Active Low-Carber Forums - Pasta fights back against Low-carb Fad

Rosie Schwartz
The Ottawa Citizen
April 3rd 2004

In your quest for a low-carb eating style, has pasta been banished from your menu these days? Pity if it has.

According to research presented at a recent conference in Rome, Healthy Pasta Meals, organized by the Boston-based Oldways Preservation Trust, eliminating pasta from your diet may not be a smart nutritional move.
At the gathering, nicknamed Pasta Fights Back, word-renowned scientists in the field of carbohydrate research presented compelling studies against the current low-carb craze.

The reputation of all manner of carbohydrate-containing foods has been maligned because of the North American penchant for refined flour products such as bagels, sugary cereals and fat-free cookies and crackers. It seems to be a case of guilt by association.

The war on carbs began as a result of fat-conscious eaters who ate all kinds of fat-free carb-containing foods with abandon. Jelly beans, bagels and potatoes –all became the dieter’s new best friend. As long as the fat counts were low, a food could be considered among the chosen options. But the effect of these highly refined carbs that were quickly digested led to a rollercoaster ride of blood sugar levels that resulted in constant hunger and weight gain. Carbs were then on the outs.

It’s now time to set the record straight. Most fruits, vegetables, whole-grain breads and cereals, are not the culprits in the battle of the bulge. Research shows most of these foods are slowly digested and lead to les hunger than their quickly digested counterparts. They’re also the fuel of choice for hard-working muscles involved in fitness activities.

Dr. David Jenkins at the University of Toronto first proposed the concept of the glycemic index (GI) back in 1981. It deals with the rate at which food is digested and enters into the bloodstream as sugar. This rate is then compared to the quickly digested granulated sugar with its reading of 100.
Back in the 80’s, fat was beginning to emerge as the dietary demon and Dr. Jenkins’ theories about healthy carbs fell on deaf ears. But as obesity rates began to skyrocket scientists became interested in the glycemic index and a flurry of research began.

Dr. David Ludwig, of the Harvard Medical School, presented a variety of studies on the contribution of a high GI diet to obesity. Included was his research comparing the effects of high GI choices to low GI ones on appetite and food intake.

In one study, when subjects were fed a high0GI breakfast, they consumed more than 1.5 times as much food later in the day than if they ate a lower-GI breakfast. Instant oatmeal, with its finely chopped grains, fruit-juice and milk were included in the high-GI breakfast while rolled or large flake oats, fresh fruit and milk were in the lower GI meal.

Selecting low GI foods is not just for those interested in waist management. Jennie Brand-Miller, professor of human nutrition at the University of Sydney, Australia, outlined the mounting evidence linking a diet low in GI foods to both the prevention and treatment of diabetes. This same eating pattern may offer protection against heart disease, stroke and some cancers, like colon and breast cancer. There’s no long-term evidence linking low-carb diets to the same protection against these diseases.

So, how does white pasta fit into this picture and differ from white bread? White pasta is made from durum wheat, which is more granular than white flour and, therefore, has a significantly lower GI. But this is true only when it’s cooked al dente, which literally means “to the tooth”. Overcooked, limp pasta is another story, as GI counts rise with overcooking. Pasta is also a top-notch nutrient-delivery system. That’s how it has been used in traditi9onal healthy eating patterns such the Mediterranean diet.

It’s a super way of enticing picky eaters to meet their quota of veggies. Instead of eating broccoli or peppers alone, having them sautéed with garlic and onions and then tossed with pasta and freshly grated Parmesan cheese makes for a palate-pleasing dish.

Tomato sauce is a rich source of carotenoid lycopene, which offers protection against prostate cancer and artery disease. Add a splash of antioxidant-rich extra-virgin olive oil and even more lycopene is absorbed.

Or go for traditional pasta and beans for a soluble fiber hit shown to lower blood cholesterol readings and aid in blood sugar regulation.

But there is one proviso. The portion distortion that has taken hold of North America has also contributed to the bad name of carbs. Keep serving sizes to about two to three ounces of pasta just before cooking.