Don't Let Pasta Be a Casualty

Regular readers of this column know that we are pretty much fed up with the low-carb craze. While it makes sense to eliminate such carbohydrates as those found in candy bars, soft drinks and doughnuts, it does not make sense to eliminate carbohydrates that contain essential nutrients, fiber and important phytochemicals. In fact, in a sensible, balanced diet, it isn't necessary to eliminate any food group at all. Balance and moderation are still the best approaches to weight loss and healthy diet.

Pasta was one of the first casualties in the war against carbs. Along with potatoes, bread and rice, we seem to be giving up pasta in favor of high-fat, high-protein alternatives.

Advocates of low-carb diets use the glycemic index to bolster their arguments. The index is a rather controversial ranking system for how rapidly a food is digested and turned into glucose (the body's fuel). The faster a food is broken down to glucose, the faster it causes blood sugar levels to rise, and the faster insulin is produced to keep the blood sugar under control. High demand for insulin is associated with insulin insensitivity and, in some cases, diabetes.

Unfortunately, the glycemic index of a given food is measured in isolation. It doesn't take into account the other foods that might be eaten at the same time, or the way in which the food was cooked. For instance, potatoes, which are quite high on the glycemic index, move down the list if you eat them with meat or cheese, or (heaven forbid) make them into chips. Baked potatoes (eaten with the skin) are lower than mashed potatoes. White bread is certainly higher on the index than whole grain breads.

As complicated as a discussion of the glycemic index can be, the anti-carb folks have used it to persuade people to forsake all manner of carbohydrate foods, including pasta, which has been the cornerstone of the so-called Mediterranean Diet.

The low-carb diet is, however, less a diet and more a marketing opportunity. It has not been shown to have the same long-term health benefits as a more balanced approach like the Mediterranean Diet; in fact, by substituting high-fat, high-protein foods for carbohydrates, individuals are putting themselves at risk for far more than just obesity.

In promoting the healthy nature of the Mediterranean diet of the past few decades, the Oldways Preservation and Trust -- a highly respected, non-profit U.S. "think tank" that uses scholarly research to promote better understanding of nutrition issues -- has developed The Mediterranean Diet Pyramid, which emphasizes whole grains, fruits and vegetables, beans, legumes, nuts and plant fats, such as olive oil.

As a way of dealing with the anti-carb hysteria, Oldways recently held a conference on the use of pasta. At the end of that conference, the scientists in attendance developed a consensus statement that dealt with low-carb diets in general, and pasta in particular. Pasta is actually a low glycemic index food by virtue of the fact that it is almost always part of a meal that includes "a fat (olive oil, vegetable oil, or butter); a vegetable and/or legume (tomato, zucchini, egg-plant, or beans); dairy (cheese); and often an animal protein (shellfish, fish, meat or poultry)."

Moreover, Oldways noted that traditional healthy pasta meals are modest in size and thus in total calories. The "westernized" versions of pasta meals are often much larger and also contain greater amounts of saturated fats.

The researchers concluded that the presence of several different kinds of ingredients in a pasta meal modulates the glucose uptake and contribute their own health-promoting benefits. So if you're trying to lose weight, remember that "calories in, calories out" do count more than the types of foods you eat. Pasta can be a delicious and nutritious way to get some of those calories, especially in the context of the Mediterranean diet. To find out more about Oldways and the Mediterranean Diet, go to the organization's Web site: www.oldwayspt.org.

