Should I Eat Whole-Wheat Pasta?

3 minute read

Welcome to Should I Eat This?—our weekly poll of five experts who answer nutrition questions that gnaw at you.

whole wheat pasta
Illustration by Lon Tweeten for TIME

5/5 experts say yes.

When we pit brown foods against white foods, the earthier colors always get the health halo. But they’re not always deserved: take brown eggs, which may have a farm-to-table je ne sais quoi but are no more nutritious than eggs that come in a white shell—they just cost more. Pasta, on the other hand, is a different story. The whole-wheat version of everyone’s favorite cheese vehicle is way healthier, say five people who know about such things.

Pasta made from 100% whole-wheat flour maintains the three essential parts of the whole grain kernel: the bran, germ and the endosperm, says Alicia Romano, registered dietitian at Frances Stern Nutrition Center at Tufts Medical Center. These real-deal whole-grains make the pasta rich in vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber. A 1-cup serving of cooked whole-wheat spaghetti has about 23% of your daily fiber (white pasta has 9%) and 16% of your protein.

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“It is bulkier in the gut, more satiating, and thus likely more conducive to appetite and weight control,” says Mark Pereira, PhD, an epidemiologist and associate professor at the University of Minnesota. Plus, that fiber has a prebiotic effect, which promotes the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, says Mette Kristensen, PhD, associate professor in the department of nutrition, exercise and sports at the University of Copenhagen.

Make sure to read your labels, though. You want the term “whole” in front of any grain on the label, like “100% whole grains” or “100% whole wheat flour.” Anything without 100% or whole—including the vague term “wheat flour”—is probably refined.

In white pasta, however all but the starchy endosperm is stripped away, and with it goes about 25% of the grain’s protein, according to the Whole Grains Council. “We have many studies showing that people eating these refined starches have higher rates of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease compared to those who consume whole grains,” says Walter Willett, MD, DrPH, chair of the department of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health. “If you care about your health, the choice is clear.”

But—well, there’s a reason you don’t often see whole-wheat pasta on fancy Italian menus. It sometimes evokes the flavor and texture of chewy cardboard. “It tastes a little different,” admits Keith Ayoob, EdD, RD, a pediatric nutritionist at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. “But rather than stick only with white, split the difference and start with a pasta blend that’s half white and half whole wheat and ease into whole grain pasta.” Don’t forget to pile on the roasted veggies and beans, he says.

Ready to make the spaghetti switch? Your body will thank you—even if you go ahead and throw a little extra Parmesan on top. Cheese is 80% expert-approved, after all.

Read next: Should I Eat Kale?

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QUIZ: Should You Eat This or That?

Which is better for you: A 1/2 cup of ice cream or 3 scoops of sorbet?
Which is better for you: Half cup of ice cream or 3 scoops of sorbet?Getty Images (4)
Answer: A 1/2 cup of ice cream
Answer: A half cup of ice cream If you eat what you’re craving, you’re more likely to feel satisfied and eat less. And scoop for scoop sorbet contains twice the sugar with none of the filling dairy protein and fat.Getty Images (5); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME
Which is better for you: Real butter or spray on fake butter?
Which is better for you: Real butter or spray on fake butter?Getty Images; Tara Johnson for TIME
Answer: Butter
Answer: Butter Serving size for spray butters (even low-calorie ones) are around a 1/3 second spray. What on earth does that mean? You're better off using a small amount of real butter as opposed to guessing how much you're using of the mystery melange of up to 20 ingredients.Getty Images (1); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME
Which is better for you: A sirloin burger or a turkey burger?
Which is better for you: A turkey burger or a sirloin burger?Getty Images (2)
Answer: Sirloin burger Restaurant turkey burgers are often made with dark meat and the skin, so they’re not necessarily better for you (and for the record, they aren't low-fat). You can get a sirloin burger that’s 95% lean meat and gives you 20 g of protein. Just be careful with the toppings.Getty Images (1); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME
Which is better for you: Almonds or pretzels?
Which is better for you: Almonds or pretzels?Getty Images (2)
Answer: Almonds
Answer: Almonds Almonds are high in protein, fiber and fat and will keep you feeling fuller longer. Give high-sodium pretzels about an hour and you'll feel hungry again thanks to the high-carb no-fat or protein content.Getty Images (1); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME
Which is better for you: Eggs or Special K?
Which is better for you: Special K or eggs?AP; Getty Images
Answer: Eggs
Answer: Eggs In the morning, you want a meal that will fill you up. Eggs offer protein and fat for satiety, but Special K cereal really only offers carbs and, well, air. If you want carbs to kick off the day, you're better off pairing eggs with a slice of 100% whole grain toast. Getty Images (1); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME
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Which is better for you: Fat free salad dressing or regular salad dressing?Tara Johnson for TIME
Answer: Regular salad dressing
Answer: Regular salad dressingTo absorb fat soluble vitamins like Vitamins E and K in vegetables you need to consume them with a fat to aid nutrient absorption. Fat-free dressing, meanwhile, is low-calorie but gets its flavor from added sugar and salt.Tara Johnson for TIME (5); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME
Which is better for you: A low fat cookie or dark chocolate?
Which is better for you: A low fat cookie or dark chocolate?Getty Images (2)
Answer: Dark chocolate “People tend to believe fat free is calorie free,” says Keri Gans, a registered dietitian in New York City. “Go for the real thing.” Fat free cookies may be lower in fat, but higher in other ingredients like sugar. Try a nice piece of dark chocolate for those antioxidants.
Answer: Dark chocolate “People believe fat free is calorie free,” says Keri Gans, a registered dietitian in New York City. “Go for the real thing.” Fat free cookies tend to be high in carbs, sugar and fake sugar. Try a nice piece of antioxidant-rich dark chocolate instead.Getty Images (2); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME
Which is better for you: Low fat Greek yogurt or 100 calorie Yoplait yogurt?
Which is better for you: Low fat Greek yogurt or 100 calorie Yoplait yogurt?Tara Johnson for TIME
Answer: Low fat Greek Yogurt
Answer: 2% Greek YogurtA little fat is good in the morning to keep you full—plus it has upwards of 17g of protein per container. Fat-free "fruit" yogurt is high in sugar—7 to 10 g per serving—and lower in protein.Tara Johnson for TIME (2); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME

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Write to Mandy Oaklander at mandy.oaklander@time.com