If you’re trying to manage your blood sugar levels, you may have heard that pasta is a bad idea. The truth, however, is a little more complicated. Being challenged by your blood sugar levels doesn’t always mean that you have to step away from pasta forever. With the right options and recipes, you may be able to get this versatile carb back on the menu.
Why Eating Pasta Can Be Tricky
The main issue with traditionally made pasta is its main ingredient. Generally, pasta is made from refined flour, which contains a large amount of carbohydrates that break down quickly. When you eat regular pasta, these rapidly digestible carbohydrates break down quickly into glucose and flood your bloodstream. As a result, your blood sugar levels rise at a rapid rate.
This effect on your blood sugar level is why pasta is usually categorized as having a moderate glycemic index. Eating too many foods that spike your blood sugar level can affect your metabolic health, lead to weight gain, and increase your risk of developing certain chronic illnesses.
You May Also Like
People who are living with diabetes or have a reason to watch their blood sugar levels are usually cautious about including pasta in their diets. However, that can change if you know how to work around what makes pasta have such an effect on your blood sugar levels.
7 Ways to Enjoy Pasta Safely
1. Opt for Alternatives
As mentioned previously, traditional pasta is usually a problem because it’s made from refined flour. If you opt for whole wheat pasta, however, you shouldn’t experience the spike in blood sugar level that’s characteristic of regular pasta. Whole grains don’t digest as quickly, so you’ll have a much slower release of glucose into your system. Additionally, you can skip the carbs altogether. Some carb-free options include chickpeas, lentils, and quinoa.
2. Watch the Portions
Even if you opt for whole wheat pasta, you can have a carb overload if you have large portions. A typical serving size for cooked pasta is one cup, so it’s a good idea not to stray too much from that.
You May Also Like
3. Bulk up With Vegetables
If you’re balking at the idea of only having a cup of pasta, consider bulking up your meal with non-starchy vegetables. It’s another way for you to boost the health benefits and digestion. Some great vegetables to add include broccoli, spinach, zucchini, bell peppers, and mushrooms.
RELATED: The Un-Pasta: 3 Guilt-Free Spiralizer Recipes
4. Add Some Lean Proteins
Adding proteins to your pasta can also bulk up your meal. Doing this also stabilizes your blood sugar levels and helps you to feel full. A few types of proteins you can try are chicken, fish, prawns, tofu, or lentils.
5. Use Healthy Fats
The right fats will help to add flavor to your meal and keep your blood sugar in check. Some fats you can use with pasta are olive oil, avocado, nuts, and seeds.
6. Be Careful With Sauces
The wrong sauce can undo all your efforts to manage your blood sugar if it has added sugars. That’s why the experts suggest that you use tomato-based sauces, small portions of pesto, or a light vinaigrette with your pasta.
7. Try Pre-cooking The Pasta
According to several studies, cooking pasta and then cooling it in a refrigerator may boost its resistant starch content. Resistant starch is a form of fiber that the small intestine doesn’t digest, so it’s less likely to affect your blood sugar levels.
5 Recipes You Should Try
1. Cheesy Tomato Bake
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 brown onion, diced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 ¾ cups tomato passata
- 1 x 14 ounce tin diced tomatoes
- 1 tbsp dried Italian herbs
- 1 lb rigatoni or penne pasta
- 1 cup unsweetened Almond Milk
- ½ lb reduced fat ricotta cheese, crumbled
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup grated mozzarella cheese
- Salt and pepper
Method:
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). In a large saucepan over medium heat, sauté onion in olive oil for 3 – 4 minutes until starting to soften. Add passata, tinned tomatoes and herbs, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- As the sauce is simmering, cook pasta in a large pot for 2 minutes less than the time on the packet. You want the pasta slightly firm, as it will continue to cook in the oven.
- Drain pasta, return to pan and immediately stir through the tomato sauce. Add almond milk and ricotta, and stir again to evenly coat pasta. Transfer mixture into a 2 litre (8 cup) baking dish.
- Sprinkle Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses over the top of the pasta. Cover loosely with lightly oiled foil and place pan on an oven tray to catch any drips.
- Bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for a further 5 – 10 minutes until cheese is golden and sauce is bubbly. Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving.
