Spaghetti Nutrition Facts: Pasta Is Good for You!

Is pasta good for you? Low in fat, cholesterol, and calories, a good source of vitamin and minerals, as well as energy from complex carbohydrates, a plate of spaghetti does have its benefits. Find out what’s good about pasta and where this food falls short by understanding spaghetti nutrition facts.

What Is Spaghetti?

Spaghetti, linguini, elbow macaroni, rigatoni, whatever shape this food takes it is all the same thing — enriched semolina wheat flour. There are, of course, variations on plain old spaghetti such as egg noodles, those green or red spinach and tomato noodles, and there are even pasta products made from different (often more nutrient-rich) grains, such as whole wheat, quinoa, buckwheat, or rice.

But the box of dried spaghetti that you find on the grocery store shelves is simply semolina wheat flour, often enriched with nutrients such as iron and folic acid. So, what’s in a serving of spaghetti?

The Calorie Break-Down

One cup of cooked spaghetti has 221 calories. What do these calories consist of? Mostly complex carbohydrates — there are 43 grams per serving. What does this mean? Well, on one hand all of these carbs provide energy. This is an ideal food for athletes and people who regularly burn a lot of calories. It’s easy to digest, easy to break-down, and easy to eat. In fact, sometimes runners will eat pasta the night before a race to ‘carbo-load’ and provide their body with readily available energy.

And what happens if those plentiful carbohydrates are not burned off? For those who are not physically active, so many carbohydrates without as many filling calories from protein and fat can lead to weight gain. It is all right to eat spaghetti, of course, but to make this a healthy

food, eat it with vegetables, chicken breast, or even tofu. This way you eat less actual pasta and more nutrient-rich vegetables and filling sources of low-fat protein.

Pasta has only one gram of fat per serving and zero cholesterol, making this an extremely low-fat food. There is a respectable amount of protein in a cup of spaghetti; eight grams. There are three grams or ten percent of the daily recommended amount of dietary fiber. Fiber is so important for overall well-being, heart health, and the prevention of many chronic diseases.

Vitamins and Minerals

What does a serving of spaghetti or other types of pasta have to offer in terms of vitamins and minerals? Enriched pasta is a good source of:

• B vitamins — Which are needed for metabolism and energy production as well as the health of nerves, skin, eyes, hair, and proper brain function.
• Folic acid — This is a very important nutrient for pregnant women as it is needed for proper fetal nerve cell formation. It also helps to maintain normal homocysteine levels, and helps with red blood cell formation and energy production.
• Iron — The most important function of this mineral is the production of hemoglobin and the oxygenation of red blood cells. It is also needed for proper growth and immune health.
• Phosphorus — Is important for bone and teeth formation and cell growth.
• Zinc — Zinc is essential for reproductive gland health and immune health.
• Copper — This mineral helps with red blood cell and bone formation and balances with zinc in the body.
• Manganese — Is used for healthy nerves, the metabolism of food, and blood sugar regulation.
• Selenium — This mineral acts as a protective antioxidant in the body.

Knowing spaghetti nutrition facts there is no reason not to enjoy this great source of energy and nutrients. Enjoy it with sauteed vegetables, stewed beans, roasted fish — and if you want to add more nutrition try spaghetti made with whole grains instead of semolina wheat.

References

Nutrition Data https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/cereal-grains-and-pasta/5780/2

National Pasta Association https://www.ilovepasta.org/nutrition.html

Balch, Phyllis A. " Prescription for Nutritional Healing." Fourth Edition (Penguin Books, 2006).

Photo by D Sharon Pruitt (CC/flickr)

Photo by Averill (CC/flickr)