Love Pasta? 3 Ways to Make It Healthier
By Genevieve Cunningham
Pasta is one of those foods that almost everyone loves. It's a crowd pleaser! Unfortunately, pasta isn't always a health pleaser. In fact, eating too much pasta can be bad for your health more specifically, it can cause weight gain and gut problems. But because it's so delicious, many of us eat it anyway. What can we do? If you would like to protect your health and still enjoy your favorite pasta dish, take a look at these tips to help you out.
Easy on the Portions
One of the easiest ways to make your pasta meal a little healthier is by limiting your portions. Do you really need a heaping plateful? Probably not. It will probably serve you and your long-term health better to learn appropriate portion sizes for everything on your plate. At first, you may feel like the portion is too small! But you'll probably quickly learn that an appropriate portion is more than enough to keep you full and satisfied.
Go for Whole Wheat
Another great option for having healthier pasta meals is to change your white noodles for a whole grain option. Or if you're not interested in whole grains, you can choose a gluten-free noodle choice. Either choice is likely healthier -- with more nutrients and fewer calories -- than its original counterpart. These noodles may take some getting used to, as their flavor and texture will be slightly different. But after they're consumed, you may notice that your body doesn't feel as heavy or full, which makes the switch worth it.
Use Vegetables
Vegetables -- things such as spaghetti squash or even zucchini -- can be turned into noodles. You'll simply use a slicer to make thin, long slices and then boil them or saute them in a pan. Keep in mind that the texture is the hardest part to get used to when you use vegetables as noodles. But many who take this approach note that the improvement in health is more than worth the trouble of switching them out.
Pasta isn't the healthiest choice. Most of us are already aware of this, but it's not reason enough to give them up. Luckily, you don't have to. Just use these tips to make your pasta healthier, and enjoy your dish without the negative side effects.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in San Jose, Calif.
