Love pasta? Here’s how you can make it healthier

"Top 3 things to remember before eating that bowl of pasta…. Which we all love," Dr Dimple Jangda, an Ayurveda expert, said

As per the expert, the recommended serving size for pasta is just 2 ounces. (Photo: Getty images)

For many, pasta is the ultimate comfort food which can satiate not just their tastebuds but also their soul! For others, it is a quick dish that can be turned around without spending much time in the kitchen. However, no matter how much we love to devour pasta, we can’t deny its possible adverse effects on health as pasta, which is made using all-purpose flour aka maida, is not considered good for health. However, Dr Dimple Jangda, an Ayurveda expert, has the perfect solution to make this much-loved Italian dish healthy.

She took to Instagram to share tips to make paste healthy. “Top 3 things to remember before eating that bowl of pasta…. Which we all love,” she captioned the post.

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As per the expert, the recommended serving size for pasta is just 2 ounces. “But we often end up eating almost 9 ounces of pasta a day, which is an unhealthy habit. So here are 3 ways to ensure your pasta is healthy and delicious,” she added.

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A post shared by DrDimple, Ayurveda & Gut Health Coach (@drdimplejangda)

Load it with veggies

When eating pasta, make sure to order a salad, preferably steamed or sautéed with olive oil and herbs. This helps curb the hunger pangs. “As we often tend to go overboard with carbs, due to its delicious taste, make sure to balance your pasta serving with an equal amount of vegetables for fibre,” she suggested.

Replace refined flour pasta with whole grain or millet-based pasta

Replacing refined flour pasta with healthier alternatives like whole grain or millet-based pasta helps prevent leaky gut syndrome associated with refined flour, which is devoid of nutrients and is not easy to digest. “This type of pasta is almost completely devoid of fibre and protein– two vital nutrients for weight loss. So, replace your maida pasta with healthier alternatives, which satiate your craving and keep you from gaining excess weight,” Dr Jangda said.

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Don’t mix the white and tomato sauce to make pink sauce

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Red sauce is made from tomato which is a good source of vitamin C and citric acid. Whereas, white sauce is made of dairy product which has lactic acid. When these two acids meet, they cause undigested metabolic waste that lies in the stomach and gut for hours as the body is unable to absorb nutrients from it or eliminate it. “Choose one sauce at a time and relish it thoroughly. And if you are going to eat Italian food, eat it like an Italian. Use a liberal amount of cold pressed olive oil, which helps lubricate your gastrointestinal tract and move digested foods smoothly, thus, preventing the pasta from sitting in your gut for hours,” she said.

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