Food pyramid question? - Diet & Nutrition Message Board

dand5 · 02-24-2005, 12:08 PM

Why is pasta and white rice in the same category as sweets? Why should pasta be eaten sparingly?

Just wondering. because I have eaten pasta/and or white rice almost everyday of my life and never really seemed to have a problem with it.

Thanks

auntjudyg · 02-24-2005, 12:40 PM

Where are you getting the information that it is in the same group as sweets? My understanding was that they were in the grain group, even on the new plan.

That said, I agree they ought to be eaten sparingly. They really have very little nutritional value except what is added after processing; in which case why not save the calories and take a vitamin?

Losec20mg · 02-24-2005, 01:26 PM

he's proly confused with the cakes and, muffins being in the same group as the pastas and, risotto..LOL

..

dand5 · 02-24-2005, 03:31 PM

auntjudyg,
I am referring to the "rebuilt" food pyramid. You can see a picture of it here:
http://faculty.washington.edu/kepeter/118/exams/food-pyramid.htm

Quote:

They really have very little nutritional value except what is added after processing; in which case why not save the calories and take a vitamin?

I, and few people that I know, ever eat pasta without pasta sauce and/or vegetables mixed in. In most cases, pasta sauce also contains vegetables (onions, garlic, etc ..), olive oil, and tomato which are sources of vitamins and other nutrients. My problem with arguments like the one you posed is that it ignores the fact that the body needs good sources of energy. Vitamins are necessary, but glucose, not inorganic vitamins, is what our bodies run on. Also, pasta tends to take a long time to digest (especially with pasta sauce, carrots, peas, beans, onions, etc.. mixed in) and thus does not cause the sharp spikes in blood sugar associated with eating white bread or simple sweats (though you might want that kind of spike before or after excercising).

Short of dieting only on cereal (which I think has way too much iron nowadays) or whole wheat bread, pasta seems to be the best source of carbohydrates around.

And Losec20mg,
I am not confused, I just think those recommendations are completely silly and probably not based on solid science. It reminds me of the egg frenzy that led so many people to stop eating eggs. Interesting thing about it, is that many of them never saw their LDL cholesterol levels drop.

auntjudyg · 02-25-2005, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dand5

auntjudyg,
I am referring to the "rebuilt" food pyramid. You can see a picture of it here:
http://faculty.washington.edu/kepeter/118/exams/food-pyramid.htm

dand5, I don't have access to the original article, but this looks like the authors' idea of how the pyramid ought to be "re-built". From the guidelines I heard a couple of weeks ago (I can't find them on the USDA site at the moment), this is NOT what is being recommended.

The big change concerning grain products was that the "new" pyramid recommends that half of the servings (or something like that . . . at least 3 servings, I believe) be whole grain products. Of course, proponents of the "old" pyramid were always saying that that was what the USDA meant, so I don't quite get it. So, as far as the USDA is concerned, your pasta is fine.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dand5

My problem with arguments like the one you posed is that it ignores the fact that the body needs good sources of energy.

I don't follow how you conclude that I am saying that body does not need good sources of energy. I am saying the body doesn't need something that contributes absolutely no nutritional value. There are plenty of ways to get nutritional value and energy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dand5

Also, pasta tends to take a long time to digest (especially with pasta sauce, carrots, peas, beans, onions, etc.. mixed in) and thus does not cause the sharp spikes in blood sugar associated with eating white bread or simple sweats (though you might want that kind of spike before or after excercising).

You're talking about white flour pasta here? I couldn't disagree more. Some people do fine with it . . . if so, go for it . . . other's don't. But I don't agree about it digesting slowly . . . though yes, digestion would be slowed when eaten with veggies.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dand5

Short of dieting only on cereal (which I think has way too much iron nowadays) or whole wheat bread, pasta seems to be the best source of carbohydrates around.

Cereal? That's just as over processed as the pasta! How about whole grains crackers (like rye), brown rice, oatmeal, quinoa, various nuts and seeds, dried legumes/lentils, root veggies, winter squash?

Well . . . we all have our different ideas about what is best.