Pasta is a staple in many kitchens, but not all varieties offer the same nutritional benefits. While both white and brown (whole wheat) pasta are made from wheat, brown pasta is made using the entire wheat grain, including the bran, germ, and endosperm, whereas white pasta is made from refined wheat flour that contains only the endosperm. Although white pasta is often the more popular choice due to its mild flavour and soft texture, brown pasta offers several nutritional advantages that are easy to overlook.
Nutritional Differences Between White and Brown Pasta
The major difference between white and brown pasta lies in their calorie content and nutritional benefits. For a single serving (140g) of cooked white spaghetti is around 220 calories, whereas the same serving of cooked brown spaghetti is 174 calories. Compared with white pasta, whole wheat pasta contains almost 50% more fibre. One serving gives you about a third of the daily fibre adults need. This pasta also contains manganese, selenium, copper and is higher in iron and B vitamins, reported Healthline. It helps support gut health and keeps you fuller for longer.
An expert at Good Food explained: "The calories in pasta are mainly supplied in the form of carbohydrate, these are broken down by the body quickly which leads to an elevation in blood glucose (glycaemic effect). Refined pasta (white version) is richer in carbs and lower in fibre, and therefore tends to have a higher glycaemic effect." They added: "Aim for a portion of 75g (dried weight) per serving."
Health Impacts of Refined Carbohydrates
Eating too many refined carbohydrates has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. However, if you prefer the taste of white pasta, fresh varieties are a better choice than dried.
Fresh vs Dried Pasta
According to Good Food: "Fresh pasta is made using plain or '00' flour, water and eggs, kneaded into a dough and then rolled and cut into the desired shape. '00' is the grading given to the texture of the flour – 0 flour is quite coarse, while 000 is much finer. Fresh pasta only lasts a day or two and is found in the chiller section of most supermarkets." They continued: "Dried pasta, on the other hand, is made from semolina, which is milled from grinding the grain of durum wheat and then combined with water. It is made into a paste and moulded into different shapes, dried until all the moisture has evaporated and the pasta hardens, this extends the product's shelf life." Different coloured pastas are made by adding vegetable powders, such as tomato, spinach or beetroot, to give colour but not any additional nutritional benefits.
Pasta Shapes and Sauce Pairings
"The shape of the pasta relates to the Italian region the pasta originates from, with certain shapes working better in some recipes," shared the food expert at Good Food. For long, thin pasta shapes such as spaghetti, linguine, fusilli lunghi and vermicelli work best with seafood sauces or cream and oil-based sauces. Wider ribbon pastas like tagliatelle, pappardelle, fettuccine and mafaldine are better suited to hearty meat dishes such as bolognese. Shell-shaped pasta, including conchiglie and lumache, pairs well with rich cream or meat sauces that collect inside the shells. Twisted shapes such as fusilli, trofie, strozzapreti, casarecce and gemelli work best with smooth sauces like pesto. Penne, rigatoni, macaroni and paccheri are perfect for hearty tomato, vegetable or meat sauces. They're also a great choice for baked pasta dishes. Small shapes such as orzo, fregola, canestrini and stelline are commonly used in soups, stews and pasta salads.
