Study shows consuming pasta doesn’t lead to weight gain as part of a healthy diet

A study conducted at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto has found that pasta does not exhibit the same negative health characteristics as other carbohydrates.

Refined carbohydrates have a high glycaemic index (GI) and are rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream. Pasta, however, has a low GI and causes smaller increases in blood sugar levels than foods with a high GI, such as potatoes, white rice and white bread.

St. Michael’s Hospital researchers conducted a comprehensive systematic review of all the evidence they could find from randomised controlled trials, and managed to identify 30 randomised trials in which almost 2,500 ate pasta instead of other carbohydrates as part of a healthy diet. The results, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) Open, found that pasta did not lead to excessive weight gain.

Lead author and St. Michael’s clinician scientist Dr John Sievenpiper said:  “The study found that pasta didn’t contribute to weight gain or increase in body fat. In fact analysis actually showed a small weight loss. So contrary to concerns, perhaps pasta can be part of a healthy diet such as a low GI diet.”

The clinical trials involved participants eating an average of 3.3 servings of pasta per week, replacing other carbohydrates. After 12 weeks, the participants lost a median value of around 0.5kg

The researchers conceded that the results only relate to pasta when consumed with other low-sugar foods in a low GI diet.  More work is needed to determine if pasta can reduce weight gain as part of other healthy diets.

“In weighing the evidence, we can now say with some confidence that pasta does not have an adverse effect on body weight outcomes when it is consumed as part of a healthy dietary pattern,” added Dr Sievenpiper.

A number of organisations funded the study, including the Canadian Institutes of Health Research through the Canada-wide Human Nutrition Trialists’ Network, the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, and the Ministry of Research and Innovation’s Ontario Research fund. Pasta manufacturer Barilla has offered donations of pasta and travel support to the authors to promote further trials.