Pasta can be eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They are good both as an original appetizer, as an independent dish, and as a tasty side dish. Hollywood beauties use them to lose weight and even get a facelift.

Pasta is one of the most ancient products. The time and place of their birth has not yet been established.

And the most famous “pasta” city in Italy is the city of Amatrice, where the world famous spaghetti amatriciana is made.

What is what

To find real pasta, you must remember that the current GOST-875-92 for pasta in Russia divides these products into three groups: A, B and C.

The first group - products made from durum flour, the second - highly glassy soft flour, the third - soft wheat. There is also a division into two classes: 1st - products made from premium flour, 2nd - first.

A pack of real pasta must have one of the inscriptions: “Group A, 1st class”, durum, “durum wheat” or semolina di grano duro. Everything else is not actually pasta and has the right to be called only pasta.

Pasta helps you avoid getting sick and aging

The calorie content of dry pasta is about 350 kcal/100 g, ready-made - half as much. Pasta also contains the amount of protein the body needs - 13 g per 100 g of product. In addition, the nutritional value of pasta is determined by the starch it contains (70%), which is very well digestible.

A dish prepared from 100 g of pasta satisfies 30% of the daily need of the human body for proteins and carbohydrates. Pasta also contains so-called slow sugars, which burn almost completely, but gradually. These are precisely the substances that completely replenish glycogen stores in the muscles and liver.

Pasta is rich in B vitamins, which reduce fatigue. Sauces that contain herbs, tomatoes, garlic, and onions also play a positive role. All these ingredients are rich in antioxidants that slow down the aging process of cells.

Another interesting fact: a small portion of pasta to which pure extra virgin olive oil has been added relieves ulcer pain. The dish has approximately the same effect as almagel.

Culinary secrets

There are two main types of pasta - dry and raw. The first type is the most common. More than 55 types of dry pasta are known in cooking - long, curly and twisted, hollow and filled. Raw pasta is not so popular, it is more capricious in terms of storage conditions, but it cooks much faster than dry pasta.

Pasta accompaniments include various sauces and cheeses. In Italy, the following are respected: tomato sauce, creamy, butter or bechamel sauce, spicy meat sauce, olive oil with garlic, soft white or blue cheese sauce (such as Roquefort).

But cheese often acts not only as a base for sauce, but also as a mandatory addition to a dish. For example, pecorino is used for spicy dishes. Parmesan, ricotta and mozzarella are widely used.

From peas and starch

Today the production of unusual pasta is gaining momentum. On sale you can find grain, colored, rye and even protein-free pasta. Cereals are produced from whole-ground sprouted grains. They completely retain all the useful components contained in its shell.

Regular consumption of such pasta improves the function of the digestive system, prevents the development of gastrointestinal diseases, and helps maintain normal cholesterol levels in the blood.

But pasta (which is not yet very popular) becomes colored thanks to natural dyes: carrots (gives a red color), beets (purple), spinach (green), cuttlefish ink (black).

As for pasta made from rye flour, due to its low carbohydrate content, it can be eaten by diabetics.

Protein-free pasta does not contain flour at all; it is made from starch. It contains fruit and berry additives, which not only improve the taste, but also enrich the product with vitamins and microelements.

True, such a product cannot be called dietary. But it can be included in the diet of those who suffer from kidney failure.

What types of pasta are there?

Tortellini(tortellini) - small stuffed dumplings, the corners of which are connected to form a ring or bud. They come in different colors, depending on the filling.

Tagliatelle(tagliatelle) - a type of noodles, flat ribbons 0.65-1 cm wide. Tagliatelle is usually served with various types of sauces, most often with Bolognese meat sauce.

Conchiglioni(conciglioni) - large shells. They are stuffed (for example, with a mixture of ricotta, pine nuts and spinach).

Pasta colorata(colored pasta) - any shape, bright color, thanks to food coloring: egg, spinach, tomatoes, beets, carrots, pumpkin, squid ink.

Spaghetti(spaghetti) - long, roundish, of medium thickness. The name translates as “small ropes.” They are eaten hot with tomato sauces or made into casseroles.

Penne(penne) - straight, medium-length tubes, often with lateral grooves. Their diagonal cut resembles a fountain pen, which is why they get their name.

Ditalini(ditalini) - small, very short tubes, in Italian their name means “thimble”. Good in soups and salads.

Fusilli(fusilli) - classic paste: long ribbons twisted into a spiral 0.65-1 cm wide and up to 7 cm long. Sometimes painted in different colors.

