Pasta Nutrition
A 1/2 cup serving of cooked pasta (spaghetti) contains a mere 99 calories, less than half a gram of fat, and less than 5 milligrams of sodium.
Pasta is high in complex carbohydrates, which provide a "time release" of energy rather than a quick boost. Most athletes include complex carbohydrates in their diet to save up the energy in their body. The carbohydrates become glucose stored in the muscles. The glucose energy is then released when needed during long, tiring exercise, like long-distance running or biking.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Guide Pyramid recommends we eat six to 11 servings of complex carbohydrates daily. Consuming pasta a minimum of three times a week is an easy way to help meet that goal. A typical serving of cooked spaghetti will probably provide two or three of your recommended servings of complex carbohydrates.
Pasta is fortified with folic acid (the synthetic form of naturally occurring folate), due to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations that require enriched grain products to contain this essential vitamin.
The FDA requires food manufacturers to fortify grain-based foods such as pasta with folic acid, an important B vitamin. Folic acid, also known as folate and folacin, plays an important role in the body's central nervous system. FDA has determined that diets adequate in folic acid may reduce a woman's risk of having a child with brain or spinal cord defects. A 2 oz. serving of dry pasta will supply the equivalent of about 100 micrograms a day of folic acid or 25% of the recommended daily intake (RDI).
Research shows that increasing intake of folate and vitamin B6 above current recommended levels may help protect women from developing coronary heart disease (CHD). Apparently, folate and B6 play an important role in metabolism, reducing homecysteine levels. A 1998 study of 80,082 women found that those with the highest intakes of both folate and vitamin B6 had a 45 percent reduced risk of CHD.
Pasta has always been a top nutrition "player" in our diets. Let’s look at how this delicious food provides even more health benefits.
The health benefits of folic acid are important throughout our lives. In a woman's childbearing years, folic acid is a key nutrient before conception, because it helps prevent some birth defects. Furthermore, new evidence suggests that folic acid may protect against heart disease and some types of cancer.
Folic acid's major role in preventing birth defects occurs in the very early stages of pregnancy, before many women even know they are pregnant. Therefore, for women of childbearing age, it is important to consume the recommended amount of folic acid each day. This recommendation applies to all women in their childbearing years - including those who are not immediately planning to have a baby.
It's also easy to put all this good advice into practice. Tempt yourself with these folate-rich dishes found in the recipe section of this web site: Three Bean Pasta, Pasta Stir-Fry with Citrus and Asparagus, and Vegetarian Spaghetti Pizza. Each recipe provides more than 50% of the recommended daily value for folic acid!
Pasta is affordable and easy to combine with other folate-rich foods, such as vegetables, nuts, some legumes and fruits. Remember - every time that you enjoy a great pasta dish, you're on your way to meeting daily folic acid requirements. Enjoy!
Q & A on Folate:
What is folate/folic acid's role in prevention of neural tube defects?
The U. S. Public Health Service estimates that 50% or more of neural tube defects may be preventable through consuming 400 micrograms of folic acid daily prior to conception through early pregnancy.
Folate is required by the body to produce new cells. It is especially important for pregnant women during the first three months of pregnancy, while the spinal cord and brain of the fetus are being formed.
What is the difference between folic acid and folate?
Folic acid is the synthetic form of the B vitamin found in fortified foods, like cereals and pasta, as well as in supplements. Folic acid is the form of the vitamin that is better absorbed and more readily available to the body than folate in non-fortified foods.
Folate refers to the form of this vitamin found naturally occurring in foods and serves as an umbrella term for all forms of this vitamin, including folic acid.
What was consumption of folate in the U.S. prior to fortification of grain products?
According to government surveys, women of childbearing age consumed about 200 micrograms of folate, only half of the 400 micrograms recommended.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) determined that consuming five servings of fortified grain foods - a serving might be 1/2 cup of cooked pasta* or a slice of bread, for example -- could add another 220 micrograms or more of folate per day, to help women meet their recommended folate levels.
According to a phone survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in January and February 1997, only 32% of women of childbearing age reported taking a folic acid supplement.
*While one serving of pasta is 2 ounces dry/one cup cooked for food labeling purposes, the recommended serving size in the USDA Food Guide Pyramid is 1/2 cup cooked pasta.
In what foods is folate currently found?
Rich sources of folate include enriched grain products like pasta and cereals, as well as vegetables like spinach and asparagus, beans, peanuts and orange juice.
How can I put together a folate-rich meal for my family?
