Low Carb Pasta? For those of us who are a bit fluffier than we wish, dieting is a real issue. Among those things we find ourselves doing without frequently are bread and pasta. I don't know about you but I can find ways around no bread, but pasta is another thing. I need an alternative, I need Low Carb Pasta.

But does such a thing exist? The answer is yes....and no. There are pastas out there but they are just a little different. But maybe not too different to become a part of your eating regimen. And... there are alternatives which you may find acceptable or even good. And what about eating out at restaurants,especially Italian restaurants, impossible, right? Maybe.. or not.

So whether you are onto Low Carb like me or are into the Low GlycemicWorld, finding a pasta you CAN eat is important.

When speaking of low carb pasta, we need to define our terms. Regular refined white pasta can have as much as 50 grams of carbohydrate per cup of cooked pasta. Few people I know would be satisfied with a cup of pasta. With sauce, a real world serving could involve hundreds of grams of carbohydrate. This much carbohydrate in one sitting would produce a huge spike in blood sugar, especially if the person were diabetic.

The trick is to find an alternative to the refined pasta which has much less carb and/or digest much slower. Low carb pasta brands range from 5 grams to 25 grams of digestible carbs per serving. Some popular brands are:

low carb pastas

Low Carb Pastas are created by using different ingredients and/or manufacturing processes to produce a lower net carb product. Read labels carefully and understand just how many carb grams each product does contain.

Another tact for replacing high carb pastas is to use some entirely different foods as pasta alternatives. Some of these are exceedingly low in net carbs and can be quite tasty. Some of these are:

Shirataki Noodles-sometimes called Konnyaku or Yam Noodles.

Spaghetti Squash- a yellow squash which when steamed and scraped, produces spaghetti-like strands.

Tofu Noodles- Konnyaku noodles combined with tofu.

Vegetables-various squashes, beans and sprouts can be thinly sliced and sauteed.

If eating pasta and bread is a problem, is it possible to have a satisfying meal at an Italian restaurant?

Laura Dolson, in her excellent article "Low Carb Eating in Italian Restaurants" (link), offers this advice:

"Low Carb Italian Eating – Dos and Don’ts

Dos:

• Let your eyes skip past the pizza and pasta sections of the menu. You may be surprised to find how much low carb gold is hiding in plain sight under other headings.

• Italians are known for shopping daily for the freshest and choicest produce, seafood, and meats, often with a fairly simple preparation so as not to hide the wonderful fresh flavors. So think like an Italian, and order items with lots of healthy fresh ingredients.

• Italian food often has olive oil drizzled over it, and sometimes there is olive oil on the table for this purpose. Take advantage of it! The type of fat as well as the antioxidants in olive oil are part of the reason for the healthfulness of the “Mediterranean Diet”.

• Eat slowly and enjoy. Italians don’t “wolf” their food! They eat their main meal slowly over several small courses, ideally with much conversation and laughter.

Don’ts:

• Avoid or minimize the following: Pasta, bread, risotto, polenta, bruschetta, crostini.

• If you are in a very low carb phase, such as Atkins Induction, avoid meatballs, which usually have bread crumbs in them.

• Be aware that fried items, such as a calamari appetizer, will usually be breaded. Ditto eggplant Parmesan, and some meat dishes.

Now let's go through a typical Italian menu:

Appetizers (Antipasti)

In Italian, “pasto” means “meal”, and “antipasti” or “antipasto” is “before the meal”. A lot of antipasti are made with meats, seafood, and vegetables, so we’re in luck. For example:

• An “antipasto platter” typically contains an assortment of meats such as salami, cheeses, and marinated vegetables such as artichokes and peppers.

• Carpaccio is aged, raw, thinly sliced beef or raw fish, usually served with an olive oil dressing and a few vegetables.

• Gamberoni (shrimp) is a common antipasto dish, either cold or hot, often sauteed with garlic and wine.

• Look for grilled, roasted, or marinated vegetables.

• Steamed clams or mussels are common antipasti.

Soups

Italians love soup, and in Italy, soups are often served instead of pasta. Many Italian soups are low carb, although some have bread in them. Even the soups with beans or pasta in them often only have small amounts of these in a portion. Since there are so many different soups, the exact carb count is going to depend on the cook, but generally you’ll want to go with thinner soups. Seafood soups are often thin. Stracciatelle is a sort of Italian egg-drop soup. Also, look for soups with lots of vegetables.

Salads (Insulata)

Salads abound in Italy, and are almost always a good bet, if you avoid croutons or other bread. An Italian salad could contain any fresh vegetables – and, of course, olive oil. The classic caprese salad has mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil.

Dealing With Pasta

Find your eye drifting towards those tempting pasta dishes on the menu? Feel free to ask for the pasta “toppings” on a bed of vegetables, or even all on their own as a side dish. Pesto on chicken and vegetables is delicious.

Meats and Seafood – often labeled Secondi

This is the main part of the meal for someone eating low carb. Most of the meats and seafood on an Italian menu are going to have very little starch or sugar. If you avoid breaded meats (such as chicken or veal Parmigiana or Milanese), you’re in great shape. True Italian tomato sauces have little or no sugar, although there are many pasta sauces in the US which are loaded with added sugars. If your local restaurant uses these, you’d want to avoid red sauces, or go for tomato sauces labeled “fresh”.

Desserts

In Italy, meals are often ended with fresh fruit, which is perfect for us. Needless to say, the richer desserts are well-endowed with carbohydrates, so best to stay away, or have one bite of a fellow-diner’s dessert."

Spaghetti squash is definitely a low carb pasta alternative. The inimitable Wikipedia gives us the lowdown(link):

"The spaghetti squash (Cucurbita pepo) (also called vegetable spaghetti, vegetable marrow, noodle squash , Spaghetti Marrow (in the UK) , squaghetti or Sharkfin Melon to Chinese) is an oblong seed-bearing variety of winter squash. The fruit can range either from ivory to yellow or orange in color or green with white streaks. Its center contains many large squash seeds. Its flesh is bright yellow or orange or white for the latter variety. When raw, the flesh is solid and similar to other raw squash; when cooked, the flesh falls away from the fruit in ribbons or strands like spaghetti or shark's fin (when cooked in a soup form). Its taste is nothing like spaghetti, however; it has a slight sweetness and, if not overcooked, is crunchy and watery, like cucumber. Spaghetti squash can be baked, boiled or steamed, and served with sauce as for pasta, or used as a vegetable base for macaroni and cheese. Spaghetti squash contains many nutrients including folic acid, potassium, vitamin A, and beta carotene. It is also a food low in calories, averaging 75 calories in 8 cooked ounces. It is an American native vegetable.

Cooking spaghetti squash

Spaghetti squash is easily cooked in the oven, microwave, or stovetop. When baking, the squash should be pierced with a fork repeatedly and then baked for about an hour, then sliced open and the seeds removed. When microwaving, slice the squash in half, remove seeds, fill with water, cover with wrap, and then cook on high for about ten minutes. Alternately, puncture the squash all over with a small knife; then microwave on high for about 8 minutes, flip, microwave for about 10 minutes on the other side, and let cool for 5 or 6 minutes before slicing in half. (Steam will come out.) When cooking the squash on the stove, slice the fruit vertically in half instead of horizontally during preparation. Clean the squash as usual. Place cut side down in three inches of water and boil on high for approximately half an hour."

After cooking, just dress it with the low carb pasta sauce of your choice, a little parmesan maybe, and enjoy guilt-free "low carb pasta".