New research shows it may even in some circumstances, lead to weight loss
If you have a taste for pasta but your expanding waistline keeps you from indulging, this will come as a good news. Pasta does not contribute to obesity – in fact, in some circumstances, it may even reduce body weight.
Researchers led by the University of Toronto after several trials concluded: “Pasta in the context of low-GI dietary patterns does not adversely affect adiposity and even reduces body weight and BMI compared with higher-GI dietary patterns. Future trials should assess the effect of pasta in the context of other ‘healthy’ dietary patterns.” Low GI or Glycaemic index carbohydrates are those that are slowly digested, absorbed and metabolised and therefore lead to a slower rise in blood glucose levels.
Much of the attention has focused on sugars, but traditional carbohydrate staples like pasta, rice and breads are increasingly being implicated in the epidemics of overweight and obesity
The study has been published in BMJ Open.
Pasta has long been associated with the obesity epidemic even though there was so far scant scientific evidence on whether it is really the culprit or not. The researchers wrote: “As the role of saturated fat in chronic disease has been called into question, carbohydrates have come under attack in the media, popular books, statements of health advocacy groups and commentaries in leading medical journals. Much of the attention has focused on sugars, but traditional carbohydrate staples like pasta, rice and breads are increasingly being implicated in the epidemics of overweight and obesity. Although systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of dietary patterns that include these foods but are low in glycaemic index (GI), high in whole grains and/or high in dietary fibre have shown advantages for weight-related outcomes, there has been a general lack of recognition of the importance of carbohydrate quality.”
The researchers did a meta analysis of trials that investigated the effect of pasta consumed alone or in the context of low-GI dietary patterns. The latter compared pasta with higher-GI diets but did not include the effect of pasta on body weight and other globally accepted measurements of obesity.