2. Curried Vegetable Lasagne
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 stick celery, diced
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1 carrot, grated
- 1 zucchini, grated
- 1 15 ounce can brown lentils
- 1 15 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 5 ounce tub tomato paste
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ fresh lasagne sheets
Sauce
- 1 ½ ounce margarine
- 3 tbsp plain flour
- 3 cups low fat milk
- ½ cup low fat cheese, grated
- ½ tsp salt
Method:
- Heat oil in a large saucepan and saute onion and celery until soft. Add curry powder and saute for a further minute. Add carrot, zucchini, brown lentils, tomatoes, tomato paste and salt. Bring mixture to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside.
- To make sauce, place margarine in a bowl and heat in the microwave for 1 minute or until melted. Stir through flour, then microwave for a further minute. Gradually add milk and then microwave for 8 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until mixture boils and thickens. Add cheese and salt and microwave for 1 minute.
- To assemble, line the base of a 20cm x 33cm ovenproof dish with lasagne sheets. Spread with half the lentil sauce, then half the white sauce. Repeat the layers, ending with the white sauce. Bake in a moderate oven, 180ºC, for 40 minutes.
3. Healthy Pasta Carbonara
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 11 ounces whole wheat spaghetti or fettuccine
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 5 ounces lean pancetta or turkey bacon, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chopped zucchini
- 1 cup chopped asparagus
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast (for cheesy flavour without added dairy, optional)
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Method:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the whole wheat pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced pancetta or turkey bacon and cook until crispy. Add the minced garlic and sauté for another minute until fragrant. Stir in the chopped zucchini and asparagus and cook until tender-crisp, about 5-7 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, grated Parmesan cheese, nutritional yeast (if being used), and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper.
- Drain the cooked pasta and immediately add it to the skillet with the pancetta and vegetables. Remove the skillet from the heat. Gradually whisk in some of the reserved pasta cooking water into the egg mixture to temper it (this prevents the eggs from scrambling).
- Pour the egg mixture over the hot pasta and toss quickly and continuously until the sauce coats the pasta and thickens slightly. The residual heat from the pasta and cooking water will cook the eggs to create a creamy sauce. Add more pasta water if needed to reach your desired consistency.
- Divide the healthy pasta carbonara among bowls. Garnish with fresh parsley and an extra sprinkle of Parmesan cheese if desired.
4. Chicken Pesto Pasta
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 11 ounces whole wheat penne or rotini
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 10 ½ ounces total)
- 1 tsbp olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 ½ cups homemade or store-bought pesto (check for no added sugars and high quality ingredients)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup baby spinach, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted (optional)
- Grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish (optional)
Method:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the whole wheat pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve about ½ cup of the pasta cooking water before draining.
- While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Cook for 6-8 minutes per side, or until cooked through and no longer pink in the centre. Let the chicken rest for a few minutes, then slice or shred it.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked and drained pasta, pesto, halved cherry tomatoes, and chopped spinach. Toss gently to combine. Add a little of the reserved pasta water if needed to create a smoother sauce.
- Stir in the sliced or shredded chicken.
- Divide the healthy chicken pesto pasta among bowls. Drizzle with a little extra olive oil, sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and grated Parmesan cheese (if being used).
5. Healthy Prawn Pasta
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 11 ounces whole wheat linguine or spaghetti
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 pound raw prawns, peeled and deveined
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- ½ yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 zucchini, spiralized or chopped
- ¼ cup dry white wine (optional)
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Method:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the whole wheat pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve about ½ cup of the pasta cooking water before draining.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the sliced red and yellow bell peppers and cook for 3-4 minutes until slightly softened. Stir in the spiralised or chopped zucchini and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the prawns to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes per side, or until pink and cooked through.
- If being used, pour in the white wine and let it simmer for a minute, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the lemon juice, chopped fresh parsley, and red pepper flakes (if using). Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Add the cooked and drained pasta to the skillet with the prawns and vegetables. Toss to combine, adding a little of the reserved pasta water if needed to create a light sauce. Divide the healthy prawn pasta among bowls and serve immediately.
Pasta doesn’t have to be the enemy if you’re monitoring your blood sugar levels. With certain modifications, you can easily incorporate it into your diet. If you have any concerns, though, talk to your doctor.