Here's a recipe from our "Wellness Kitchen" (2003) for Pasta Shells with Italian Butternut Sauce. It's a perfect example of how to use nutritious ingredients in a simple pasta dish.

url:

/news/articles/ALT02/04/03/24/ALT02040324-02.html

raw:

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"><html><head><title>Don't Let Pasta Be a Casualty -- ThirdAge</title><meta content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" http-equiv="Content-Type"><meta name="keywords" content="healthy, wellness, ThirdAge"><meta name="description" content="In the war on carbs, some foods are unfairly targeted."><meta name="language" content="en"><meta http-equiv="content-language" content="en"> <meta name="robots" content="index,follow"><script type="text/javascript" src="/includes/javascript/base2.js"></script><link rel=stylesheet href="/includes/css/seo02.css" TYPE="text/css"></head><div align="center"><table border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" width="760" class="bgtablemainborder"><tr><td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="758" class="bgtablemain"><tr><td colspan="6" align="center"><div style="padding-top: 5px;"></div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="6" height="10"><spacer type=block width=1 height=10></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td></td><td rowspan="2"></td><td rowspan="2" class="bodynews"><div style="padding-top:1px;"></div><p><span class="hednews">Don't Let Pasta Be a Casualty</span><p><table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="154"> <tr><td width="8"><spacer type="block" width="8" height="1"></td><td width="146"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="146" bgcolor="fbf6e8"><tr bgcolor="#000000"><td width="12" height="1"><img src="/x.gif" width=12 height=1 alt=""></td><td width="129"><img src="/x.gif" width=129 height=1 alt=""></td><td width="5"><img src="/x.gif" width=5 height=1 alt=""></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" height="50"><img src="/news/articles/images/health/also_hw.gif" border="0" width="146" height="36" alt="Also in This Issue of Health & Wellness"></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="smallcopy" align="center">•</td><td class="smallcopy"><b>Get a Second Opinion</b><br> A recommendation from another doctor can protect against unnecessary treatment. <a href="/news/archive/ALT02040324-01.html">go ></a></td><td><spacer type=block width=5 height=1></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" height="20"><spacer type=block width=1 height=1></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="smallcopy" align="center">•</td><td class="smallcopy"><b>Recipe: Chocolate Muffins</b><br> Whole-wheat flour and bananas make the difference! <a href="/news/archive/ALT02040324-03.html">go ></a></td><td><spacer type=block width=5 height=1></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" height="20"><spacer type=block width=1 height=1></td></tr><tr bgcolor="#000000"><td colspan="3" height="1"><spacer type=block width=1 height=1></td></tr></table></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr></table><span class="bodynews"><span class="byline">By Sheldon Margen and Dale A. Ogar </span><p>Regular readers of this column know that we are pretty much fed up with the low-carb craze. While it makes sense to eliminate such carbohydrates as those found in candy bars, soft drinks and doughnuts, it does not make sense to eliminate carbohydrates that contain essential nutrients, fiber and important phytochemicals. In fact, in a sensible, balanced diet, it isn't necessary to eliminate any food group at all. Balance and moderation are still the best approaches to weight loss and healthy diet. <p>Pasta was one of the first casualties in the war against carbs. Along with potatoes, bread and rice, we seem to be giving up pasta in favor of high-fat, high-protein alternatives. <p>Advocates of low-carb diets use the glycemic index to bolster their arguments. The index is a rather controversial ranking system for how rapidly a food is digested and turned into glucose (the body's fuel). The faster a food is broken down to glucose, the faster it causes blood sugar levels to rise, and the faster insulin is produced to keep the blood sugar under control. High demand for insulin is associated with insulin insensitivity and, in some cases, diabetes. <p>Unfortunately, the glycemic index of a given food is measured in isolation. It doesn't take into account the other foods that might be eaten at the same time, or the way in which the food was cooked. For instance, potatoes, which are quite high on the glycemic index, move down the list if you eat them with meat or cheese, or (heaven forbid) make them into chips. Baked potatoes (eaten with the skin) are lower than mashed potatoes. White bread is certainly higher on the index than whole grain