Is pulse pasta worth the hype?

Pasta is one of those foods that just about everyone loves – especially children. Am I right?

Pasta can be consumed as part of a healthy diet despite what the celebs/ influencers may tell you. And, fun fact, you wont gain extra weight if you eat carbs after 3pm. Carbs contain the same amount of calories no matter the time of day. Pasta is made from grains, is a great source of energy for the kiddies and can increase their dietary fibre intake, which is important for their digestive health and can help improve bowel movements. 

You’re probably thinking that I am going to suggest you swap your family over to pulse pasta, because it clearly has more protein and fibre. Well what if I told you that just because something looks healthier doesnt mean you should opt for it everytime.

Yes, pulse pasta contains more protein, and fibre, but when we look at regular pasta, it still contains alot of protein and has plenty of dietary fibre. 

Pulse pasta has a very distinct flavour, and while it definitely  contains more nutrients than regular pasta, regular pasta is still super healthy. Pasta is a great source of carbohydrates, dietary fibre and protein. In fact, the regular pasta actually contains the same amount of protein per serve that a child needs across their whole daily intake. This doesnt take into account the protein that is usually added to pasta dishes, and the other foods your child will consume across the day.

Here is my pasta hack:

Swap regular pasta for pulse pasta IF your kids prefer the taste or cannot tolerate gluten. Otherwise, why not opt for a wholemeal pasta?

If your child is eating a balanced diet with lots of variety then chances are they are already meeting most of their requirements. However it cant hurt to increase their fibre intake by swapping to wholemeal or pulse pasta. Pulse pasta is also 4 x more expensive than regular pasta. 

As always make sure they are eating a wide variety of foods and staying well hydrated. Both options are healthy, both are great sources of nutrients and can form part of a balanced diet.

Click here for my Creamy Mushroom and Chicken Pasta or my Veggie Filled Mac’n’Cheese.