Benefits

    Improves your mood
    Carbohydrate-rich pastas can help increase levels of serotonin in the brain, which make you feel good
    Stabilizes blood sugar
    Whole grain pasta, which contains about three times the fiber of white pasta, won’t cause dramatic blood sugar swings, so it’s a great alternative for people with diabetes who must build their menus around complex carbohydrate choices
    Improves heart health
    The fact that whole grain pasta is fiber rich also means it’s good for a healthy heart
    Fiber helps lower cholesterol levels and can aid weight loss, two critical factors to long-term heart health
    Reduces cancer risk
    Whole grain pastas can reduce the risk of colon cancer
    A Swedish study found that for those who consumed more than 4
    5 servings of whole grains daily had 35% lower risk of colon cancer than those who ate less than 1
    5 servings of whole grains a day

    Health Risks

    Weight gain or diabetes
    White pasta is made from refined flour
    Because refined flour is digested quickly, a large plate of pasta can send your blood sugar levels soaring, only to crash several hours afterward and trigger renewed hunger
    Such blood-sugar swings are linked with weight gain and may also lead to diabetes

    QUICK TIP:

    Stop sticky pasta When cooking pasta, adding a small amount of oil (1 tsp) to the water may help prevent spillovers and keep pasta from sticking
    Salt is often added to pasta water, but it doesn’t prevent stickiness; it’s for flavor
    And to reduce the boiling time, add the salt after the water is boiling

    Allergies

  • Simmer leftover sauced pasta in broth for an instant soup
  • Brown cheese tortellini in a buttered skillet, then sprinkle bread crumbs lightly over the pasta to add texture
  • Serve a stir-fry on whole wheat penne in place of rice

    Buying Tip

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  • Fresh pasta is best for delicate sauces; dried pasta is better for more robust sauces
  • Fresh pasta is made with eggs, so it may be higher in cholesterol content than dried pasta
  • If you’re watching your cholesterol, skip egg noodles
    However, eggless “egg” noodles are available, too
  • You’ll get about three times the fiber per serving if you choose whole wheat over white pasta
    Experiment to find one you like
  • White pasta is enriched with iron and B vitamins, but pasta that’s 100% whole grain is not
  • New high-fiber, high-protein varieties are even friendlier to your blood sugar
    Some are made from grains such as oats, spelt, and barley in addition to durum wheat, which means they’re higher in soluble fiber

    Storing Tips

  • Because it’s highly perishable, fresh pasta must be refrigerated in an airtight container
    It should be used within a few days of purchase or frozen
  • Keep frozen pasta up to a month
  • Dried pasta can be kept in a cool, dry place indefinitely