Which Noodles are Best for Weight Loss?

What’s your favorite way to eat pasta? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

 

When we are minding the scale, a plate piled high with pasta can feel like the enemy, or something to indulge in during what some call a “cheat meal.” Many common varieties are high in carbohydrates, which may lead to weight gain if we reach for seconds.

It doesn’t help that refined pasta can cause a rapid spike in blood sugar levels, leading to increased hunger and overeating. According to Healthline, “refined pasta is higher in calories and lower in fiber. This may result in decreased feelings of fullness after you eat it, compared to eating high-fiber, whole-grain pasta.” In fact, “cutting out added sugars and refined carbs is probably the best thing you can do for weight control,” Dariush Mozaffarian, M.D., a cardiologist, public health scientist and director of the Food is Medicine Institute at Tufts University, told AARP.

Which pastas are likeliest to pack on the pounds?

Few foods should be off limits. There is room for your favorites in many weight-loss regimens, but not too much room. (Might it seem rude to not at least taste cousin Naja’s famous mac and cheese? Just a bite. With hot sauce, thank you.) Consider limiting portion sizes and servings of the following.

White, or refined wheat pasta: “Refined grains are simple carbs that have been processed to remove the fiber. This often removes key nutrients as well, some of which are added back in by the manufacturer,” according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (cdc.gov). The CDC site adds, “refined grains are processed to increase shelf life, which can also make them more affordable.” None of this is done to make products healthier.

Pasta with creamy sauces: Rich sauces like pesto, cheese sauce, Alfredo and vodka sauce all contain dairy fat from cream or cheese. According to verywellhealth.com, “Avoid creamy sauces, such as cheese and alfredo sauces, since these are a source of added fat and are high in saturated fat.” Bolognese, made with ground beef and often pork products, contains animal fat, which is also saturated.

Stuffed pasta: Varieties like stuffed shells, stuffed cannelloni, stuffed manicotti, ravioli or tortellini, especially those filled with cheese or meat, can be higher in calories and saturated fat. Same goes for lasagna. If you add cheese on top instead of using pre-filled pasta or stuffing the pasta, you can control the fat content. Low-fat cheese varieties include low-fat cottage cheese, part-skim mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, and low-fat ricotta, according to verywellhealth.com.

Instant noodles: The precooked, just-add-water go-to for a quick snack is typically lower in calories than other noodle varieties, according to Healthline, but it has “less fiber and protein, with higher amounts of fat, carbs, sodium and select micronutrients.” A few added minerals doesn’t make ramen a health food, Sis. It’s a highly-processed food. And that dinky little pack is actually two servings.

What are some healthier noodle options that may help with weight loss?

Choose varieties that include complex carbohydrates. According to the CDC, “these increase your blood sugar more slowly because they contain fiber and other complex starches that take longer for your body to digest. Examples of complex carbs include starchy vegetables (white and sweet potatoes, peas, corn), legumes (beans, lentils), and whole grains. Choose these carbs to get the most nutrition with the least impact on blood sugar.”

The good news is, you’ve got plenty of noodle options. Among them:

Zoodles (Zucchini Noodles): Made from spiralized zucchini, these noodles are very low in calories and carbs. They are a great way to add more vegetables to your diet. Zoodles are also rich in vitamins and minerals. The thing to remember when working with spiralized zucchini is that you don’t want to cook it as you would a flour noodle. Pro tip from The Biggest Loser Flavors of the World Cookbook author Devin Alexander: “Place a small nonstick frying pan over medium heat. When it's hot, remove it from the burner just long enough to lightly mist it with the olive oil spray. Toss the zucchini in the pan just long enough to warm it; do not cook it or it will get mushy. Transfer the warmed zucchini to a strainer for a minute to release any excess moisture.” From that point, it’s ready to plate, topped with hot pasta sauce, which will soften the zoodles further. Alexander shares her Grilled Chicken Zoodle Marinara recipe on aarp.org.

You can make your own zoodles using a spiralizer or purchase prepackaged ones in your grocer’s produce section.

Edamame Noodles: Made from young soybeans, these light green, slightly nutty noodles have a pleasing chewiness. Varieties made with this single ingredient deliver 28 percent of calories as protein, 53 percent as carbohydrate [much of which is fiber, meaning net carbs are lower] and just 19 percent as fat, according to nutritionix.com.

