Gluten Free Pasta - A Basic Nutritional Run Down

The other night, I was cruising the kitchen looking for something healthy to make for dinner. After rooting around for about 20 minutes, I came up with a medley of frozen veggies, chicken sausage and tomatoes. All I needed was a little bit of starch in the form of pasta. We had a bag of corn pasta that my [very kind] friends bought a few weeks ago so I could feel included in what everyone else was eating. I never wound up eating it because I was distracted by other delicious foods so I just took it home and it just sat in our cabinet.

I decided to take a quick peek at the nutritional info prior to cooking it up and was completely floored. A small serving garnered you 200 calories and a staggering 45g of carbohydrates for only 2g of fiber! Yikes. I almost didn't eat it, but I hate to waste stuff so ... into the pot it went. 

I know pasta is calorie laden and absolutely exploding with carbs, but those numbers were so high. Since then, I've decided to do a nutritional comparison of the different types of gluten free pasta so that I can make an informed decision.


Just so we're comparing stuff apples to apples... I'll be listing the nutritional info for standard gluten free spaghetti.

TINKYADA

Made From: Brown Rice
Serving Size: 2 oz
Calories: 210
Fat: 2g
Sodium: 15mg
Carbs: 43g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 4g

Comments: This is a pretty tasty spaghetti. However, it has the highest calories and the most sodium. It' also easy to mess up if you don't cook it properly. I liked the spaghetti by this brand and would gladly try the rest of their products.

BIONATURAE

Made From: Rice, Potato & Soy
Serving Size: 2 oz
Calories: 195
Fat: 0g
Sodium: 5mg
Carbs: 43g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 5g





Comments: This is one of my favorites. I actually like it better than semolina pasta because it's light and tasty. Pasta always sat like a ton of lead in my stomach after a meal. This stuff leaves you feeling full, but not weighed down. 

ANCIENT HARVEST

Made From: Quinoa
Serving Size: 2oz
Calories: 180
Fat: 2g
Sodium: 5mg
Carbs: 35g
Fiber: 2.5g
Protein: 4g






Comments: I really like quinoa pasta because it usually has a decent amount of fiber and protein as well as a lower carbohydrate and calorie level. The only downside to this product is that it doesn't survive very well as a cold pasta dish that you store over night. I made pasta salad in Florida and it was crunchy the next day.

MRS. LEEPERS

Made From: Corn
Serving Size: 2 oz
Calories: 200
Fat: 0.5g
Sodium: 0g
Carbs: 46g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 3g








Comments: This pasta was surprisingly okay considering my luck with corn pasta. It was awkward to cook. I followed the instructions on the pack and wound up with a scary bright yellow pot of bubbling goop. This was remedied by rinsing it thoroughly and then continuing to cook it for a little longer. The texture was pretty good for corn pasta, but still left a bit to be desired. I'm not sure I'd buy it again because it has a high amount of carbs and not enough fiber/ protein to offset.


When you look at the number comparison, the quinoa pasta wins hands down nutritionwise. The lower carbohydrates and the higher fiber/ protein content leaves you with a healthier meal. However, it is still lacking slightly in texture and longevity of left overs. If there were to be a runner up, it would be the Bionaturae because the product has decent nutritional qualities and nice texture.