Whole-Wheat Pasta & Glycemic Index

When it comes to health or weight, food and diets come in and out of fashion. Carbs have been on a bit of a downturn lately with the popularity of the low-carb and keto diets, but carbohydrates aren’t bad for you. However, some carb-laden foods are better choices, including low-glycemic carbs like whole-wheat pasta.


Whole-wheat pasta has a low glycemic index.

Whole-Wheat Pasta Nutrition

Nutritionists recommend swapping out refined grain foods like white bread and white pasta, for the whole-wheat or whole-grain versions. Including more whole grains in your diet increases your fiber and micronutrient intake.

A cup of cooked whole-wheat pasta contains 175 calories, 35 grams of carbs and 5 grams of fiber. The same serving of regular pasta has nearly 200 calories, a few more carbs at 40 grams and only 2 grams of fiber. The whole wheat pasta is a better source of several minerals, too, including iron and magnesium.

What is the Glycemic Index?

The glycemic index (GI) measures how carbohydrate-containing foods, like whole-wheat pasta, affect your blood sugar. Certain types of carbs, referred to as high-GI foods, cause a rapid rise in blood sugar and then a sudden drop. This not only affects your energy levels, but insulin levels as well, which may increase your risk of diabetes and heart disease. Examples of high-GI foods include white bread, pretzels and saltine crackers.

Foods with a low GI cause a smaller, even rise in blood sugar, leading to sustained energy levels. Including more low-GI foods in your diet offers a number of health benefits, including lower risk of heart disease and diabetes, better blood sugar control and lower cholesterol levels. Because low-GI foods help sustain energy levels, they also help keep appetite under control for better weight management. Examples of low-GI starchy foods include beans, sweet potatoes and 100 percent whole-wheat bread.

Glycemic Index of Pasta

While it makes sense that whole-wheat pasta is a low-GI food, you might be surprised to learn that regular pasta is also low GI. But when it comes to good health and nutrition, the whole wheat version makes the better choice. The glycemic index is a good tool to use when deciding between different types of carbs, but when the GI is similar, nutritional value wins out.

Diet Tips for Keeping GI Low

Pasta is a low-GI food, but cooking it too long can quickly change its GI status. To keep your pasta a low-GI food, read the box and follow the instructions for al dente pasta.

Adding other healthy, low-GI foods to your pasta dish also helps bring the glycemic index down. For example, make whole-wheat pasta salad tossed with diced cucumbers, tomatoes and garbanzo beans to lower the overall GI. Or whip up a pasta dish with chicken, broccoli and Parmesan cheese.