When we think of pasta, we often think of it as a quick and simple dish that is a great solution when we don't have time for complex meals. Are you preparing your pasta the right way?
Perhaps, like most people, you are convinced that pasta is something that simply throw into boiling water and after a few minutes you are already enjoying a delicious meal. But there is a lot more behind this simple process than you might think. Improperly prepared pasta they can give you unexpected extra calories.
The secret of their optimal preparation lies in small details – such as accurate measurements, cooking time and correct combination with others foods.
With improperly cooked or oversized portions, you can quickly you consume much more than you would like. And not only that, if the pasta is not prepared correctly, it can lose its ideal texture, which means that the dish will not be as tasty as it could be.
Correct portion measurement
Many people make a basic mistake when cooking pasta by not separating the honey dry ones and cooked pasta.
The weight of the dry pasta is usually indicated on the package, but it increases after cooking, as the pasta absorbs water. For example, 75 grams dry pasta turns into about 180 grams after cooking cooked pasta.
This means that if we do not pay attention to the quantity dry pasta, which is put in the pot, after cooking, the portion can become significantly larger, which can lead to the consumption of more calories than we intended. It is important to accurately weigh the amount before cooking dry pasta, to prevent excess calorie intake.
Effect of cooking on caloric value
Pasta absorbs water during cooking and thus increases in volume, but this does not mean that its calorific value reduces.
A mistake many people make is miscalculating calories based on the weight of cooked pasta. The amount of calories indicated on the packaging refers to dry weight, so it's crucial to take this into account when determining your portions.
For example, if the packaging states that 180 grams cooked pasta contains a certain number of calories, this does not refer to the same weight dry pasta.
Tips for portion control
In order to avoid excessive portions and thus excessive intake of calories, it is recommended to use a kitchen scale. In this way, you can monitor exactly how much pasta you will eat and avoid unpleasant surprises regarding the caloric value.
In addition, you can prepare pasta in a healthier way by adding vegetables and of lean proteins, which will help you to fill up with smaller portions. In this way, you will maintain a balanced meal that will be rich in fiber and protein, but at the same time easier to digest and without excess calories.
