Pasta is a common product used to make side dishes. It is believed that the product has a high calorie content, and therefore it should not be consumed during weight loss or to maintain weight if you are prone to obesity. However, knowing how many calories are in pasta , and cooking methods to reduce calories, you can eat pasta at lunchtime without restrictions.
Pasta is a flour product, but its variety today is so great that you can find lower-calorie varieties to eat during a diet. Next, types of pasta, cooking features in order to reduce calorie content, as well as examples with recipes will be presented in detail.
Types of pasta
Pasta is made from a dough using wheat flour and water. As a result, the product can be classified as complex carbohydrates necessary for the body due to prolonged saturation and energy production for normal life. Nutritionists do not recommend using varieties for quick cooking, but giving preference to pasta made from durum wheat. At the moment, pasta varies in composition, shape and even color.
Among the long varieties there are:
- vermicelli,
- spaghetti,
- spaghettini,
- fettuccine,
- capellini, etc.
Among the short pasta products, the following varieties are distinguished:
- tortiglioni,
- maccheroni,
- cavatappi, etc.
There are also curly varieties:
- farfalle (we call them “butterflies”),
- conchiglie (or “shells”),
- capeletti (similar to small Russian dumplings), etc.
As a result of the huge number of varieties, one can count more than 200 pasta dishes, the cooking features of which should be based on reducing calories in order to lose weight or maintain a slim body.
About the benefits of boiled pasta
Pasta is a high-carbohydrate product containing a huge amount of fiber. It cleanses the body of waste and toxins and helps speed up metabolism. Slow carbohydrates saturate the body for a long time, so you shouldn’t give up boiled pasta even on a diet.
Slow carbohydrates, which enter the human body in the form of boiled pasta, normalize blood sugar levels, causing long-term saturation. The dish can be eaten with a small amount of butter, or better yet, with sour cream sauce, to which spices and other herbs are added.
Practical tip: It is recommended to undercook the pasta, which adds additional flavor. Among other things, this type of cooked pasta is healthier and increases satiety.
About energy value
The paste contains about 400 kilocalories in 100 g of pure product. You can learn about BZHU - the content of proteins, fats and carbohydrates - from the instructions provided on the packaging. When losing weight, you need to count the calories that come from the dry amount of pasta. When boiled, they increase in size, so it is necessary to calculate the calorie content of the finished dish carefully and correctly.
The approximate calorie content of pasta made from durum wheat and others is presented in the table.
| product | energy value per 100 g |
| Boiled from durum wheat | 112 kcal |
| Boiled with butter | 135 kcal |
| Boiled buckwheat | 139 kcal |
| Boiled with mushrooms | 174 kcal |
| Boiled with cheese | 224 kcal |
In most cases, preference is given to Italian spaghetti, which is attractive, easy to prepare, loved by children, and provides great opportunities for preparing various dishes. They can be consumed with oil in small quantities in pure form. The calorie content of spaghetti per 100 grams is 344 kcal.
Please note: The calorie content of a dish directly depends on the additional components to the pasta. Indicators decrease if the paste is flavored with vegetable oil rather than butter. You can use sour cream sauces for taste - sour cream with finely chopped vegetables and herbs.
Calories in Boiled Barilla Pasta. Chemical composition and nutritional value.
Nutritional value and chemical composition of Barilla Boiled Pasta.
