Pass the Pasta

Maintaining a healthy diet can be quite a challenge. Demanding schedules can make convenience foods seem as enticing as a siren’s call. But there’s one simple way to increase nutrition without sacrificing flavour or spending hours in the kitchen - just swap your white pasta for whole wheat. It’s readily available, comes in all shapes and sizes and has a texture and flavour that will invigorate your old standbys. 

Whole wheat still has the germ and bran of the grain. That’s why whole-wheat pasta has almost three times the fibre of regular pasta, which means it causes less rise in blood glucose levels and takes longer to digest, helping you feel fuller longer.

Because whole wheat is less processed, some types may take longer to cook than regular pasta; check the package for directions. In many recipes, the grainier, chewier texture of whole-wheat pasta will enhance the flavours in the dish. Whole-wheat pasta goes particularly well with canola or olive oil, garlic, fresh parsley and pesto sauces.

But if you try it in your favourite lasagna dish and aren’t happy with the results, don’t give up; you may just need to get used to it the same way you adjust to eating brown bread instead of white. Look for recipes that specifically call for whole-wheat pasta. Also, try different brands, starting with two Alberta-made whole-wheat pastas from Prairie Harvest Canada Ltd. (Edmonton) And Pasta To Go (Canmore), available at most grocery stores.