Group of scientists concludes that pasta is not fattening and can even help you lose weight

Low-carb diets have given pasta a bad reputation, to the point of being considered an unhealthy and fattening food. But scientists at St. Michael, Canada, found that, contrary to this idea, a tasty pasta can help you lose weight, satisfy hunger and avoid consuming other foods.

O awesome.club brings you the research that explains why pasta has been considered a villain and how it actually aids weight loss. That way, you can enjoy a delicious, guilt-free dish.

Scientists at the aforementioned St. Michael concluded, through research, that the so-called GI (Glycemic Index) is the main reason why pasta can help you lose weight. But what does such an index really represent? As explained in the study, it is basically a way of measuring how quickly a food affects blood sugar levels.

Unlike most refined carbohydrates, which are absorbed more quickly by the body, pasta has a much lower glycemic index. This means that blood sugar levels will increase less, unlike foods that have a higher rate, such as potatoes, rice and white bread.

The study was originally set out to see if eating more pasta would affect body weight. However, the researchers could not find any factor that resolved the issue. For this reason, the methods included in the work only analyzed the effect of eating pasta within a completely dietary recipe.

The link between pasta consumption and the famous weight gain was evaluated in 30 clinical trials and had almost 2,500 participants considered healthy. The scientists used a research system known as RCT (Randomized Controlled Trial — Randomized Controlled Clinical Study) and, through it, investigated the effects of eating only pasta, trying to find out how this food influences a low GI diet. Then, they compared each situation with high-glycemic diets (and that didn’t include pasta) on body weight.

During the study, participants were divided into subgroups: normal weight, overweight and obese. They each consumed specific servings of pasta for 12 weeks. The average weight loss was 700 grams more in the low glycemic index groups compared to the higher GI groups.

After completing the tests, the scientists again analyzed the participants’ body weight, BMI (Body Mass Index), body fat and waist measurements. As a result, they found that constant pasta consumption did not contribute to weight gain or fat levels.

Apparently, foods with a low GI can satisfy hunger better and, in this way, prevent people from deciding to eat more. Importantly, the weight loss in groups of people who consumed pasta was achieved because these individuals were on a low-glycemic diet. This means that the decrease in weight was not due to eating only pasta, but to the effect of the low GI diet in general.

The study highlighted that although pasta is low in fiber, it has a similar GI rating to foods that are high in fiber, such as legumes and oats. Scientists still dwell on the bad image that the media, popular cookbooks, and health advocates have given carbohydrates. These statements have led to staple foods such as pasta, rice and bread being increasingly associated with overweight and obesity epidemics.

Even so, pasta should not be consumed quickly. It should be borne in mind that, despite not getting fat, the portion to be consumed is also an important factor in not gaining weight, according to the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating. For this reason, experts recommend that the recommended measure of noodles be 75 to 100 grams, which is equivalent to half a cup.

For its part, the Manual for the application of the Dietary Guidelines for the Argentine Population (GAPA) refers to foods that have complex carbohydrates, fiber (in the case of legumes and whole grains) and B vitamins. food group provides essential nutrients for the proper functioning of the body.

As far as pasta and other processed foods are concerned, the guide suggests moderating consumption. A maximum of 4 servings a day is only acceptable if the dish contains more vegetables and cereals than just pasta and bread. On the other hand, the material details the importance of not skipping any of the 4 most important meals of the day: breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner.

How often do you incorporate pasta into your meals? Do you believe that this delight really does not get fat? Tell us in the comments.