Whole30 is a strict diet that’s only meant to be followed for 30 days (hence the name, of course). This diet excludes many foods you probably eat regularly, which is why it can be challenging to follow, but it’s only short-term.
If you want to eat pasta on Whole30, do you have any options?!
The only type of pasta that is Whole30-approved is spiralized veggies.
Why can’t you use most types of pasta – even gluten-free pasta – on Whole30? We’ll explain next!
What is Whole30?
Whole30 is an elimination diet that’s meant to be followed for 30 days. During those 30 days, you’ll avoid several types of food and then gradually re-introduce certain foods for ten days after you’re done with the first 30.
The premise behind Whole30 is to identify potential foods that might be interfering with your digestion, weight, or other aspects of your health and quality of life.
A summary of the foods & ingredients avoided on Whole30 are:
- Added sugars and sweeteners, both “real” and artificial. This includes table sugar, honey, coconut sugar, Splenda, and anything that is used to add sweetness to your foods and drinks.
- Alcohol in all forms.
- Grains in all forms, including grain-based flours, gluten-free flours, and pseudo-grains like quinoa.
- Legumes, including peanuts, soy, lentils, etc. with green beans and most types of peas being exceptions.
- Dairy, except for clarified butter/ghee.
- Desserts & baked goods made with “allowed” ingredients.
- Carrageenan or sulfites (types of food additives).
Which pastas are Whole30 compliant?
If you’re on Whole30 and like pasta, get ready to be a bit disappointed. There aren’t any kinds of pasta that are Whole30 compliant except for spiralized veggies. That’s right – almond flour pasta, shirataki noodles, and other common pasta alternatives are off-limits during Whole30.
Hearts of Palm pasta
Hearts of Palm pasta is made from hearts of Palm, a type of vegetable from the core of certain types of palm trees. It’s shaped like noodles, similar to spiralized veggies. Because hearts of Palm are a type of vegetable and there aren’t any added ingredients to hearts of Palm “pasta”, it’s allowed on Whole30.
Other spiralized veggie “pastas”
Spiralized veggies are the only type of “pasta” allowed on Whole30 (and they aren’t technically pasta at all – they’re just shaped like noodles).
Some of the most popular types of veggies to use are zucchini, carrots, sweet potatoes, and broccoli stems (not the florets).
Another popular Whole30 pasta alternative is spaghetti squash. When you cook spaghetti squash the flesh turns into pasta-like strands which you can use in place of regular pasta on Whole30.
Why is pasta off-limits on Whole30?
The reason most types of pasta are off-limits is because they contain ingredients that aren’t Whole30-approved, such as:
- Wheat and all other grains (corn, rice, etc in gluten-free pasta)
- Soy (tofu shirataki noodles)
- Gluten-free grains (almond flour, konjac flour [shirataki noodles], etc.)
That leaves you with vegetables as your only option for “pasta” on Whole30.
FAQs:
Chickpeas are a legume, which isn’t allowed on Whole30 – so chickpea pasta isn’t allowed, either.
Most types of store-bought veggie pasta are regular wheat pasta with vegetable powders added. That means that store-bought veggie pasta is NOT Whole30-approved since it contains wheat or other grains. The only type of “pasta” you can eat on Whole30 is spiralized veggies, which isn’t technically pasta, but a pasta alternative.
Spiralized vegetables are the only type of pasta alternative that is Whole30-approved.
All types of cheese are off-limits on Whole30. The only dairy that is allowed is ghee, which is clarified butter without any lactose, which makes it very close to being non-dairy.
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