breads. <p>As complicated as a discussion of the glycemic index can be, the anti-carb folks have used it to persuade people to forsake all manner of carbohydrate foods, including pasta, which has been the cornerstone of the so-called Mediterranean Diet. <p>The low-carb diet is, however, less a diet and more a marketing opportunity. It has not been shown to have the same long-term health benefits as a more balanced approach like the Mediterranean Diet; in fact, by substituting high-fat, high-protein foods for carbohydrates, individuals are putting themselves at risk for far more than just obesity. <p>In promoting the healthy nature of the Mediterranean diet of the past few decades, the Oldways Preservation and Trust -- a highly respected, non-profit U.S. "think tank" that uses scholarly research to promote better understanding of nutrition issues -- has developed The Mediterranean Diet Pyramid, which emphasizes whole grains, fruits and vegetables, beans, legumes, nuts and plant fats, such as olive oil. <p>As a way of dealing with the anti-carb hysteria, Oldways recently held a conference on the use of pasta. At the end of that conference, the scientists in attendance developed a consensus statement that dealt with low-carb diets in general, and pasta in particular. Pasta is actually a low glycemic index food by virtue of the fact that it is almost always part of a meal that includes "a fat (olive oil, vegetable oil, or butter); a vegetable and/or legume (tomato, zucchini, egg-plant, or beans); dairy (cheese); and often an animal protein (shellfish, fish, meat or poultry)." <p>Moreover, Oldways noted that traditional healthy pasta meals are modest in size and thus in total calories. The "westernized" versions of pasta meals are often much larger and also contain greater amounts of saturated fats. <p>The researchers concluded that the presence of several different kinds of ingredients in a pasta meal modulates the glucose uptake and contribute their own health-promoting benefits. So if you're trying to lose weight, remember that "calories in, calories out" do count more than the types of foods you eat. Pasta can be a delicious and nutritious way to get some of those calories, especially in the context of the Mediterranean diet. To find out more about Oldways and the Mediterranean Diet, go to the organization's Web site: <a target="window" href="http://www.oldwayspt.org">www.oldwayspt.org</a>. <p>Here's a recipe from our "Wellness Kitchen" (2003) for Pasta Shells with Italian Butternut Sauce. It's a perfect example of how to use nutritious ingredients in a simple pasta dish. <p><b>Ingredients</b><br><li> 1 butternut squash (2 pounds) halved lengthwise and seeded<br> <li> 10 ounces medium shells, short fusilli or radiatore pasta<br> <li> 2 teaspoons olive oil<br> <li> 3 cloves garlic, minced<br> <li> 1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream<br> <li> 3 tablespoons mango chutney, chopped<br> <li> 1 teaspoon yellow mustard<br> <li> 1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage<br> <li> 1/2 teaspoon salt<br> <li> 1/2 teaspoon pepper<br> <li> 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese<br> </p>Preheat the oven to 425 F. Place the squash, cut-side down in a small baking pan. Add 1/2 cup water, cover and bake for 45 minutes, or until the squash is tender. When cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh into a food processor. <p>Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling water, cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. <p>In a small nonstick skillet, heat the oil over low heat. Add the garlic, and cook for 2 minutes, or until softened. Transfer the garlic to the food processor, along with the reserved pasta cooking water, sour cream, chutney, mustard, sage, salt and pepper. Purée all; then transfer to a large bowl, add the pasta and Parmesan, and toss to combine. <p>Makes four servings, each of which has 447 calories and is a good source of beta carotene, fiber, folate, magnesium, niacin, riboflavin and thiamin.</span><p><br><p><br></td><td rowspan="2"></td><td rowspan="2"><p><br></td><td rowspan="2"> </td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="bgleftcol"><div style="padding-top: 10px;"></div><p><p align="center"></p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="6" align="center"><div style="padding-top: 10px;"></div></td></tr><tr><td width="134" height="10"><spacer type="block" width="134" height="10"></td><td width="15"><spacer type="block" width="15" height="1"></td><td width="424"><spacer type="block" width="424" height="1"></td><td width="15"><spacer type="block" width="15" height="1"></td><td width="160"><spacer type="block" width="160" height="1"></td><td width="10"><spacer type="block" width="10" height="1"></td></tr></table></td></tr></table><p><br><br></div></body></html>

Don't Let Pasta Be a Casualty - Health