The table shows the nutritional content (calories, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals) per 100 grams of edible portion.
| Nutrient | Quantity | Norm** | % of the norm in 100 g | % of the norm in 100 kcal | 100% normal |
| Calorie content | 111.6 kcal | 1684 kcal | 6.6% | 5.9% | 1509 g |
| Squirrels | 3.4 g | 76 g | 4.5% | 4% | 2235 g |
| Fats | 0.4 g | 56 g | 0.7% | 0.6% | 14000 g |
| Carbohydrates | 23.1 g | 219 g | 10.5% | 9.4% | 948 g |
| Alimentary fiber | 2.8 g | 20 g | 14% | 12.5% | 714 g |
| Water | 67.15 g | 2273 g | 3% | 2.7% | 3385 g |
| Ash | 0.44 g | ~ | |||
| Vitamins | |||||
| beta carotene | 0.002 mg | 5 mg | 250000 g | ||
| Lutein + Zeaxanthin | 81 mcg | ~ | |||
| Vitamin B1, thiamine | 0.108 mg | 1.5 mg | 7.2% | 6.5% | 1389 g |
| Vitamin B2, riboflavin | 0.045 mg | 1.8 mg | 2.5% | 2.2% | 4000 g |
| Vitamin B4, choline | 10.7 mg | 500 mg | 2.1% | 1.9% | 4673 g |
| Vitamin B5, pantothenic | 0.419 mg | 5 mg | 8.4% | 7.5% | 1193 g |
| Vitamin B6, pyridoxine | 0.079 mg | 2 mg | 4% | 3.6% | 2532 g |
| Vitamin B9, folates | 5 mcg | 400 mcg | 1.3% | 1.2% | 8000 g |
| Vitamin E, alpha tocopherol, TE | 0.3 mg | 15 mg | 2% | 1.8% | 5000 g |
| Vitamin K, phylloquinone | 0.7 mcg | 120 mcg | 0.6% | 0.5% | 17143 g |
| Vitamin RR, NE | 0.707 mg | 20 mg | 3.5% | 3.1% | 2829 g |
| Macronutrients | |||||
| Potassium, K | 44 mg | 2500 mg | 1.8% | 1.6% | 5682 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 15 mg | 1000 mg | 1.5% | 1.3% | 6667 g |
| Magnesium, Mg | 30 mg | 400 mg | 7.5% | 6.7% | 1333 g |
| Sodium, Na | 3 mg | 1300 mg | 0.2% | 0.2% | 43333 g |
| Phosphorus, P | 89 mg | 800 mg | 11.1% | 9.9% | 899 g |
| Microelements | |||||
| Iron, Fe | 1.06 mg | 18 mg | 5.9% | 5.3% | 1698 g |
| Manganese, Mn | 1.379 mg | 2 mg | 69% | 61.8% | 145 g |
| Copper, Cu | 167 mcg | 1000 mcg | 16.7% | 15% | 599 g |
| Selenium, Se | 25.9 mcg | 55 mcg | 47.1% | 42.2% | 212 g |
| Zinc, Zn | 0.81 mg | 12 mg | 6.8% | 6.1% | 1481 g |
| Digestible carbohydrates | |||||
| Mono- and disaccharides (sugars) | 0.8 g | max 100 g | |||
| Maltose | 0.3 g | ~ | |||
| Sucrose | 0.1 g | ~ | |||
| Essential amino acids | |||||
| Arginine* | 0.188 g | ~ | |||
| Valin | 0.231 g | ~ | |||
| Histidine* | 0.125 g | ~ | |||
| Isoleucine | 0.207 g | ~ | |||
| Leucine | 0.364 g | ~ | |||
| Lysine | 0.118 g | ~ | |||
| Methionine | 0.086 g | ~ | |||
| Threonine | 0.143 g | ~ | |||
| Tryptophan | 0.069 g | ~ | |||
| Phenylalanine | 0.265 g | ~ | |||
| Nonessential amino acids | |||||
| Alanin | 0.166 g | ~ | |||
| Aspartic acid | 0.24 g | ~ | |||
| Glycine | 0.193 g | ~ | |||
| Glutamic acid | 1.847 g | ~ | |||
| Proline | 0.568 g | ~ | |||
| Serin | 0.26 g | ~ | |||
| Tyrosine | 0.139 g | ~ | |||
| Cysteine | 0.111 g | ~ | |||
| Saturated fatty acids | |||||
| Saturated fatty acids | 0.099 g | max 18.7 g | |||
| 14:0 Miristinovaya | 0.001 g | ~ | |||
| 16:0 Palmitinaya | 0.092 g | ~ | |||
| 18:0 Stearic | 0.005 g | ~ | |||
| Monounsaturated fatty acids | 0.075 g | min 16.8 g | 0.4% | 0.4% | |
| 16:1 Palmitoleic | 0.002 g | ~ | |||
| 18:1 Oleic (omega-9) | 0.073 g | ~ | |||
| Polyunsaturated fatty acids | 0.213 g | from 11.2 to 20.6 g | 1.9% | 1.7% | |
| 18:2 Linolevaya | 0.203 g | ~ | |||
| 18:3 Linolenic | 0.01 g | ~ | |||
| Omega-3 fatty acids | 0.01 g | from 0.9 to 3.7 g | 1.1% | 1% | |
| Omega-6 fatty acids | 0.203 g | from 4.7 to 16.8 g | 4.3% | 3.9% |
The energy value of boiled Barilla pasta is 111.6 kcal.
