Tagliatelle, shells, basmati rice, long grain... Quick to prepare and serve on the plate, pasta and rice are some of the great classics in our kitchen cupboards.
They belong to the large family of starchy foods, a category of foods which wrongly suffers from a very bad reputation.
Made up of carbohydrates, they provide us with our main source of energy.
But between pasta and rice, should one be favored?
Which is healthier?
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Also read: Can we eat pasta every day?
A similar nutritional composition
No need to make a choice, neither of the two is preferred.
And for good reason, “their nutritional composition is relatively similar, with approximately 30% carbohydrates once cooked and a negligible lipid intake;
except for pasta containing eggs, which are richer in lipids,” indicates Alexandra Murcier, dietitian nutritionist.
The differences between the two foods relate to their protein content - pasta contains slightly more - and their gluten content - rice is free - an advantage for people with intolerances.
Both are valuable allies in the daily diet, since they also provide us with vitamins and minerals, essential for the proper functioning of our body.
Good to know: the complete versions of the two foods contain more, since they have preserved their grain and therefore all the nutrients present there.
Consume them correctly
The only particular vigilance to be taken concerns the quantities ingested as well as their accompaniment.
The equation is simple: the higher the quantities of carbohydrates ingested, the greater the risk of storage.
Details: in the event of too high a carbohydrate intake, insulin, the hormone which regulates blood sugar levels, finds itself overwhelmed to accomplish this mission.
Faced with too much sugar in the body, it will therefore store fat.
An ideal plate for me is a quarter of proteins, a quarter of starchy foods and half of vegetables.
Alexandra Murcier, dietitian nutritionist
“An ideal plate is a quarter of proteins, a quarter of starchy foods and half of vegetables,” continues Alexandra Murcier.
Vegetables are essential as sources of fiber, which slow the absorption of sugars into the blood and “trap cholesterol,” adds the specialist.
Whole-grain pasta and rice also contain more fiber than their refined version.
Ideally, it is better to turn to whole and organic foods;
the grain husk being less likely to contain pesticides.
The cooking time is also important: “the more we cook them, the more we increase their glycemic index, we will favor al dente cooking”.
There is therefore no point in choosing, they must be cooked to perfection.