Farfalle(farfalle) - pasta in the shape of butterflies (also called “bows”). It goes well with almost all foods: meat, fish, vegetables, cheese, nuts... Served with all kinds of sauces: tomato, cheese, cream...

Ravioli(ravioli) - square ravioli made from pasta dough, similar to Russian dumplings, with various fillings (either ground or cut into small pieces). The name translates as “little turnip”.

Lasagna(lasagna) - long and very wide, can have straight or curly edges. They are placed in a mold in layers, coating each layer with thick tomato or cream sauce, and baked.

Which of these pasta do you like?

Pasta- one of the most popular products.

This is facilitated by their low cost and ease of cooking.

Pasta dishes, due to high concentration of carbohydrates, quickly saturate the body and provide it with energy for a long time.

All types of pasta go well with vegetables, herbs, meat and other products.

The benefits of pasta products

Pasta products are presented in various types: spaghetti and cones, spirals and vermicelli, noodles and shells.

They have not only a variety of shapes and sizes, but also composition. For the production of pasta products, ordinary flour, flour from glassy and durum wheat can be used.

Spaghetti has the greatest benefits- pasta made from durum wheat.

• Tryptophan- an amino acid that provides good mood, good spirits and sound healthy sleep.
• Complex carbohydrates completely replenishing energy losses caused by intense physical activity and burning fat while preserving muscle tissue.
• Fiber, which reduces cholesterol levels in the blood, protects the heart and blood vessels from the development of a number of diseases and improves the process of food digestion.

Nutrients

Pasta has a unique property: they slow down aging. This is due to the fact that they contain the optimal amount of vitamins and vital minerals.

Vitamins

Pasta contains B vitamins, which stimulate the functioning of all systems and internal organs:

• B1 (thiamine)- necessary to ensure proper functioning of the central nervous system. It supplies the brain with glucose, increases mental activity, improves memory, normalizes the acidity of gastric juice, promotes the transformation of carbohydrates and other substances into the energy necessary for life, and improves immunity.
• B2 (riboflavin)- a substance that accelerates the absorption of nutrients and promotes the effective breakdown of fats. It is an active participant in the synthesis of proteins, hemoglobin and red blood cells necessary for the body, and also plays an important role in maintaining visual acuity.
• B3 (Niacin or nicotinic acid). Refers to the irreplaceable elements of energy metabolism. Relieves irritability, protects against insomnia and apathy, and helps maintain mental balance.
• B5 (calcium pantothenate or pantothenic acid). It is considered one of the best vitamins for cellular metabolism. Increases tissue regeneration, protects mucous membranes and skin from infections.
• B6 (pyridoxine)- a component responsible for the production of serotonin. It is also called the “good mood vitamin.” It relieves insomnia, increases appetite, relieves irritability and eliminates symptoms of depression. Activates the process of formation of red blood cells and normalizes protein metabolism.
• B9 (folic acid)- a valuable component for the production of nucleic acids. Stimulates the synthesis of red blood cells, accelerates cell division. Ensures complete intrauterine development of the embryo.

Along with Caesar salad, steaks, cheesecakes, the menu of most restaurants and cafes also includes pasta - this is the Italian name for all types of pasta (more than 600 forms), as well as dishes based on them. Russians can safely be classified as “pasta lovers” - according to statistics, everyone eats about 6 kilos of pasta annually (however, an Italian consumes as much as 20 kilos). But there is some difference between a pack of cones from a supermarket cooked by a bachelor and a dish from a restaurant or the creation of an Italian housewife.

Italian pasta is made exclusively from durum wheat, the flour from which is called “durum” or triticum durum. Navy-style pasta from the USSR was made from completely different flour, so don’t equate cones for 20 rubles with durum spaghetti for 200.

Pasta made from durum flour and dishes based on it, cooked according to the rules, that is, a little denser or “al dente” (“to the tooth”), are complex carbohydrates, which, according to nutritionists and scientists, are much healthier than simple ones .

Recently, scientists have proposed a way to avoid sudden spikes in blood sugar after eating pasta: to do this, you need to eat it cold (or at least reheated). It turns out that the starch included in pasta, a few hours after cooking, becomes more resistant to breakdown into glucose molecules, so it lingers longer in the intestines and is partially consumed as a nutrient medium for its microflora. As a result, blood sugar levels rise 50% less than with freshly prepared pasta. This advice is especially relevant for patients with diabetes.

Olga Kashubina, medical journalist

But in general, pasta (i.e. durum pasta) is a harmless product. Another thing is that in Russia, even Italian pasta is usually consumed in the so-called Western version: a mountain of pasta in a huge plate, served in the company of fatty sauce, meat, cream and other not very healthy ingredients.

