>> Get Aussie Diabetes Food Updates

Pasta, it’s a much loved food, a comfort food for many. But when it comes to pasta and diabetes, is it a no-no food or are there diabetic friendly pasta options?

Use this guide to make the best selection for your blood sugar levels and health.

Is There Pasta Diabetics Can Eat?

Yes, there is pasta and pasta alternatives that are fine for people with diabetes to eat. However, you do need to choose carefully because most pasta is very high in carbohydrates.

Since carbohydrates have the greatest influence on blood sugar levels, consuming the right type of pasta or alternatives can be important to regulate blood sugar levels or reduce HbA1c levels.

Let’s look closer at some pasta comparisons.

Pasta Nutrition Comparisons

Most pasta is made of durum wheat, which is a high carbohydrate food. It doesn’t matter if you choose a white pasta or a wholemeal pasta, as both types contain very high amounts of carbs.

Let’s look at 4 different types of pasta spirals, per 100 gram serve.

As you can see from the above comparisons, the pastas range from 50.5 to 81 grams of carbohydrate per 100 grams, which is about 2 cups of cooked pasta. That’s a lot of carbs!

If you were to reduce the portion and eat only half a cup of pasta, you’d still be consuming 13 to 20 grams of pasta in a sitting. Half a cup of pasta isn’t that much, and generally most people eat a lot more in one sitting.

Vetta Protein Pasta’s

These say they are 25% less carbs, and both the spirals and penne are 50.5 grams per 100 gram serve (1.5 cups dry, 2 cups cooked).

These are a lot higher in protein and fibre than other pasta options. Certainly they are marginally better than some other options, but the reality is they are still high in overall carbs.

If you reduce the portion to half a cup of Vetta proten pasta, it is still going to clock in at around 12-13 grams carbs.

Something to always keep in mind is: ALL the carbohydrates you consume break down to glucose/sugar in the bloodstream, influencing your blood sugar levels.

Spaghetti for Diabetics

Let’s compare 2 different spaghetti options, which have a common serving size of 125g, or 1/4 of the pack.

Here again we see that while the wholemeal spaghetti is a bit lower in carbs with much more fibre, it still has an enormous amount of carbs – 77.6g is going to send your blood sugar skyrocketing!

Low Carb Pasta for Diabetics

Thankfully there are a growing number of low carb pasta or pasta-like options available on the supermarket shelves.

Some people don’t like the smell of konjac noodles. The key is to wash them under warm water. Place them in a colander and rinse them very well before cooking. They do work well in a soup or a saucy meal.

Best Pasta Options for Diabetes

Here’s a more comprehensive list of the best pastas, noodles, and spaghetti’s to use from Coles and Woolworths. These options are low in carbs and will be blood sugar friendly.

COLES

• Coles Kitchen zucchini noodles – 1/2 250g pack, Carbs: 2.3g
• Changs super lo-cal noodles – 1 serve (100g), Carbs: 1g
• Slendier Pasta Fettuccine Style Organic, 1 serve (125g), Carbs: <1g
• Slendier Pasta Spaghetti Style – 1 serve (125g), Carbs: <1g
• Slendier Noodles Style – 1 serve (125g), Carbs: <1g
• Slendier Soy Bean Organic Spaghetti – 1 serve (50g), Carbs: 2g
• Slendier Soy Bean Organic Fettuccine – 1 serve (50g), Carbs: 2g
• Slendier Edamame Bean Organic Spaghetti – 1 serve (50g), Carbs: 1g
• Slendier Slim Rice Style Noodle – 1 serve (125g), Carbs: <1g
• Slendier ready-meal vegetable fettucine with arrabbiata sauce – 1 serve, Carbs: 4g
• Slendier ready-meal vegetable fettucine with organic Italian basil sauce – 1 serve, Carbs: 2g
• Slendier ready-meal vegetable fettucine with organic Italian capers and olives sauce – 1 serve, Carbs: 3g

