30 Low Calorie Pasta Recipes You Need to Try Now (2024)

FAQs

Which type of pasta has the lowest calories? ›

"Vegetable-based pastas, such as zucchini noodles or hearts of palm noodles, tend to be lowest in carbs and calories," says Sassos. "They are also packed with nutrient-dense vitamins and minerals and are naturally gluten-free.

The best bang for your buck when it comes to weight loss is chickpea pasta, according to Kaytee. "With twice as much fiber and protein, you'll be able to stay satisfied with your meal and consume fewer calories than the other pasta options, helping you to achieve your weight goals," she says.

Dietitians and other health care professionals should consider pasta as a low-glycemic carbohydrate option within the context of a healthy diet or a weight loss/weight maintenance diet.

Whole-wheat pasta is an easy-to-find nutritious noodle that will bump up the nutrition of your pasta dish. Made from whole grains, every cup of cooked pasta (140 grams) boasts 43 g of carbohydrate, 3 g of fiber and 8 g of protein per serving, per the USDA.

The main differences between refined (white) pasta and white rice are in the amount of calories, fiber, and protein in each. Pasta contains more calories, more fiber, and more protein than rice. However, many healthier varieties of pasta and rice are available that are more nutritious than their refined counterparts.

Zucchini is a popular noodle substitute because its texture makes it easy to spiral out into spaghetti-like shapes. This summer squash, also called a courgette, consists of about 95% water and has just about 25 calories in each small zucchini. It's also virtually fat-free and cholesterol-free.

And, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, both potatoes and rice can be helpful when you're trying to lose weight. Both have practically little to no fat, contain nutritional value and are relatively similar in calories.

For a meal, I typically advise my weight loss clients to keep their portion of cooked pasta to 1 to 1.5 cups (women) and 1.5 to 2 cups (men). The serving size of pasta on nutrition labels is given as a dry weight, so it can be hard to know how much to cook.

Both potatoes and pasta can be part of a balanced diet, but they have different nutritional profiles. If you're aiming for weight loss, potatoes might be the slightly better choice due to their lower calorie and higher fiber content.

Answer: Your friend is right. Taking white bread and white potatoes, as well as white rice and white pasta, out of your diet can be helpful for weight loss. Because of the way your body processes these four foods, they can lead to cravings for carbohydrates, also called sugars.

What happens if you eat no carbs for a week? ›

Severe carb limits can cause your body to break down fat into ketones for energy. This is called ketosis. Ketosis can cause side effects such as bad breath, headache, fatigue and weakness. It's not clear what kind of possible long-term health risks a low-carb diet may pose.

The healthiest pasta sauces get most of their fat from olive oil (marinara) or olive oil and nuts (pesto), not cream or cheese (alfredo). And the good guys don't pile too much salt or sugar on top of your spaghetti. Here's how to find them. Check the photos for some great-tasting Best Bites and Honorable Mentions.

Capellini (also called "angel hair") is commonly cited as the world's thinnest pasta shape, but the accolade goes to su filindeu, an unfathomably thin type of pasta that also happens to be the rarest and most expensive pasta shape on earth.

Still, while there is little difference in the effects of refined and whole-grain pastas on health, pasta that is made from whole grains may be a better choice if you're looking to lose weight. It is lower in calories and higher in satiety-boosting fiber than refined pasta.

Egg noodles beat pasta when it comes to calories. A hundred grams of egg noodles has around 20 fewer calories than an equal amount of spaghetti. Protein. Despite having eggs in them, egg noodles have less protein than pasta.