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This week we are continuing the pimping theme and turning our attention to pasta.

In my 20s I ate far too much of it. It was a simple and cheap way to fuel up. Did I really enjoy it? Or did it just fill the gap?
As I got a bit more sophisticated in my taste buds and knowledgeable about my body I started to see things a little more clearly.

If you have been following me for a while you will know that I am not afraid to debunk some of the myths that seem to circulate nutrition and health. I am going to let you into a little secret…  I sometimes still eat pasta, not very often I admit, but when I do I thoroughly enjoy it!  The trick is to be a bit more discerning about the type, quantity and what to eat it with.

How do I make my pasta healthier?

1. I buy good quality durum or whole wheat pasta.  Durum wheat has a slightly higher protein (but also gluten content*) and whole wheat has a higher fibre content.
2. I make a LOT of sauce to go with it; sauce that contains a LOT of vegetables, herbs, spices, garlic etc. If the recipe includes two vegetables, I add another one of two.
3. Make pasta the side dish, not the main dish. This means following my “build a plate” idea, where the carbohydrate (i.e. pasta) part of the meal is only 25% of the plate (25% being protein and the remaining 50% vegetables).
4. Courgetti. I know this might seem like a bit of a cheat and you are probably thinking that it’s not going to cut it taste wise, but all I can say is try it. I have a very simple spiralizer which is easy to use and clean! I add the raw, spiralled courgette to the sauce for the last five minutes or so of cooking. I sometimes use 50% pasta and 50% courgetti. It works really well.

Good ol’ Gluten*
It would be remiss of me to talk pasta without mentioning gluten.
I know a lot of nutrition “influencers” seem to say a categorical “no” to all gluten, irrespective of individuality; which may not actually be the best advice if you are someone who CAN tolerate small amounts of wheat and gluten.
Excluding a food without a valid reason makes the diet unnecessarily restricted and we actually need variety to help maintain diversity in the microbiome. Which, once again, goes to show no single diet suits everyone.

Do you ‘personalise’ your pasta?
What tips and tricks do you use when it comes to making your pasta healthier? I would love to hear and will share them in my next newsletter.

In health and happiness
Ange
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