Many people are worried about the calories in pasta and rice - there has been such a backlash against carbohydrates recently, that many people are unsure about whether they should be eating them.
However, the calories in pasta and rice are an essential part of your diet. If you choose unprocessed ones such as whole-wheat pasta and brown rice, you are getting a food source that is low in fat, contains a wide variety of vitamins and minerals, and is an excellent source of fibre.
Doctors and researchers are encouraging people to eat more fibre, with evidence suggesting that most people get less than half the amount they need on a daily basis. Fibre is essential as it reduces the likelihood of constipation, haemorrhoids (piles), diverticular disease and bowel cancer.
If you are counting calories, be aware that often it is not the basic food that is the problem, but what you add to it. Therefore be careful about adding butter and rich, creamy sauces to what are, on their own, good healthy foods.
So what do these contribute to your diet? Here are the basics:
- Fresh Plain Cooked Pasta - 134 calories (kcal) per 100 grams
- White Long Grain Instant Rice - 119 kcal per 100 grams
So on their own these are not fattening foods - if you choose the whole grain varieties and avoid the fatty sauces and dressings they form an essential party of a healthy diet.
