If you had to choose between regular pasta and whole wheat pasta, which would YOU choose and why?
Is whole wheat pasta better than regular pasta – and if so, WHY?
Whole wheat pasta is considered better than regular pasta because it’s naturally richer in nutrients and is less processed/refined than regular pasta.
We’ll explain more about why whole wheat pasta is considered better than regular pasta in this article, as well as compare their nutrition stats head-to-head!
How is whole wheat pasta different from regular pasta?
Whole wheat pasta is pasta made from flour that includes all parts of the wheat kernel – the germ, bran, and endosperm.
“Regular” pasta is generally made from durum wheat flour that isn’t whole wheat (also called “white pasta”). This type of pasta is considered enriched because nutrients are added to it such as iron, niacin, and riboflavin.
You can often tell the difference between whole wheat pasta and regular pasta by looking at them. Regular pasta tends to have a light golden color while whole wheat pasta is darker brown.
Is whole wheat pasta better than regular pasta?
Whole wheat pasta is considered healthier than regular pasta because it’s higher in fiber. Fiber is a nutrient that isn’t absorbed by your body, but it still does a lot of good for your body!
Eating enough fiber is linked with several benefits such as:
- Improved digestive health (supports healthy probiotics in your digestive tract; helps prevent constipation).
- Can promote heart health by supporting healthy cholesterol levels.
- Supports healthy blood sugar levels (fiber helps slow the rise in blood sugar when eating carbohydrates).
Some people don’t like whole wheat pasta because it has a different texture compared to regular pasta. Whole wheat pasta is denser than regular pasta and has a different flavor due to the addition of the bran and germ (regular pasta uses just the endosperm).
Pros and cons of whole wheat pasta
| Pros | Cons |
| Higher in fiber than regular pasta | Takes slightly longer to cook |
| Slightly higher in protein than regular pasta | Taste and texture can be off-putting to some people compared to regular pasta |
| Lower in calories than regular pasta | |
| Lower in net carbs than regular pasta (total carbs minus fiber) | |
| Naturally rich in nutrients (nutrients are added to regular pasta) |
Nutritional comparison of whole wheat vs. regular pasta
| Pasta (per 2 oz.) | Calories | Total fat (saturated fat) | Total carbs (fiber) | Protein |
| Regular pasta | 200 | 1 g (0 g) | 42 g (3 g) | 7 g |
| Whole wheat pasta | 180 | 1.5 g (0 g) | 39 g (7 g) | 8 g |
Bottom line – is whole wheat pasta better than regular pasta?
Since it’s healthier nutrition-wise and can be used the same as regular pasta, our conclusion is that whole wheat pasta is better than regular pasta!
(As with anything in the nutrition world, though, it’s your personal choice to decide which type of pasta to use!)
FAQs:
Whole wheat pasta is higher in fiber and nutrients compared to regular pasta, which are the main reasons someone might choose whole wheat pasta over regular pasta.
Even though it’s considered healthy because it’s high in fiber, whole wheat pasta is still high in carbs with 39 grams of total carbs (32 grams net carbs) per serving.
All forms of pasta are processed to some extent, but whole wheat pasta is less processed than regular pasta. The outer layers of the wheat kernel are left intact vs. stripping the outer layers to make regular pasta, making it less processed and not refined.
Whole wheat pasta is made from wheat, so it contains gluten.
Whole wheat pasta isn’t low enough in net carbs to be keto-friendly.
Whole wheat pasta isn’t Paleo-friendly since it’s made from wheat, which isn’t Paleo-approved (along with other grains).
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