WOOLWORTHS

• Changs super lo-cal noodles – 1 serve (100g), Carbs: 1g
• Slendier Pasta Fettuccine Style Organic, 1 serve (125g), Carbs: <1g
• Slendier Pasta Spaghetti Style – 1 serve (125g), Carbs: <1g
• Slendier Noodles Style – 1 serve (125g), Carbs: <1g
• Slendier Soy Bean Organic Spaghetti – 1 serve (50g), Carbs: 2g
• Slendier Soy Bean Organic Fettuccine – 1 serve (50g), Carbs: 2g
• Slendier Edamame Bean Organic Spaghetti – 1 serve (50g), Carbs: 1g
• Atkins low carb penne – 1 serve (50g), Carbs: 12g
• Slendier Slim Rice Style Noodle – 1 serve (125g), Carbs: <1g
• Slendier ready-meal vegetable fettucine with arrabbiata sauce – 1 serve, Carbs: 4g
• Slendier ready-meal vegetable fettucine with organic Italian basil sauce – 1 serve, Carbs: 2g
• Slendier ready-meal vegetable fettucine with organic Italian capers and olives sauce – 1 serve, Carbs: 3g
• Woolworth zucchini spaghetti noodles – 1/2 250g pack, Carbs: 2g

Pasta and Diabetes FAQ

Is chickpea pasta good for diabetics?

Chickpea pasta is not really good for diabetics either, as it high in carbs similar to regular wheat pastas. 100g of chickpea pasta, about 2 cups cooked has 56-57g carbs, 11-15g fibre, 22-25g protein.

There’s also options like green pea pasta 63g carbs, 10g fibre, 22g protein.

Is gluten free pasta good for diabetics?

Most gluten free pasta is not good for diabetics as it is very high in carbs, often much higher than regular wheat pasta. 100g of gluten free pasta can range from 76-78g carbs, with 1g fibre, and 7g protein.

The best choices for gluten free are those listed above in the best options list.

Is lentil pasta good for diabetics?

Lentil pasta is not a good option for diabetics. 100g of lentil pasta is 58-60g carbs, 7.5-10g fibre, 26-28.8g protein.

Pulse pasta, which contains pea, chickpea, borlotti and lentil flour is also high in carbs. 100g contains 56.7g carbs, 7.8g fibre, and 26.8g protein.

Is wholewheat pasta good for diabetics?

Wholewheat pasta is around 64g of carbs per 100g serve, which is A LOT! They do contain some fibre, around 8.8g, which is better than white pastas.

In general however, we recommend avoiding all types of regular pasta for better blood sugar control, even wholewheat varieties.

What about veggie pasta for diabetics?

Orgran has some gluten free veggie pasta, but it is high in carbs so not a great option for diabetics. 100g is 78.8g carbs, 3.2g fibre, and 7.5g protein.

Is spelt pasta good for diabetes?

Spelt pasta is not a good option for diabetics, as it contains high amounts of carbs like other regular pastas. 100g of spelt pasta contains 70g carbs, 4.4g fibre, and 14.9g protein.

Is there a good ravioli for diabetes?

Latina gluten free beef ravioli is 26.7g carbs, 4.6g fibre, 3.8g protein for 100g, 1/2 pack serve. Again, a high carb option.

What is the best spaghetti for diabetics?

The best spaghetti is a low carb option such a Slendier’s soy or edamame spaghetti or fettuccine because as we saw in the examples above, durum wheat and regular gluten free spaghetti’s are high in carbs so they are not the best choice.

Another good spaghetti option is zucchini noodles or other veggie spirals. These are easy to make at home but both Coles and Woolworths sell veggie noodles prepacked in the fridge section.

With type 2 diabetes and prediabetes, you can certainly still enjoy a pasta dish. However, it is best to choose a low carb pasta.

By choosing a lower carb pasta option you can instantly slash 30-40g carbs from a meal and that equals happier blood sugar and HbA1c levels!