Science Figures Out Whether Pasta Is Good For You

It seems that there has been an overwhelming war on carbohydrates lately, what with the gluten-free food trend. The numbers show that pasta consumption all over the world has been steadily dropping. Surprisingly, the highest drop has been experienced in Italy, of all places — where it's down 25 percent. (North Americans have decreased their pantry space by only six percent, by comparison.) But now, luckily, new research has shown that people might want to be eating more pasta, not less. (I haven't seen the confetti and streamers outside yet, which is strange, but I will be throwing a small party in honor of this announcement.)

The Neuromed Institute of Pozzilli found that eating pasta — granted, in moderation — is actually associated with a lower body-mass index, waist and hip circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio. The researchers conducted two surveys totaling more than 23,000 subjects across Italy, and in the end, recommended deriving 10 percent of your daily calories from pasta. I can handle 10 percent. I'm content with 10 percent. I live for that 10 percent.

Basically, as with any food, moderation is key. The portion sizes we experience in North America are very large, and making sure that we stick to a healthy calorie intake matters here. If you're looking to incorporate more pasta in your life, the researchers recommend one cup of pasta for a person consuming 2,000 calories daily.

I think I can live with that! I'll just be over in my kitchen, eating pasta like a boss and smiling ear to ear. Hey, it's for my health.

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