Primary Source: Created in the application by the user. Read more.
** This table shows the average levels of vitamins and minerals for an adult. If you want to know the norms taking into account your gender, age and other factors, then use the “My Healthy Diet” application.
About choosing a useful product
In order for the paste to bring maximum benefits to the body, you need to know the rules for choosing the product in question.
For this, the following factors are taken into account:
- it is important to pay attention to the instructions, where KBZHU is written - the content of calories, proteins, fats and carbohydrates - in pasta recommended for weight loss there should be at least 10 g of protein per 100 g,
- good pasta is sold only in packages,
- the color should not be bright - this indicates the use of dyes,
- if there are white specks on the surface, it means that the purchase is rejected - this is low-quality flour that did not dissolve during the process of kneading the dough,
- a musty smell indicates improper storage of the product - it should not be consumed,
- packaging with pasta must be a sealed transparent plastic bag (it is important to be able to independently examine the contents of the bag),
- during cooking the pasta, no foam should form on the surface, the water should be clear, without additional shades,
- the cost of a quality product is above average.
The choice of form and manufacturer is carried out at your own discretion and financial capabilities.
Please note: Pasta produced by Makfa and Barilla are especially popular. The first one is affordable for most buyers. Barilla products are somewhat more expensive. Both offer durum wheat pasta.
Product Description
Before answering the questions posed, you need to take a closer look at the product itself. Barilla pasta is a group A product. The main components for their production are water and flour, made from exclusively durum wheat. This circumstance, naturally, affects the quality of the finished product.
Flour from such wheat is characterized by the fact that it contains a lot of gluten and very little starch. This is why Barilla pasta is so convenient to cook. During cooking, they do not release the characteristic cloudy sediment. The water remains almost clear throughout the cooking period. Such pasta does not need to be washed, as it practically does not stick together. This speaks not only of their high quality, but also of their good culinary properties. During cooking, housewives can only stir the product occasionally, and then simply drain off the excess liquid. After this, you can immediately add sauce or butter and serve the finished dish to the table. The products completely retain their shape without loss of quality and appearance.
About cooking methods and their effect on calorie content
The news that the calorie content of fried pasta is higher than boiled pasta will not surprise anyone. But not everyone knows how to use methods to reduce performance.
Where the following features stand out:
- if you use additives in the form of spices during cooking, you can increase the calorie content of the product - even using broth instead of water noticeably changes the indicators in question,
- you need to look at the pack to find out the calorie content of the product - often even the shape of pasta affects the indicators (for example, cones and spaghetti from the same manufacturer have different indicators),
- adding sauces, sour cream, ketchup, mayonnaise to ready-made pasta significantly increases the energy value - often 1.5 times if there are a lot of additives in quantity,
- macaroni and cheese have 2-3 times more calories than a simply cooked product,
- The energy value of fried pasta doubles if you simply use vegetable oil.
