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There is an opinion that paste can be eaten without prejudice to a figure even for those who are trying to lose weight and sit on a diet. We decided to check if this is so.

The fact that the paste does not have to be excluded from the diet, even if we weight loss, write the media (""Komsomolskaya Truth","Arguments and facts" Marie Claire, "Championship","Television program"Et al.), Although some and CheckAs for this only “right” pasta. A similar opinion can be found on portals about A healthy lifestyle, nutrition And Italy - countrywith which Pasta is associated in the first place. Internet users discuss the influence of pasta on the figure in social networks, on Blog-platforms, forums And services questions and answers.

Although the pasta is very popular in Italy, the inhabitants of this country are on average slimmer than other Europeans. So, in 2022, each Italian on average ate about 23 kg of pasta - country I became The world leader in the consumption of this product. According to data online survey, conducted among Italians in 2022–2023, the Statista analytical platform, 80% of respondents called the paste among the food products they use (along with fruits and vegetables). At the same time, by data Eurostat for 2019, the share of adult Italians with body weight index More than 25, indicating the presence of excess weight, was one of the lowest in Europe - 46% (for comparison, the average value in the EU is 53%).

Types of pasta are calculated almost hundreds. They differ in size, shape, color, composition and other criteria. For example, Barilla is one of the world's largest pasta producers - Offers About 80 types of pasta. And there are still numerous types of noodles - from buckwheat and rice to Japanese Shirataki, whose calorie content is close to zero. The influence of certain varieties of noodles on a set of excess weight is a topic for a separate analysis, the same will be dedicated to pasta.

The classic Italian pastes Only flour of solid wheat varieties and water includes, although eggs are often added to home options. In Russia, as in many other countries, there are no such strict standards Regarding the flour used for the manufacture of pasta. According to GOST, the content of up to 15% of flour from soft varieties of wheat is permissible, however, there are pasta and lower quality in stores, where this percentage is significantly higher. Macaron from hard varieties short Glycemic index (Guy) - 47, while those made of soft ones - 68. GI is an indicator of how quickly sugar from the food consumed enters the bloodstream. The faster this happens, the faster the body in response is produced by insulin, which, in turn, causes a sharp drop in blood sugar, and this leads to a feeling of hunger. If the GI in food is low (up to 55), these processes proceed gradually, which means that a person remains full and more likely overeats. The index is considered more than 70, the soft varieties of wheat are close to this indicator, therefore, from the point of view of the diet, it is worth choosing precisely those pasta that are made of solid varieties. In addition, they have more fiber, which also allows you to maintain a feeling of satiety longer.

According to the US Department of Agriculture, in 100 g of spaghetti prepared without adding salt and other ingredients, Contained 158 kcal. Recommended norm Calorie consumption, which allows to maintain a healthy weight, is 2000 kcal for women, and for men - 2500 kcal per day, although this indicator greatly depends on physical activity (and, as a result, calorie consumption) of a particular person. In this way, even if you eat a portion of spaghetti in 250 g (or 395 kcal) for lunch, it will fit into a diet and will not be a reason to cut the diet in other meals. Another question is that in this case it is simply about boiled pasta without any additives. If we talk about those dishes that are usually served in Italian restaurants, the calorie content can be completely different. So, for example, the popular paste of carbonar may contain and 350, And 400 kcal per 100 g - it all depends on the specific recipe and calorie content used for the ingredient sauce. A portion of such a pasta weighing 250 g can “shoot” half the daily calorie normally, which means that the probability of exceed it by the results of the day, without abandoning other meals, increases. The same applies to the paste with the filling, for example Ravioli - on the fact that inside, the calorie content also depends.

As mentioned above, Italy is the leader in the consumption of pasta, so it is not surprising that Italian experts were already wondering if the use of pasta and excess weight are related. In 2016, a group of scientists I studied Data more than 14,000 people over 35 years old from the Molze region. They took part in research, which was devoted to the assessment of risk factors associated with chronic diseases, including obesity. Also analyzed the data of almost 9,000 participants over 18 years old from all over the country, taken from Italian nutrition and health studies conducted using a telephone survey. It turned out that among the lovers of pasta there were fewer people more than weight and other signs of obesity.

In 2019, another group of Italian researchers appreciated The consumption of pasta with type 2 diabetes and its relationship with glucose levels, obesity indicators and the main risk factors of cardiovascular diseases. For the assessment, data from 2562 people from 5 to 75 years old, previously participated in the clinical study of Tosca.it on the study of the effects of sugar-free drugs on cardiovascular diseases. Scientists have found that when using pasta within the limits not exceeding the recommended norm There were no carbohydrates, increase in weight and other obesity (for example, girth of the waist and hips). On the advice of experts, in general, carbohydrates should occupy 45–65% of the daily diet, that is, with a diet of 2000 kcal per day, they can eat 225–325 g (in 100 g of prepared pastes - 30.9 g of carbohydrates).

Researchers from other countries studied this topic. So, in 2017, Canadian scientists conducted Meta analysis existing scientific works on the relationship between constant consumption of pasta and obesity. Scientists came to the conclusion that the pasta not only did not contribute to weight gain, but even helped people sit on a low gi diet. However, scientists noted that the influence of pasta in the context of other diets has yet to be studied.

Thus, scientific research data suggests that the use of pasta does not lead to a set of excess weight. This is also evidenced by statistics from Italy: this country is a leader in the use of pasta, but the share of people more than a weight there is lower than on average in the EU. In general, macarone made of solid wheat varieties (and in Italy, Paste is mainly made of these) can really be considered a dietary product: they have a low glycemic index, low calorie content, and there are a lot of fiber. In stores there are also pasta from soft wheat varieties that cannot boast of such dietary qualities, so you should carefully read what is written on the packaging. In addition, pasta is usually used as a side dish or with various sauces, so it is important to consider the calorie content of other products in the finished dish. For example, the popular carbonate paste can hardly be considered a dietary dish, even if it is made from “correct” pasta.

Correction from 10/14/23: In a fragment of the text on the study of Italian scientists in 2019, information was corrected about the recommendations of nutritionists: with a diet of 2000 calories, the use of 225-325 g of carbohydrates is permissible, and not pastes (there are also many other substances in it in addition to carbohydrates). Clarification has been added how much carbohydrates are contained in pasta. The previous version of the analysis is available by link.

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