Pasta and Diabetes

[Shel_B]

Recently I read that pasta cooked al dente, or slightly underdone, has less of an effect on blood sugar levels than pasta that is fully cooked, or cooked to be soft. The reason given for this is that it takes longer to digest the al dente pasta and break it down, therefore the sugars are released more slowly into the blood stream. I can't find the citation now - anybody know if this is true, or have any comments on the subject?

scb

[CaliPoutine]

Dreamfields is the best pasta for Diabetics. Edited August 22, 2008 by CaliPoutine (log)

[jgm]

You probably want to do some Googling of the glycemic index. It's a fairly controversial topic, though. Some people consider it to be the gold standard of what to eat. Others say the GI is not reliable, because adding any other food to it changes the whole picture, and not necessarily in a predictable fashion.

It boils down to who you decide to believe.

[dougal]

Recently I read that pasta cooked al dente, or slightly underdone, has less of an effect on blood sugar levels than pasta that is fully cooked, or cooked to be soft. ...

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I'd be surprised if the cooking made a big difference.

"Big" that is, in comparison to the type of pasta (egg, wholemeal...) and what you choose to serve with the pasta.

AFAIK, wholemeal everything is (or was) regarded as a good starting point for steadying diabetics' blood sugar levels.

Edited August 22, 2008 by dougal (log)

[Shel_B]

You probably want to do some Googling of the glycemic index.  It's a fairly controversial topic, though. 

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Thanks for jumping in. I'm familiar with the GI (and the GL). I've not found an answer to the question on several GI/GL sites. Other sites are at odds with one another as to the answer. Several say it's true, however, one doctor says it's BS, so I need to read more from and about him. Some of his positions are contrary to "common" beliefs, yet they reflect my own experiences.

scb

[heidih]

I am pretty sure this topic has come up before but I can't find the thread. I know that ever since I started noticing calorie counts (1960's!!) that al dente was lower than longer cooked pasta. I sniff around some more, but there is a definite difference, just not sure how huge.

[pax]

I developed gestational diabetes with my first which never went away. It's weird, really weird, the stuff that makes my glucose values spike. I can eat candy all day long and my blood sugar doesn't move a bit....but let me eat carbs like pasta or bread and two hours later I can be sweating like a pig snuffling through every drawer in my house for candy so I don't pass out. I think someone whose trying to figure this stuff out is really well served with a food diary and a meter.

[paulraphael]

One of the most misunderstood things about this topic is that your body responds to the glycemic index of the sum total of the contents of your stomach. You might read that a baguette has an incredibly high GI. But if you slather some butter on it, it drops dramatically. And if there's already a bunch of fat and protein in your belly, the slice of bread will hardly matter at all.

That's good news for pasta, which is usually coated with very low GI fats and proteins.

Endurance athletes look at this from the opposite side. How can I get these calories into my blood as quickly as possible? The answer is often some kind of long chain carbohydrate gel, but if there's already a ham sandwich in your stomach, you're out of luck. You'll be waiting a long time for those calories.

[HungryC]

Here's a vote for Barilla Plus--it is a multigrain pasta, relatively high in protein and lower in carbs, that actually tastes like pasta. It is only available in thin spaghetti, reg spaghetti, elbow, and penne shapes, but it is light years ahead (in taste) of the straight whole-wheat stuff. http://www.barillaus.com/Home/Pages/Barilla_Plus.aspx

[Shel_B]

Here's a vote for Barilla Plus--it is a multigrain pasta, relatively high in protein and lower in carbs, that actually tastes like pasta.  It is only available in thin spaghetti, reg spaghetti, elbow, and penne shapes, but it is light years ahead (in taste) of the straight whole-wheat stuff.  http://www.barillaus.com/Home/Pages/Barilla_Plus.aspx

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Hi, thanks for the information. Although I've found a couple of ww pastas that are more than satisfactory, the Barilla seems like it may be a good addition to the pantry. I'll be near a market that carries the product later today, so I'' probably grab a box and give it a try. Thanks!

scb