Pasta is certainly the first dish par excellence, the one that never fails on the tables of us Italians, but also of the whole world: it is a complete food, simple to cook and thanks to the variety of its condiments it adapts to practically all tastes.

The most common variety is certainly that of durum wheat, but our palates are slowly learning to appreciate more and more wholemeal pasta which, thanks to the high content of fibers and nutrients, is particularly healthy and also suitable for those who are particularly attentive to the line.

What wholemeal pasta means: everything you need to know about this type of healthy and nutritious

The main difference between the 2 types of pasta lies in the processing process: the latter, in fact, is obtained from the processing of a dough of whole semolina of water and durum wheat that is not subjected to refining processes and therefore the resulting flour is raw.

That’s why, as well as in wholemeal flour, in wholemeal pasta there are all the components of the grain, such as bran and germ, while in white and refined flour are mostly starches.

While providing more or less the same calories, wholemeal pasta is certainly healthier due to the lower lipid content and the presence of fiber and complex carbohydrates.

The most important benefits of wholemeal pasta

• Wholemeal pasta is much richer in nutrients and has a higher content of vitamins, minerals and fibers (up to 5 times more) than white pasta, as well as having a slightly higher protein content;

• The presence of fibers and beta glucans contained in the bran helps to increase the sense of satiety and also the absorption of carbohydrates, preventing the formation of fat and cholesterol;

• The glycemic index, as in all whole grain products, is lower than traditional pasta

• Vitamin E and polyphenols present in bran and germ have antioxidant properties and prevent cellular aging

The nutritional values of wholemeal pasta

In diets designed for weight control, wholemeal pasta is often preferred to the classic durum wheat pasta not because it has the miraculous power to promote weight loss in the strict sense, but because the fibers contained in it give a greater sense of satiety, allowing to slightly reduce the doses.

In addition, the presence of fiber, as we have seen previously, helps to lower the glycemic index and slow down the assimilation of carbohydrates. Let’s discover together some important differences in the composition of 100 grams of wholemeal pasta compared to 100 grams of durum wheat semolina pasta.

– 100 grams of wholemeal pasta provide 324 calories and consist of:

• 66.2 grams of carbohydrates
• 13.4 grams of protein
• 11.5 grams of dietary fiber

– 100 grams of pasta provide about 353 calories and consist of:

• 74.67 grams of carbohydrates
• 13.04 grams of protein
• 3.2 grams of dietary fiber

Wholemeal pasta, despite being a healthy food with excellent nutritional properties, may not be recommended for people suffering from intestinal disorders such as irritable bowel because excessive consumption of dietary fiber could cause intestinal fermentation.

How to cook wholemeal pasta

The wholemeal pasta as well as having a different color from the traditional one also has a more rustic and decisive flavor: its appearance is rougher and slightly dotted.

The ideal is to always choose a condiment that harmonizes perfectly with the characteristic taste of wholemeal pasta, without going to cover it: among the ideal combinations there are certainly all the sauces of fresh vegetables such as zucchini, peppers, broccoli and pumpkin and also delicate fish such as shrimp and tuna.

To obtain a good first course based on wholemeal pasta it is essential to respect some precautions: its cooking is a little slower than the classic durum wheat and therefore, compared to what is stated on the package, in principle it is always advisable to add at least a couple of minutes.

We can think, instead, to respect the times indicated on the package if we then finish its cooking in a pan with a hearty broth based on fish, meat or vegetables: in this case let it finish its cooking until it has absorbed all the sauce.

The wholemeal pasta offered by DF Gourmet is very suitable to be eaten cold with light sauces such as cherry tomatoes, mozzarella and basil or zucchini and tuna. The ideal, in this case, is to store it in the refrigerator and then leave it at least half an hour at room temperature so that it releases its flavor; Before serving, you can complete the preparation with a drizzle of oil and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.