What Wheat Is Pasta Made Of? Its Benefits And Downsides
What wheat is pasta made of? Pasta is usually made from durum wheat called semolina.
Pasta lovers nowadays do not only enjoy eating pasta but rather making themselves a homemade one.
If we want to ensure the quality of the pasta that we are eating, we opt to make it ourselves.
Well, in addition to quality, imagine the nutritional benefits a pasta could give.
A serve of pasta will be made into a hearty meal that is good for both vegetarians and meat lovers out there.
While most pasta experts prefer pasta made from whole wheat grain, have you ever wondered what wheat is used in the process?
What Is Pasta?
Pasta is the term used to describe the product after mixing wheat flour with egg and water. But have you ever wondered what wheat is pasta made of?
The wheat used in most pasta is durum wheat but also known as semolina. It is a hard type of grain.
Semolina is widely used all across the world in bread, porridge, and especially in pasta. It tends to be darker and has a golden colour compared to all-purpose flour.
Health Benefits Of Semolina
Along with its many culinary uses, semolina has many nutritional benefits that could help make our body healthy, and here are some of them.
#1. Slow down digestion
Semolina is high in fibre and protein, helping slow down digestion, making you feel full in a long-term period between meals. Read more how long does pasta take to digest.
It is high in fibre and in vitamins like thiamine and folate in which both have essential roles in food-energy conversion.
These dietary fibres also provide optimal health in your immune system metabolism and more.
It could also help treat constipation and promote regular bowel movements. So if you are feeling constipated, eating some pasta made from semolina will be a good idea.
#2. Promotes heart health
It is also a good source of iron and magnesium responsible for promoting a healthy heart, producing red blood cells, and controlling your blood sugar.
Having a fibre-rich diet may reduce your risk of many heart-related diseases. It could lower bad cholesterol and blood pressure.
Since semolina is a good source of magnesium that helps regulate and control your blood sugar, it will also help prevent diabetes.
Magnesium helps in increasing the cells responsible for controlling the insulin your body takes that helps absorb the carbohydrates in your body in your bloodstream.
#3. Weight loss
If you want to lose some weight, eating pasta with semolina could be a good idea since it has nutrients that aids in weight loss.
Since it can make you feel less hungry, it will prevent you from eating in between meals. So if you feel full, why would you want to eat more?
#4. Prevents anaemia
Semolina is an excellent source of iron that plays many roles inside your body. Some of which include DNA synthesis, transportation of oxygen throughout your bloodstream, and act as immune system support.
Without this dietary iron in our body, one cannot produce enough red blood cells, which turns into a condition called iron-deficiency anaemia.
Downsides Of Using Semolina
While semolina could offer many health benefits, there are some downright adverse effects of eating more.
#1. Allergy
If you are allergic to wheat, it is advisable to avoid eating anything made with semolina.
Eating semolina-based pasta may trigger specific allergic reactions like hives, sneezing, nausea, and more.
#2. Celiac disease
Avoid eating semolina-based pasta if you have Celiac disease. Eating some will cause you abdominal pains, bloating, and constipation.
#3. Malnutrition
As much as you want to be healthy as possible with eating more pasta, more semolina may continue to damage your small intestines and lead to malabsorption.
#4. Gluten sensitivity
If you are gluten sensitive, eating pasta made from semolina flour could cause problems in your body. please read here why is whole wheat pasta better.
It is because semolina has high gluten content, so avoiding eating more.
#5. Other side effects
Other side effects of eating semolina include diarrhoea, constipation, and headaches.
You may also experience behavioural changes like depression or hyperactivity. With all of these in mind, the key is never to overeat.
Types Of Pasta Flour
As much as wheat is concerned, pasta manufacturers nowadays produce pasta that differs in the wheat amount.
We have here two examples of pasta that we’d like to compare. The refined pasta and the whole wheat pasta. Which one do you think is better?
Type #1. Refined pasta
While most people prefer refined pasta since it has lower fibre and higher calories, this type of pasta is perfect for those who want to gain weight.
Refined pasta tends to reduce the feeling of fullness, thus making you want to eat more.
Although you want to gain more weight, you must watch how many portions you eat. Overeating is never a solution to low weight.
Eating many carbs may increase your weight but control it since it has many adverse effects.
Type #2. Whole wheat pasta
Most experts choose to eat whole wheat pasta because it is healthier than refined white pasta. Read more here how long does cooked pasta last in the fridge.
Refined pasta tends to be digested faster than the whole whet because of its high insulin levels.
The carbs in your body are the primary energy source in your body from the food you eat. But having much is does not benefit you in any way.
Whole wheat pasta has more nutrients compared to refined ones. It has complex carbs, protein, iron fibre, and magnesium.
If you want to gain weight without eating more, whole wheat pasta is the right pasta for you. Try the ones from Torre & Olives.
Conclusion
While eating your favourite pasta dish, keep in mind its benefits and side effects. You may start on what wheat is pasta made of and practice maintaining a good healthy habit.
Knowing if what you're eating is healthy is a must to know its nutritional values and origin. That way, you can ensure that your food is right for you.