Making the decision to eat healthy foods is one thing, but actually executing your plans can be more difficult than you expect—especially when you consider the fact that so many products labeled as “healthy” are actually still not great for you. While alternatives to certain processed foods may be healthier than your other options, eating genuinely nutritious foods is another story. In order to maintain the healthiest diet possible, it’s important not to be fooled by misleading marketing on certain products.
To discover one so-called “healthy” product that can actually be damaging to your body when eaten regularly, we spoke to Nutritionist Lisa Richards, author of The Candida Diet. She told us that while whole wheat pasta may be better than the alternative, it’s still not good for you, and can even lead to inflammation.
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Whole Wheat Pasta Isn't As Healthy As It Seems
Anything made with whole wheat is healthy, right? Unfortunately, that's not always the case. Richards says that although whole wheat pasta is "marketed as a healthier alternative to traditional pasta made from refined flour" and may technically be healthier than the alternative, it "shouldn't be considered healthy."
Here's the thing: a processed food is a processed food, whether it's made with whole wheat or not—and no highly processed product is actually healthy. "Whole wheat pasta is still a processed food product rather than a whole food," Richards explains. "While we consume many food products in our daily lives, substituting one food product for another isn't the best option." Instead, she says choosing whole foods alternatives to the processed food you're trying to cut back on is the best way to go.
Richards offers another warning, too: Whole wheat pasta can be inflammatory. "Wheat is inflammatory for many people with or without a wheat or gluten allergy/intolerance," she notes. This means even though whole wheat pasta is slightly healthier than the regular version, it can still lead to health issues and, eventually, weight gain. Yikes!
Prioritize Whole Foods
With so many mislabeled "healthy" foods out there, how can you actually know which ones are good for you? Richards says that "the best way to know you are buying actual healthy food is to eat a primarily whole food diet." She explains that although this can seem daunting, it's okay to start small. "By taking one or two processed foods from your regular diet a week and finding a whole food substitute you can transform your diet in just a few months," she says.
"It is important to remember this doesn't have to be a complete overhaul," Richards assures. "Continue to enjoy the food products on occasion, just don't make them a regular part of your day."
If you're looking for a great whole food alternative to pasta, you're in luck! Richard says "there are quite a few great options." To replace the pasta in traditional noodle dishes, you can go with zucchini noodles, squash noodles, or shirataki noodles.
If your meal is flexible and can be made with a different base, Richards recommends opting for oats, quinoa, or brown rice. Yum!
