Good news for pasta lovers! Indulging in spaghetti and macaroni could help people LOSE weight

Eating three servings a week causes people to lose 1.1lb (0.5kg) in three months
Pasta has a lower GI than other carbohydrates, does not cause sugar spikes
Low GI-foods are satisfying, delay people’s hunger and reduce calorie intakes
Study only analysed pasta consumption when eaten as part of a low-GI diet
Further research is required to see if pasta causes weight loss with other diets

By Alexandra Thompson Health Reporter For Mailonline

Published: 11:53 BST, 3 April 2018 | Updated: 11:53 BST, 3 April 2018

Indulging in pasta could help people lose weight, new research suggests.

Eating just over three servings of the Italian staple every seven days causes people to lose around 1.1lb (0.5kg) in 12 weeks, a study found today.

Unlike most other refined carbohydrates, pasta, such as spaghetti and macaroni, has a lower GI index and therefore does not cause extreme blood-sugar spikes, according to researchers.

Previous research suggests low-GI foods are more satisfying and therefore delay people’s hunger, while therefore limiting their calorie intakes.

Lead author Dr John Sievenpiper, from St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, said: ‘In weighing the evidence, we can now say with some confidence that pasta does not have an adverse effect on body weight outcomes when it is consumed as part of a healthy dietary pattern.’

Indulging in pasta could help people lose weight, new research suggests (stock)

WHAT IS THE BEST TIME OF DAY TO EAT CARBOHYDRATES?

TV doctor Dr Michael Mosley has suggested the best time of day to eat carbohydrates.

He found eating pasta and bread at dinner is better for people’s waistlines than toast in the morning.

Experts previously thought carbohydrates should largely be eaten at the start of the day as the body has longer to burn the glucose they release.

Failing to do this causes the release of insulin to bring blood sugar levels back to normal, which is done by storing excess sugar from carbs as fat, causing people to put on weight.

Yet, the new study, broadcast on the BBC’s Trust Me I’m a Doctor, found eating carbohydrates in the evening causes less dramatic blood sugar spikes than carb-loading at breakfast, providing the rest of a person’s food intake for that day has not been too starch-heavy.

Dr Mosley advises people are consistent with their carb-eating habits and avoid overindulging with every meal.

He carried out the research with the University of Surrey by asking healthy volunteers to eat either the majority of their daily carbohydrate intake in the morning or evening.

All of the study’s participants ate the same amount of carbs every day, which included bread, pasta and vegetables.

For the first five days, they ate most of these foods for breakfast, followed by five days of eating a normal diet before finally switching to a low-carb breakfast, high-carb dinner for the last five days.

The researchers analysed the participants’ blood sugar levels throughout the study.

Pasta does not cause weight gain

Speaking of the results, Dr Sievenpiper said: ‘The study found that pasta didn’t contribute to weight gain or increase in body fat.

‘Contrary to concerns, perhaps pasta can be part of a healthy diet such as a low GI diet.’

The researchers add further investigation is required to determine if pasta can be eaten as part of other diets, aside from low-GI plans, without causing weight gain.

How the research was carried out

The researchers analysed a total of 2,448 people from 29 studies investigating the affects of eating pasta over other carbohydrates.

The participants ate around 3.3 servings of pasta a week.

A serving equals approximately half a cup of cooked pasta.

The findings were published in the journal BMJ Open.

Eating fruits, vegetables and whole grains slashes people’s risk of depression

This comes after research released last February suggested eating fruits, vegetables and whole grains slashes people’s risk of depression by more than 10 percent.

Following the so-called ‘DASH diet’ reduces people’s likelihood of developing the mental-health disorder by up to 11 percent, a study by Rush University in Chicago found.

Those who eat a typical Western diet, which is rich in processed foods and sugar, are more at risk of suffering depression, the research adds.

Researchers add further studies are required to determine the association between diet and mental health, but add simple lifestyle changes may be preferred over medication to control such conditions.

Previous research suggests eating lots of fresh produce benefits people’s mental health by improving their moods, giving them more energy and helping them to think clearly.

Around seven percent of adults in the US suffer from depression every year.

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk