Pasta isn’t what you normally think of as a weight-loss food. Many distance runners and other athletes use pasta to load up on carbohydrates to give them fuel before a competition, but you don’t hear of people gorging on spaghetti in order to drop a few pounds for a wedding, unless it’s some crazy fad diet. Pasta’s image, however, may get a reboot from a new study by Italian researchers, who say pasta might help people lose fat.
If you don’t get plenty of whole grains in your diet, you should. Whole grains are packed full of nutrients and complex carbohydrates that decrease insulin levels while providing sustained energy. They’re also loaded with fiber, which improves bowel health, helps regulate cholesterol levels, helps you lose weight, and helps regulate blood sugar levels.
A report published in the BMJ says that the new federal nutrition guidelines recommended by a health expert lack the most recent dietary research and reinforce bad advice that many believe is behind America’s obesity epidemic.
If you’re feeling down, you might be tempted to reach for some sort of comfort food like bread or cupcakes, or maybe a big bowl of spaghetti. But if you’re a woman, you should know that doing so puts you at greater risk of developing full-blown depression after menopause – at least that is what one study is reporting.