This is a mealtime choice that can help you feel full longer and reduce overall calorie intake. In fact, if you’ve ever tried serving yourself the same size portion of a legume-based pasta as you typically eat of refined wheat-based pasta, we’ll bet you struggled to finish it. Soybean pasta is gluten-free. It has a lower glycemic index compared to traditional pasta, meaning it’s a choice that could help you keep blood sugar stable. According to verywellfit.com, “Edamame can be recommended for people with diabetes because it's low in sugar (just 3.4 grams per cooked cup of shelled beans).”

Brands you may like:

• The Only Bean Organic Edamame Fettuccine Bean Pasta ($8, theonlybean.com)
• Seapoint Farms Organic Edamame Fettuccine ($4, netrition.com)
• Explore Cuisine Organic Edamame Spaghetti ($5, vitacost.com)

Whole wheat noodles: “Whole-grain pasta is one of the foods that make up the Mediterranean diet, which is a nutritional approach that many doctors and dietitians recommend for better weight control and a lower risk of disease,” according to Medical News Today. Whole wheat noodles are higher in fiber and nutrients compared to regular pasta. The fiber content helps you feel full faster and longer, which can aid in weight management. Whole wheat pasta also has a lower glycemic index, which helps in maintaining stable blood sugar levels.

Brands you may like:

• De Cecco 100% Whole Wheat Spaghetti No. 12 Pasta ($10, walmart.com)
• Jovial Organic Einkorn Whole Wheat Pasta Linguine ($4.50, vitacost.com)
• Good & Gather Organic Whole Wheat Spaghetti ($2, target.com)

Spaghetti Squash: This vegetable can be cooked and used as a low-calorie, low-carb alternative to pasta (the same way you might sub cauliflower for rice). Does it taste like pasta? Not to us—but it’s good. And it looks like pasta. Any chef will tell you that we “eat” with our eyes. Spaghetti squash is high in fiber, which helps keep you full and satisfied. It's also rich in vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, manganese, and B vitamins.

Find spaghetti squash at your local produce market or farmer’s market

Which noodles have the fewest calories of all?

Konjac Noodles (Shirataki Noodles): These noodles are made from the konjac plant. They are 97 percent water. The other three percent is glucomannan fiber, which can help with satiety and digestion and provide about a fifth of a typical person’s fiber needs for the day. How low in calories is our lowest-calorie noodle? A cup has 20 calories, but that is 20 calories of fiber that is going to move right through you without being absorbed. For this reason, this very filling food is considered to be calorie free. But don’t overindulge. Konjac can have a laxative effect, according to healthline.com.

Shirataki noodles take on the flavor of whatever you cook them in. But real talk: They are not likely to fool your taste buds into thinking you're vacationing in Rome or Tokyo. Bulking up soups, stir-fries and the like to make them more satisfying is where they shine.

Konjac noodles are a popular choice for those on low-carb or keto diets. According to Cleveland Clinic, “Fiber-rich shirataki noodles may improve blood sugar, aid in digestion and help with weight loss.” If you are new to shirataki noodles, try the ones that come prepackaged in water, drain off the stinky (smell of the konjac root) water and rinse the noodles well. Drain, then use them in your recipe. They are pre-cooked, but you can easily add them to simmering soups, too.

Brands you may like:

• Liviva Penne Organic Shirataki With Oat Fibre ($4.35, walmart.com)
• Miracle Noodle Plant Based Noodles Shirataki Pasta Fettuccini Style ($4.30, netrition.com)
• Thrive Market, Organic Shirataki Noodles, Penne ($4.60, thrivemarket.com)

All prices are subject to change.

Use your noodle

When choosing pasta or noodles, think about your recipe and whether noodles are the star of the show (mac n’ cheese) or a supporting cast member (turkey soup). Do you need the ingredient for flavor, for bulk, or for texture? More considerations:

• If you need al dente macaroni for your casserole, can you mix half refined pasta and half whole wheat?
• Can you put white pasta in half the casserole dish (for the purists) and wheat on the other side (for the waist watchers) before pouring the sauce on top?
• Can konjac noodles bulk up your lunchtime soup to keep you full until dinner?
• If what you are really craving is garlicky pesto, might you enjoy it just fine on zoodles instead of angel hair pasta?
• But what if it’s a special family gathering, and everyone is expecting your classic, world-famous macaroni salad with the eggs, the heavy mayonnaise and a sprinkle of paprika? Can you indulge them and mind your personal portion size?

“With just a little effort, you can ramp up the nutritional quality of a pasta dinner by choosing one of the many alternative noodle options and adding a variety of vegetables (and a drizzle of olive oil) to your pasta dish,” according to Harvard Health. This isn’t deprivation. It’s a decision, right? Make your decision one meal at a time and enjoy!

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What’s your favorite way to eat pasta? Share your thoughts in the comments below.