Take a closer look at the numbers: if the calorie content of 100 g of durum pasta is about 160 kcal, then the popular Carbonara pasta - with a sauce based on cream and bacon - already contains 280 kcal in 100 g. Others are not far behind: 220 kcal in spaghetti Bolognese with tomatoes and minced meat, 250 kcal in linguine with pesto sauce, 280 kcal in fettuccine with mushrooms in creamy sauce.

Let's remember the size of the average portion (250 g), additions in the form of olive oil and cheese - the influx of calories will increase noticeably, and it will be somewhat more difficult to digest such a dish without harming the figure. By the way, most types of pasta have approximately the same calorie content, so do not console yourself with the thought that “bows” (farfalle) are less calorie than, for example, “curls” (fusilli), it’s better to just give up rich sauces.

As you already understand, a plate of Italian pasta and some sauce ordered at a restaurant is fertile ground for overeating and an unpleasant heaviness in the stomach. But there are several ways that will help you make a choice in favor of something tasty and less harmful to your figure and health in general:

• choose dietary ingredients in the sauce (tomato paste instead of heavy cream, poultry instead of red meat or sausages);
• For one serving you should take no more than 80–100 g of dry pasta. This portion, taking into account the sauce, will be much easier for your stomach to cope with;
• Vegetable-based pasta sauces are often just as tasty: herbs and spices help enhance the flavor and compensate for the lack of meat. Eggplants, tomatoes, zucchini, peppers and other vegetables are your option.

As for choosing pasta for home use in supermarkets, there are certain rules here too. Most Italian cuisine recipes are easy to repeat even in the simplest kitchen; pasta with sauce is no exception, but you need to know how to choose pasta:

• pay attention to the composition: products must consist of flour, water. Greens and vegetables, which are also found in the composition, cuttlefish ink for color are also okay, but avoid sugar and other additives;
• To ensure that you get real durum pasta into your hands, study the labeling of the package with the products. In Russia, all products are divided into three groups: A (products made from durum wheat and high-grade flour), B (products from soft glassy varieties of premium or 1st grade wheat), B (products from premium or 1st grade baking wheat flour varieties). Our option is group A;
• the protein content in pasta also speaks volumes - this figure should be no lower than 12–15 g per 100 g of product; if it is lower, something wrong is mixed into the flour;
• Also put broken pasta back on the shelf - durum wheat is quite wear-resistant, so it’s difficult to break real pasta. To double check, shake the pack again.

One last thing pasta lovers should know: potential dangers can come not only from less elite flours. So, for example, a raw egg is added to Carbonara pasta - there is a risk of salmonellosis. Ask the waiter about the composition of the sauce if you are allergic: for example, pesto sauce contains nuts and seafood.

Fortunately, you can always order olive oil, which is unconditionally healthy, and hard cheese (ideally Parmesan) is rich in protein and calcium.

Of course, Italian pasta will not disappear from the list of high-calorie foods. However, it will not disappear from the menu of most establishments even if we all go on a strict diet. But now you understand that there is no big threat in the pasta itself, and other pitfalls can be avoided - just make the right choice.

Maria Ruskova

Main photo istockphoto.com

The benefits and harms of pasta. What more?

One of the most common dishes in cooking is pasta and other flour products of this kind - spaghetti, shell pasta, and so on. The biggest fans of pasta and spaghetti are the Italians, thanks to their exquisite and incredibly tasty dishes made from this product. And indeed, there are a very large number of recipes for cooking pasta, and during cooking, few people think about whether this food is healthy or harmful.

It would seem that pasta is such a familiar product that no one will believe in its harm and will not refuse it. But indeed, there are benefits in pasta, due to which this product is valuable. Well, now we will give you all the beneficial properties of pasta and consider their harm. And you will formulate your 100% opinion on whether this product is useful or harmful.

Energy indicators of pasta

Studying pasta from a scientific and biological point of view, this product contains about 70-75% carbohydrates. In addition, these carbohydrates are extremely complex in structure and nature, so their absorption in the body takes an extremely long time. As a result, after eating a portion of pasta, you don’t want to eat anything for a long time. Moreover, blood sugar levels do not fall or rise, which also makes absorption quite long.

Many athletes often include pasta in their diet - track and field athletes, football players, basketball players, and so on. However, in this case, athletes adhere to a certain rational and balanced diet, so they consume pasta only when necessary.

