Hi Fellow Low Carbers!

Today I want to talk about a topic near and dear to my heart.  Pasta. Now, I’m not Italian, but I absolutely love pasta! Any kind of pasta.  I love Lasagna, Ravioli, Fettucini Alfredo, Rigatoni Bolognese, Penne ala Vodka, Spaghetti Carbonara…you get the idea.

And I haven’t even gotten to the deserts yet! The title of this article is “How to Stop Eating Pasta – Do I Have to Stop Eating Pasta?” What a loaded title.  Especially if you’re a die-hard pasta eater like I was.

Needless to say, when I started this low-carb lifestyle, the thought of never having pasta again scared the bejeezus out of me.  At first, I was shocked. Then I was horrified. Then I was scared.  For a while I went into denial. But as I came out of my denial into acceptance, I got better perspective. But before we get to the pasta question, you have to figure out is low carb really for you?

Is Low Carb Lifestyle For You? 

Some of you have decided to eat low carb because you want to lose weight fast. Some of you are looking to follow a low-carb food plan because you have health issues (think diabetes and high blood pressure) and your doctor has recommended you do so. And still, some of you are not sure if the low-carb life style is for you.

Sadly, some of you don’t even know that you’re carbohydrate sensitive.

For those of you who are not sure if this lifestyle is for you, and more importantly if you’re carbohydrate sensitive, I invite you to take the carbohydrate sensitivity test.

THE CARBOHYDRATE SENSITIVITY QUIZ

1. Do you feel sluggish or lethargic 1 or 2 hours after eating foods high in sugar or starch?
2. Are you prone to weight gain around your middle, as opposed to your hips and thighs?
3. Does your weight seesaw often?
4. Do you feel hungry, even though you don’t need more food?
5. Do you constantly crave sugary and/or starchy foods?
6. Do you wake up up at 2:00 a.m. (or in the middle of the night) and find you can’t go back to sleep until you’ve eaten something sugary or starch-filled?
7. In the evening, before dinnertime, do you find yourself feeling irritated, restless, filled with anxiety or tension?
8. Do you have a hard time controlling the amount of sugar and/or starch you eat (meaning, once you eat one, you can’t stop until the bag is finished and/or you feel sick to your stomach)?
9. Do you feel shaky, panicky or lightheaded when you’re hungry if you haven’t eaten in 2-3 hours (also called hypoglycemia)?
10. Do you eat over your emotions – whether you’re happy, sad, or mad?
11. Do you pack on the pounds quickly and easily?
12. Do obesity, high cholesterol, Type 2 Diabetes run in your immediate family?
13. Do you find yourself frequently bingeing on sugary or starchy foods?
14. Do you have an obsession with food (FYI, if you constantly think about something, that’s called an obsession)?
15. Do you have a preference for sweets and starches over other types of foods (think vegetables, fruit and protein)?
16. Are you afraid to go anywhere without carrying food with you?
17. Are you extremely hungry first thing in the a.m.?
18. Do you panic or get hungry when exercising?
19. For the ladies: Do you feel extremely emotional in the days leading up to your period (think homicidal)?
20. Do sugary and starchy foods have a temporary effect on allaying your feelings of depression or anxiety?

Your Test Results Are In…

Now, I’m no doctor. I just speak from my own experience.  But if you’ve answered yes to more than 5 of the questions, I’d say you’re probably carbohydrate sensitive (insulin resistant), and you should seriously consider cutting back or eliminating refined carbohydrates from your diet.

When I say “refined” carbohydrates, I mean processed foods.  Foods with sugar and starch. Think:  rice, bread, all junk food, wheat – and maybe pasta… are you panicking yet?  Okay.  Good. So getting back to the title of my article – do you have to give up pasta?

Maybe… or Maybe not.

What Does Pasta Do To You?

Pasta is a carbohydrate.  But not all carbohydrates are the same. Pasta (white flour pasta) causes rapid fluctuations in insulin and blood sugar. That influx causes your hunger to spike, which leads to overeating. In time you gain weight, and increase your risk of diabetes and heart disease.

If you’re sensitive to carbohydrates, then you need to temporarily lay off the pasta.  But here’s the good news!  There are alternatives to pasta. Yes! There are low-carb pastas. I haven’t tried all of them, but the ones I’ve tried are delicious.  Also, I’ve read reviews on them, and people really, really like them.

In fact, people say they can’t taste the difference between these low carb pastas and the “real” thing.

Coming Soon… My Low Carb Pasta Reviews

So the good news is, you don’t have to give up pasta altogether, if you choose a low-carb pasta. Phew!  In my next article, I’m going to be reviewing quite a few low-carb pastas and pasta brands, and I’m going to provide you with Italian recipes for delicious low-carb pasta meals.

But here’s a sneak preview. The above low-carb pasta (Rotini) is by Dreamfields. It’s a pack of six, 13.25-Ounce boxes. And here are the benefits for this particular box of low carb pasta:

• • Dreamfields has 5 grams of fiber and 7 grams of plant protein per serving

• • Dreamfields Helps you feel full with a balance of fibers and plant proteins

• • Dreamfields contains a Prebiotic fiber which helps promote healthy digestion

• Dreamfields has all of the Taste and texture of traditional pasta

This pasta is a little bit on the high side for carb per serving, but because of the fiber content, your blood sugar won’t spike and you won’t crave like you would if you ate regular pasta. I’ll get more into that in my next article when I do the low carb pasta review.

I hope you enjoyed this article and that it was helpful.  Please feel free to leave your comments and questions below.

Warmest,

Shalisha