Good news for pasta lovers! New American research has analyzed the diets of people who eat pasta, and concluded that pasta consumption in adults is associated with an overall better diet quality compared to adults who do not eat pasta. Also, pasta eaters have greater adherence to dietary regulations, as they consume higher amounts of nutrients that everyone else is deficient in, including folate, iron, magnesium and dietary fiber. The study also found that pasta consumers eat more essential nutrients, less saturated fat and less added sugar compared to those who don't eat pasta.
The researchers analyzed data from 2 years of American adults, and pasta consumption was defined as all dry pasta/noodle types made with only wheat and no egg. From the analysis, the researchers identified several key positive nutritional dietary patterns associated with those who eat pasta as part of their diet compared to those who do not eat pasta. They are:
• Higher diet quality scores
• Higher intake of deficient nutrients such as folate, iron, magnesium and dietary fiber
• Lower daily intake of saturated fat and added sugar
• More overall vitamin and mineral intake
