Nutrition-Related Questions

The Mediteranean style of eating is celebrated as one of the healthiest in the world. Pasta is a cornerstone of this lifestyle, and in fact it is eaten regularly in Italy. Pasta is not only an affordable, healthy family meal choice, but also provides a delicious culinary vehicle in which to incorporate more vegetables, legumes and other healthy foods into your eating plan.

Pasta alone will not make you fat.  Excess calories create excess fat. Pasta is a good complex carbohydrate food.  Skip the heavy cream and butter sauces to trim back the calorie content of the meal and choose nutrient-rich pasta “partners” that are high in fiber or protein and low in unhealthy fats, such as fresh herbs, vegetables, beans, and lean poultry.

Yes, you can tell just by looking at it. Good pasta will have a unique yellow color. Properly grown, stored, milled, and dried, pasta will have very few defects such as black specks, white spots, or cracks. During cooking, the pasta will not clump together or form surface stickiness, and it should have good texture and elasticity upon chewing. Visually the pasta should be an amber yellow color, uniform in size and shape, and without grayish or reddish shades. Quality pasta will have a pleasant taste and aroma, and always cook al dente.