Best Pasta for Weight Loss: Can You Eat Pasta and Lose Weight? (2024)

FAQs

Best Pasta for Weight Loss: Can You Eat Pasta and Lose Weight? ›

The best type of pasta to eat while on a diet is pasta containing whole grains. In addition to whole wheat pasta, pasta made from other ingredients such as chickpeas, lentils, and veggies are great options when you are on a diet.

Dietitians and other health care professionals should consider pasta as a low-glycemic carbohydrate option within the context of a healthy diet or a weight loss/weight maintenance diet.

Healthiest pasta for weight loss

All types of pasta can be worked into a weight-loss diet, but some types may offer more of an advantage. While you may think of veggie noodles as being the best pasta for weight loss, edamame pasta is my top pick if you're trying to shed a few pounds.

If you love pasta, there's no reason to cut it out from your diet, the experts say. It can be a great way to pack in vegetables, healthy fats from nuts, olive oil and pasta sauces, Linsenmeyer says. "It's fine to include in a regular diet as often as every day. It really is."

Half a cup of whole-grain cooked pasta equals one serving, or about 70 calories. If you don't eat pasta, think of a slice of whole-grain bread instead.

By eliminating them, you decrease food cravings, making it easier to eat less and lose weight. The main problem with white rice, bread, pasta and potatoes is that they trigger a cycle of food craving. They release a sudden spike of sugar in your bloodstream. Your body responds to that extra sugar by releasing insulin.

You should avoid pasta made from refined flour if you are looking to achieve weight loss goals. Refined pasta has been stripped of many of its natural nutrients and is higher in calories and lower in fiber, meaning you will likely feel full for less time after eating it.

Both potatoes and pasta can be part of a balanced diet, but they have different nutritional profiles. If you're aiming for weight loss, potatoes might be the slightly better choice due to their lower calorie and higher fiber content.

At 117 calories per 100g Vs pasta's 160 calories per 100g, rice has significantly lower calories, so swapping pasta to rice may be beneficial for anyone controlling their calories as a way to lose or maintain their weight.

It is possible to eat pasta daily and still be healthy. The key to eating pasta every day is to limit your portion size and supplement your pasta bowl with essential nutrients. The recommended portion size is two ounces of dry pasta or one cup of cooked pasta.

How many cups of pasta is good for weight loss? ›

About 1 cup of cooked pasta—for most shapes, that's 2 ounces of dry pasta—mixed with vegetables can be a satisfying portion for many people. But even if you eat 2 whole cups of pasta, that's still only about 400 calories (plus 14 g of protein and vitamins and minerals). That's not too shabby for a 2-cup serving.

Eating eggs may support weight loss, especially if a person incorporates them into a calorie-controlled diet. Research suggests that eggs boost metabolic activity and increase feelings of fullness. Eating an egg-based breakfast may stop a person from consuming extra calories throughout the day.

It's a great source of protein that comes at an affordable cost. It's low in calories and fat yet is jam-packed with nutrients. Each serving of tuna has omega-3s and other various vitamins and minerals, like vitamin D and selenium. These nutrients are part of a healthy, balanced diet.

A standard serve of cooked pasta is, gulp, only 1/2 cup. At Susie's recommended daily intake of one to two serves, that is a maximum of one cup cooked.

For long pastas like spaghetti, angel hair, linguini, and fettuccini, your best bet is to hold the pasta on end to measure it. Two ounces of dry pasta is approximately 2/3 of an inch across, or one serving. A 16 ounce box of these shapes will have eight servings.

Fill half the plate with vegetables, whether cooked or tossed in a salad. Fill a quarter of the plate with lean protein such as meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy, legumes, and tofu. Fill the remaining quarter of the plate with complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains.

"Eating refined carbs like bread, rice, pasta and cookies [in excess] will increase our belly fat. If we want to lose it, we should focus on eating nutrient- and fiber-rich carbs such as vegetables and low-glycemic fruits," says Djordjevic.

Rice, potatoes, and corn are all excellent sources of carbohydrates, and they are just as healthy as bread and pasta. Fruits are also an excellent source of carbohydrates, but it would be a stretch to call them a bread substitute.

Rice Wins! This was a close one. In their refined forms, white pasta wins out versus white rice, so save that for your cheat days. In terms of true health, weight loss and performance benefits, however, the fibre and mineral content of brown rice makes it the perfect fuel to feed your fitness goals.

What foods help burn belly fat? ›

Following a low-carb diet also means consuming more protein. Studies indicate that a diet rich in high-protein foods, such as eggs, fish, seafood, legumes, nuts, meat, and dairy results in overall less abdominal fat, more satiety, and an increased metabolic function.

A low-carb diet generally limits grains, legumes, fruits, breads, sweets, pastas and starchy vegetables, and sometimes nuts and seeds.

A sudden lack of carbs will make you lose weight. It's mostly water weight at first, though. This is mostly because cutting carbs also wipes out the glycogen stores in your muscles. Glycogen helps your body retain water.