Hi Scott. I got some whole wheat pasta and can't make sense of the macros. The nutrition label reads as follows:

calories: 180 (10 from fat)

fat:1g

carbs:41g

protein: 7g

The fat calories seem to be accurate, so let's remove those from the calculation, so we're left with 170 calories from carbs and protein. If we add up the calories in these two macros individually:

carbs 41g x 4=164

protein 7g x 4=28

total 192

That's a 22 calorie difference between the individual calculation and the number from the label. I know generally there could be some difference due to rounding...but to get 170 calories the carbs would have to go all the way down to 38g and the protein would have to go all the way down to 5g. So the difference can't possibly be due to rounding. I don't understand how there could be such a big difference. Help!

Whole wheat pasta contains fiber which is not calculated in the carb numbers on the label. This is why whole wheat pasta is much better than traditional white pasta and has a lower GI. The calorie number on the label reflects the carbs plus the fiber.

John

So you're saying the 41g of carbs contains some fiber that isn't reflected in the total 180 calories listed? Do you know why that is?

Is because some people don't worry about counting fiber, because they are 'active carbs'. That basically means they are carbs where your body burns the amount of calories it takes to digest them. Most labels will actually include the fiber count somewhere separately.

Either way, I suggest you count every calorie - whether it's fiber or not - esepcially if you're cutting. If you were bulking you could maybe not worry so much about the fiber count.

Scott is correct. The FDA has many loose guidelines on product labeling. As everyone has varying interest in carbs (minus fiber), this is the number most manufacturers will show. Many times, manufacturers list fiber separately or under a list of all the carbs a product has.

This is also how many "no fat", "no trans-fat", and "low sugar" foods "beat" the labeling system and deceive consumers - they take the lowest serving size they can find that makes the fat or sugar numbers 1% or less. By labeling law, they can then claim a food is "free" of a particular ingredient or is "lower" than the original version of the product.

John

Hi,

Is pasta considered a bad processed food or it's fine to include it in our diets?

Thanks

Pasta isn't 'bad' per say.. but it's not the absolute best either. There's a lot of starch and flour in pasta which can cause bloating and things like that.

At the end of the day you're better off with wholegrain pasta, or any wholegrain carb source, BUT having regular pasta in your diet isn't the end of the world. I used to eat it everyday when I was younger because it's an efficient way to get carbs in.

So yeah.. you can have it in your diet.. just know that it's not the best thing out there.

Just to be clear, when you say pasta isn't the best thing out there, you mean regular pasta right, not whole wheat pasta?

Yes and No. White, processed pasta is bad. Whole wheat pasta is much better except those with Celiac disease and/or gluten intolerance. Then, whole wheat past can not be eaten.

John

Well sometimes John and I vary on what is bad and what isnt haha. Pasta isn't as bad as a lot of foods out there, in my opinion, but obviously if you do have celiac disease then that's an entirely different story.

But anyway yes, I was talking about regular pasta not being as good as wholegrain/whole wheat pasta.

I mean either regular pasta or the whole wheat pasta. Both are pasta from my point of view:)

It's clear now. I will stick the whole wheat pasta. Thank you Scott and John :)

Whole wheat anything - pasta, bread - is always the best choice if you are going to eat wheat-based foods. For pasta, it should say 100% semolina with no other additives or ingredients other than water.

John

Happy to help my friend 😊 Whole wheat for the win!!

The pasta that I get says whole grain durum wheat flour as the only ingredient.

Semolina is durum wheat so you are all set.

John