Bread, pasta, and rice are fundamental components of British diets, being essentials on our supermarket shelves and within our homes. Often vilified for their carbohydrate content and accused of being laden with “empty calories”, these staples come under frequent scrutiny. However, nutrition specialists point out that bread, pasta, and rice can be important in securing a well-rounded diet, highlighting that these foods do not necessarily warrant the negative attention they receive.
Intriguingly, one of these food items, pasta, is central to a Mediterranean nation famed for having the lowest rate of obesity in Europe, Italy. The predominant belief that bread, pasta, and rice ought to be spurned due to their carb content has become widespread; this notion suggests that carbohydrates cause a surge in blood sugar levels and convert into sugars and then fat, potentially leading to weight gain, reports Surrey Live.
But Dr Federica Amati, chief nutritionist at health organisation Zoe, shared insights with The Sunday Times: “Carbs are not inherently fattening. But like any macronutrient that provides energy, when eaten in excess they can lead to weight gain as our body looks to store any excess energy for later.” The Sunday Times also highlighted a 2023 study from the University of Minnesota, which suggests that pasta is “generally not associated with body weight or body composition and may be inversely associated with BMI or abdominal obesity, particularly when consumed in the context of a healthy dietary pattern”.
Gut health specialist Dr Emily Leeming spoke to the publication about how pasta’s makeup results in slower digestion compared to other foods, leading to a more gradual increase in blood sugar levels post-consumption, which is beneficial for overall health. Dr Leeming further commented: “When you cut carbs out, your body has to work harder to find other energy sources, which can lead to fatigue, brain fog, and irritability.”
While bread’s reputation varies widely, its role as a fundamental, affordable, and convenient foodstuff means some types of bread are among the most mass-produced and ultra-processed items available. However, bread made using traditional methods may have fewer or no chemical additives at all, thus potentially forming part of a nutritious and balanced diet. An example of such bread is authentic sourdough, which is made from nothing but flour, water, and natural yeast.
The secret to a healthy diet lies in the combinations of foods we choose, considering rice as an example. It’s essential to focus on what accompanies these staples; for instance, incorporating a mixture of cauliflower, walnuts, and mushrooms into a pasta recipe or combining broccoli with chickpeas and anchovies can create a nourishing meal brimming with nutritional value and free from any trace of ultra-processed foods.
In a similar vein, a dish featuring avocado accompanied by nuts and seeds atop a slice of sourdough toast delivers both health and satisfaction without any downside. “I think it would be pretty impossible to stay healthy in the long term with no carbs at all,” Dr Amati told The Sunday Times. “It would also be incredibly boring and stressful for us and for our gut microbiome.”