It is easy to build folate-rich meals around pasta. Combine pasta with other folate-rich foods -- certain legumes, nuts, fruits, and vegetables -- and you are well on your way to meeting your daily dietary needs. For example, combine one cup of cooked pasta with 1/2 cup spinach and 1/2 cup black beans to total 80% of the daily value for folate in just one dish.
Why do the CDC and the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) recommend 400 micrograms of folic acid daily from supplements and/or fortified foods in addition to folate from naturally occurring food sources for women of childbearing age?
Currently available research studies that show a reduction in the risk of neural tube defects are based on daily consumption of folic acid supplements (400 to 800 micrograms), in addition to a varied, healthful diet.
What is the safe and upper tolerable limit for folate?
The NAS set the tolerable upper intake level for adults at 1000 micrograms of folic acid per day. There is no upper limit for folate from food sources since no adverse effects have been observed.
Are women in danger of getting too much folic acid if they are taking a supplement too?
It does not appear that women are in danger when their folic acid intake approaches the upper levels. It would be possible to exceed the upper limit of 1000 micrograms per day of folic acid by consuming both fortified foods and taking daily supplements (The usual dose in a supplement is 400 micrograms.).
The only danger would be for individuals who are deficient in Vitamin B-12. Excessive folic acid "masks" B-12 deficiency, which over time causes pernicious anemia and neurological problems. These interactions with Vitamin B-12 were taken into account when the upper level for folic acid was set.
According to FDA's estimates, if someone consumed 10 or 11 servings of grains, the upper end of servings recommended by the Food Guide Pyramid, they might obtain an additional 440 micrograms of folic acid from fortified grain products and approach the upper limit for folic acid.
What is the level of fortification for folic acid in enriched grain products?
According to FDA regulations, the fortification level for enriched grain products is 140 mg per 100 grams of product. This translates to about 10% of the recommended daily value for a slice of enriched bread or 25% of the recommended daily value for a 1 cup serving of cooked pasta.
How can consumers tell how much folic acid is in an enriched product?
Consumers can tell the amount of folic acid or folate in an enriched grain product by looking at the Percent Daily Value listed on the Nutrition Facts panel of a product package.
What is required on the food label?
A fortified, enriched grain product must include folic acid and it will be appear in the product's ingredient listing. Most U.S. manufactured pasta is enriched.
It is voluntary for the amount of folate/folic acid to appear on the Nutrition Facts panel. However, most manufacturers choose to list the amount of folate as % Daily Value on the Nutrition Facts panel.
Are imported products (pasta, cereal, bread, etc.) equal in folic acid fortification to US-made ones?
A foreign manufacturer selling product in the U.S. must comply with the same laws for folic acid fortification of enriched grain products.
However, FDA does not require that all products be enriched. Once enriched, the FDA mandates what it must contain and in what amounts. Therefore, some imported products might not be enriched. If so, they would not be labeled enriched and would not be required to contain folic acid.
Do all forms of a product (e.g. fresh pasta vs. dry) have the same amount of folic acid?
It depends on the pasta products, the use of enriched flour and where they are marketed.
If both fresh and dry pasta products are made with enriched flour and sold in the grocery store, they must comply with the fortification ranges set by the FDA regulations and will contain the same amount of folic acid.
If fresh pasta is made in a local deli, it is probably not made with enriched flour and will not contain folic acid.
Does all flour have to be fortified with folic acid, or just enriched flour?
Only enriched flour must be fortified.
Are local bakeries, bagel shops, etc. required to use enriched flour? How would consumers know?
Products in local bakeries or bagel shops are not under the same rigid requirements as food products that carry a package label. A consumer would have to consult the manager of the establishment as to the use of enriched flour.
How do enriched grain products stack up for folate content?
Based upon the fortification levels in the regulations, pasta and ready-to-eat breakfast cereals top the list, qualifying as "rich" or "excellent" sources of folate. At 25% Daily Value for folate, pasta, when combined with other folate-rich foods, can easily help you meet your daily dietary needs.
Enriched Grain Products
| Food Group | Serving Size | Amount micrograms |
% Daily Value |
| Macaroni, spaghetti | 1 cup cooked (2 oz. dry) | 100 | 25% |
| Ready-to-eat cereals | 1/2 - 1 1/2 cup | 100 - 400 | 25 - 100% |
| White bread, Italian | 2 slices | 40 | 10% |
| Rice, white, long-grain | 1 cup cooked | 88 | 22% |
| Corn Grits | 1 cup cooked | 75 | 18% |
| Farina | 1 cup cooked | 55 | 13% |