06/02/2026
Spaghetti: Really!
Real Foods that Heal
Volume 8, #3
I've been thinking lately about carbohydrates. “Carb confusion” is rampant, and every time I turn around, I hear about another diet plan that takes a different slant on “low carb.” I've been promoting one of those myself and have felt like the Grinch in the past week for suggesting a stricter carbohydrate restriction than most people think possible as a way to successfully shed extra pounds. For some overweight people, “no flour, no sugar” may be necessary to shift metabolism, move out of a pre-diabetic state, and drop to a normal body weight. And in some ways, simple but strict rules like that are attractive, because they don't require a lot of decision making. But most of us don't want to be that restrictive. So how can you get some of the same effect without being so restrictive? That's where the glycemic index comes in.
And that's also where you find a surprise visitor to the Real Foods That Heal pages: spaghetti. Spaghetti, as most pasta, is a low glycemic index food. That means it can be quite a healthy choice. Counter-intuitive perhaps but let me tell you why.
The glycemic index is a way to measure the effect that any food has on blood sugar. When you feed a fixed amount of a food to a set of volunteers, then measure their blood sugar over the next three hours, you can construct a curve of the average amount that food raised blood sugar over time. Those curves are then assigned a score compared to the curve that plain sugar makes. Sugar gets a score of 100, everything else is proportionate. And like golf, low-score wins. A high glycemic index food causes an excessive rise in blood sugar, which then raises insulin levels higher, which makes it more likely the body will store fat. Those repeated spikes in blood sugar and insulin also have a lot to do with risk of developing a list of other chronic diseases often associated with overweight.
One way to make decisions about healthy food choices, then, is to choose foods with a low glycemic index, generally lower than 55 is considered a good number. And that's where spaghetti comes in! Most spaghetti, boiled, has a glycemic index from the high 40's to about 60. And if you enjoy eating it al dente (cooked a little shorter time so it may be slightly chewy), that assures the number will be even lower (better). This is true even for white spaghetti, and it's my opinion that you will do even better by learning to enjoy whole wheat spaghetti. The whole wheat will generally be a higher protein grain product, and have more fiber which has its own set of health benefits. If you are not accustomed to eating whole wheat spaghetti, get into it gradually by mixing a little with your usual white spaghetti.
I can hardly think of anyone who doesn't like a good hot plate of spaghetti, so while moderation in serving size is still important (you can't get away with stuffing yourself like I did when I was a teenager), I'm glad to report you can enjoy it in good health! Here's a serving suggestion from my own kitchen.
Vegetarian Spaghetti with Marinara Sauce
Heat a pot of water sufficiently large to boil spaghetti for your family. While this is heating, chop a variety of vegetables of as many different colors as you can find. The rainbow of colors will provide phytonutrients that prevent all manner of diseases. I like onions, red cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, zucchini squash, and garlic cloves especially. Then boil your spaghetti (whole wheat or white) until al dente, drain and toss with a little olive oil to keep it from sticking. Sauté the vegetables in a large pan with olive oil, season to taste with a little black pepper if you like, then serve over the pasta with some heated marinara sauce (organic pasta sauces are becoming much easier to find in mainstream groceries now). Sprinkle with a little fresh grated parmesan cheese, spread a fresh table cloth, light a candle, and enjoy this meal with someone you love! That's amore!
To your health,
Robert Pendergrast, M.D.