Boiled pasta without adding oil contains approximately 115 kcal per 100 g of finished product. Eating them will not cause weight gain unless you add fatty additives to the dish.
Individual packing
Barilla pasta is easily recognizable on store shelves. The photo will help you better see the product packaging in order to understand what product is inside.
These are mainly cardboard boxes of 0.5 and 1.0 kilograms. On all four sides, as well as at the top, there is the brand name, enclosed in two ovals of white and red. The name and photo of the product unit are placed on the front side to facilitate the selection process for the buyer. On the reverse side there is the most complete information about the product, and the method of its preparation is also described in detail. The contrasting bright blue color of the packaging not only helps to better perceive the information placed on it, but also looks advantageous on the counter, attracting the attention of more customers.
Products made in Italy are usually packaged in 500 gram boxes. Pasta, which is produced in Solnechnogorsk near Moscow, is usually sold in packs of 0.4 or 0.45 kilograms. True, sometimes there are mini-packages of 200, 250 and 350 grams. It is interesting that in their homeland these products cost almost twice as much as in Russia.
Pasta recipes
It is necessary to provide recipes for some dishes that contain pasta, but will not affect your figure.
Pasta with chicken and broccoli
This dietary dish is balanced and can be eaten for breakfast or lunch.
The cooking sequence is as follows:
- Cut the chicken fillet into cubes and place it in a heated frying pan with vegetable oil. Fry with onions and bell peppers, add broccoli and water to simmer all the products.
- While the vegetables are stewing in a saucepan, you need to boil water and pour in the pasta for cooking. Cook them for no more than 8-10 minutes.
- Place the boiled pasta in the pan with the meat and vegetables. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Serve the dish hot in its pure form. You can add fresh vegetables.
Macaroni with cream and cheese
The preparation of the presented dish is simple and is carried out in the following sequence:
- Pasta is boiled in salted water.
- At the same time, for cooking, you need to heat the cream in a frying pan or Dutch oven, add crumbled cheese. Wait for it to dissolve.
- Place the boiled horns on a plate and pour the sauce over them.
The presented dish turns out to be more high in calories, so when losing weight it is better to refrain from eating it. If you want to try something new, you can use it in small quantities in the first half of the day.
Fettuccine with seafood and tomatoes
Fettuccine is a thick noodle that replaces traditional spaghetti.
Cooking occurs in the following sequence:
- Boil the noodles until tender in salted water.
- Fry onions, tomatoes and seafood cocktail in a frying pan with vegetable oil for 10 minutes.
- Place noodles on a plate and top with a few spoons of sea cocktail with vegetables.
The recipe can be changed a little if you put the noodles in a frying pan with a sea cocktail and vegetables.
Pasta with green beans
The cooking principle is similar to the recipe described above using a sea cocktail.
To do this you need to do the following:
- Boil the pasta until cooked according to instructions.
- Peel the tomatoes and fry along with onions, garlic and green beans in a frying pan with vegetable oil for 3 minutes.
- Place the pasta in the vegetable stock and continue to simmer for 2 minutes.
For this dish, it is better to use farfalle rather than standard cones - the appearance will take on new colors.
Pasta with tuna
For this dish, tuna is used in its own juice or vegetable oil.
The cooking technology is presented in the following sequence:
- Boil the pasta until tender.
- Separately, place tuna and tomato paste in a frying pan. Simmer the contents for 3-4 minutes.
- Place pasta in a plate and top with tuna mixture.
Decorate the dish with chopped herbs. If you want to change the taste a little, just add a few cloves of garlic or peas to boiling water. Pasta is in demand in any cuisine, and especially in European cuisine, where there are numerous varieties of pastas - Carbonara, Bolognese and others. It is only important, when using traditional recipes, to give up fatty additives. They increase calorie content and lead to the deposition of fat cells, which negatively affects a person’s figure and health.