Useful properties of pasta

Pasta, in principle, like spaghetti (that is, almost all types of flour products made from durum wheat), as a rule, has a fairly large amount of fiber in its composition. This contributes removal of toxic substances and waste from the body(in particular, from the organs of the gastrointestinal tract and intestines), and helps normalize metabolism in the body, thereby contributing to overall recovery. Also, pasta contains B vitamins, which perform their functions. For example, it greatly helps to maintain and regulate the emotional and psychophysiological state of the body, relieves pain during migraines and other unpleasant conditions in which a person may often find himself.

Pasta does not have the highest content of iron or phosphorus, potassium and calcium, magnesium and other substances. However, their chemical structure is designed in such a way that they are much more effective in pasta than in ordinary cases. For example, in some cases, the phosphorus content and absorption rate is much higher than that of some seafood. Among other things, pasta contains vitamin E - one of the most important elements in male and female health, natural beauty and normal skin color.

The so-called tryptophan is also present in pasta. This substance has a positive and restorative effect on the body, helps cope with metabolic processes, significantly improves mood and helps to find the strength to continue this or that activity.

Choosing the right pasta

When choosing pasta, you should pay attention to what main component is present in the composition. In general, there is no difference between pasta made from durum wheat and pasta made from wholemeal flour. However, there is another difference between the pasta itself and the pasta products. The right pasta must be natural, made from durum or soft wheat. Unfortunately, pasta manufacturers often resort to cunning, stipulating the components included in the pasta, and this is where almost all the beneficial properties begin to appear.

So, to choose the right pasta, you will need to determine the type of wheat from which it will be made, the presence of food additives or dyes, and as few other chemical components as possible. Normal pasta should contain no more than 3 components. Actually, this is a type of flour, salt, thickener, and so on.

Harmful properties of pasta

There is a fairly widespread opinion that pasta can cause obesity or raising blood cholesterol levels. Indeed, this is practically true. However, there is one thing that can simply cross out this fable. In fact, eating pasta is several times safer than eating the same amount of fried potatoes. That is, by consuming the product moderately and in the right quantities, you will never think about extra pounds.

Otherwise, pasta today is not just a food product, but also a universal product sold in store windows and in supermarkets. Thus, now you can definitely determine whether pasta is really healthy or whether it has harmful qualities, even after that it scares you.

More about useful products:

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There is hardly a single person who has never eaten pasta. Most people love them because they can be prepared quickly and keep you feeling full for a long time. And if you flavor them with a delicious sauce, then dishes made from them will be simply delicious, and they will hardly remain on your plate. Lovers of delicious food and adherents of diets probably don’t even think about what is more good or harmful in pasta? Can pasta make you gain weight and is it good for your health? Perhaps after reading this article, many people's opinions will change.

Pasta is the most beloved dish in Italian cuisine. And in the rest of the world, pasta is a frequent guest on the dinner table, including Russian people. In the USSR, pasta was not in short supply, so the opinion was created that pasta was a second-rate product and that it could make you fat. This is what we have been taught since childhood.

Everyone knows that pasta is a dough product. And it doesn’t have to be hollow oblong tubes. There are many types of pasta. This includes spaghetti, horns, vermicelli, shells, bows, spirals, etc.

There are many versions of when and why pasta appeared. Some argue that ancient people, when making flatbreads, threw the remaining dough onto the ground. Under the influence of the sun and wind, the remaining dough dried out. Later, such leftover dough began to be boiled.

There is another assumption. Marco Aroni's little daughter played with dough and rolled them into tubes. Having boiled the dough tubes and poured them with tomato sauce, Mark Aroni served them to the visitors of his tavern as a new dish. The restaurant's visitors really liked this dish. This was in the 16th century, and later the dish was named after the owner of the tavern.

Perhaps the name of pasta comes from the Greek word makaria (giving happiness) or it is borrowed from the Sicilians, who define this word as “processed dough”, or it is an archaic verb meaning the word “knead”. But one way or another, if you say the word “pasta” in any country, you will definitely be understood.

The benefits and harms of pasta

Composition of pasta

Pasta consists of 75% carbohydrates, which give us energy, and 11% protein. There is practically no fat. The composition contains saturated fatty acids, starch, mono- and disaccharides, dietary fiber. Pasta contains 17 different minerals, ranging from sodium and magnesium to fluoride, chromium and zinc. And there are a lot of vitamins here: choline, PP, E, H (biotin), B6 ​​(pyridoxine), B9 (folic acid), B% (pantothenic acid), B2 (riboflavin), B1 (thiamine).

Energy value of dry pasta: 100 grams contain an average of 338 kcal. And if you boil the pasta, the calorie content is reduced to 80 - 100 kcal. It’s not for nothing that Italians cannot live a day without their favorite pasta, and at the same time they do not suffer from increased weight.

Calories are added when you pour a lot of oil, mayonnaise or sauce on the pasta, and even add a fried cutlet, chicken or goulash.

Useful properties

Pasta has undeniable advantages: it is easy and quick to prepare, has a low price and can be stored in a dry place for quite a long time. They go well with both meat or fish products and vegetable products. Due to its low calorie content, pasta is recommended for dietary nutrition, but this only applies to pasta made from durum wheat.

The beneficial properties of pasta are manifested due to the high content of plant fiber, as well as the presence of proteins, vitamins and microelements.

• They help remove toxins from the body and cleanse the intestines, which contributes to the health of the body as a whole.
• Pasta contains tryptophan (one of the amino acids), which is responsible for healthy, full sleep and good mood, which ultimately helps improve performance.
• Pasta is an energy food. It has been noticed that to replenish energy, athletes most often take pasta as a side dish.
• Vitamin E promotes men's health and women's beauty, which affects strong family relationships.

There is such a concept - the glycemic index (GI). What is it? GI means how quickly the food eaten is absorbed by the body. The maximum GI value is 100. If the product is absorbed quickly, then the index level has a maximum value. And vice versa. With a high GI, blood sugar levels begin to rise, and the body begins to produce insulin, which fights changes in blood composition and suppresses the possibility of release. Pasta made from durum wheat has a GI of 50.

Harm

• Do not consume pasta if you are intolerant to wheat;
• In some cases, the attending physician may prohibit eating food after surgery;
• Also, the product is strictly contraindicated for acute ailments of the gastrointestinal tract.

How to choose the right pasta

You probably already realized that only durum wheat pasta has beneficial properties. Pasta made from soft wheat varieties has completely different qualities: they are overcooked, require washing and have a high calorie content.

When we come to the store, we want to choose a quality product, in this case pasta. What are the criteria for choosing quality pasta? Here are some of them.

• Good pasta is never sold by weight. Any self-respecting pasta company will package pasta in transparent bags.
• The label must indicate the composition of the pasta, which consists of durum wheat flour and water, and also that the product does not contain dyes and GMOs and the expiration date of the product. Sometimes eggs may be added. Juice of spinach, beets, and carrots are added as dyes to multi-colored pasta.
• The pasta should be golden in color, smooth, and should not have any inclusions, dots or other defects on the surface.
• All products in the package must be intact and there must be no crumbs in the package.
• These pasta are difficult to break, but they bend well.
• After cooking this pasta, the water remains clear.
• High-quality pasta does not stick together when cooked and does not require rinsing.

How to cook pasta correctly

Actually, there is nothing complicated here: put the pasta in boiling salted water, cook it for 7-10 minutes with constant stirring. Drain the water, add oil and that’s it!

But in order to cook pasta correctly and make it tasty, there are several secrets.

• The bottom of the pan in which you are going to cook the pasta should be thick.
• We take water at the rate of 1 liter of water per 100 g of pasta.
• Salt the water as soon as it boils, not at the end of cooking.
• It is not recommended to wash pasta made from durum wheat: this will wash out all the beneficial substances.

Losing weight with pasta

Cooked pasta has a low calorie content, but at the same time it provides 30% of the daily intake of carbohydrates, proteins and B vitamins. This fact helps to get rid of extra pounds, which in turn is the prevention of various cardiovascular diseases and.

But it should be taken into account that with such a diet it is necessary to exclude, as an addition to pasta, fatty and high-calorie foods and sauces. It is necessary to add lean meat and fish, fermented milk products, vegetables, fruits, legumes and maybe a little table wine to pasta every day. In between meals, you are allowed to drink half a glass of freshly squeezed orange, grapefruit, or lemon juice without sugar.

Pasta recipe from my granddaughter

It turns out that not everything a grandmother should teach her granddaughter. It also happens the other way around. One summer I went to the forest to pick blueberries (read about the benefits of blueberries). Returning home, I called my granddaughter and asked her to boil the kettle. When I arrived home, a surprise awaited me. The granddaughter not only boiled tea, but also prepared very tasty pasta. I'm sharing the recipe. I wouldn't even have thought of this. Honestly speaking!

I will not describe the process of cooking pasta. Boiled pasta is thrown into a frying pan with heated oil, and raw pasta mixed with salt is poured on top, everything is mixed, covered with a lid for 5 minutes. It turns out very quickly and tasty, the main thing!

You can sprinkle hot pasta on top with grated cheese, it will turn out even tastier, but it will be a much higher calorie dish.

When I was writing this article, the song “I love pasta” was constantly spinning in my head. I found it on YouTube, listen to this funny song.