pasta

Question
QUESTION: Cheri
I am confused over the low carb/low glycemic thing. For example pasta is a no no if you are on a low carb diet but because it is low glycemic it is ok?
I am 55 and always had weight issues with lots of bloating and indigestion.
I have narrowed down the problem foods to bread and potatoes. One week no carbs I am feeling good and belly is shrinking a bit but I get carb cravings in the morning and night-when I would usually have toast for breakfast and a cookie at night.
I can do without the spuds, never was a big pasta or rice eater-old school ;-) but I need at least one piece of toast in the morning. What should I have?
Also my daughter is a vegetarian but is still chubby.She works out and is not a big eater, but, her main food is  pasta,  which I think is the problem- but she says pasta is low glycemic so its OK?
BTW she got me interested in this field.
I did a little research and think I might be intolerant to carbohydrates especially for weight gain and maybe my daughter is like me? When we splugee on the weekend with chips and beers we pay for it for a week after.
Thanks for any help!

ANSWER: Hi Bud,

Thank you for your questions! I am going to start with your pasta question, yes it is considered low glycemic but it is high in carbs and unless you work it off, it can raise your sugar and if you think you might have intolerance to carbohydrates, regular pasta might not be the best option for you. A better option would be whole grain pasta with some fiber, but for a diabetic or someone with insulin resistance, there still might be a few too many carbohydrates to handle. When cooking pasta for my dad, I actually use a brand called Dreamfields, it is a little more expensive than
regular pasta but it only has 5 digestible carbs and tastes just like regular pasta and most grocery stores sell this brand. I read that you have some bloating and indigestion problems so you might want to start slowly on this pasta until you get used to it because the wheat used in Dreamfields will not digest in your system, which is why it only has 5 carbs.  My family has no problem eating it now, but you might not want to start with a huge serving for your first time. It comes in just about any shape you want like lasagna, elbow, and spaghetti.
I would like to suggest taking some enzymes (you can find them at any health food store, I get the store brand at Whole Foods)  with each meal to help digest the food you eat and maybe a probiotic as well. My dad has diabetes and taking an enzyme after a meal has helped him considerably. If you still have problems with digestion, you may want to see if you have a sensitivity to wheat to gluten or if you need to add baking soda to your diet.
A low carb diet can help you lose weight but everything in moderation. A low carb diet with no fruits or vegetables can be hard on the kidneys. To answer your question about toast, the best kind would be a whole grain, high fiber bread but I know many people cannot make the switch from white bread to whole grain because the taste is different. There are new varieties out there that still let you feel like you are eating white bread but they are much lower in sugar and high in fiber, the ingredients in these breads are  not as good as an all-natural whole grain bread but they will lower your carbohydrate  intake. If my dad wants a regular white bread sandwich, I give him a couple of slices of Hostess Smart White Bread.
My husband loves dessert at night so it is always a challenge to keep my dad from eating too much sugar before bedtime. I try to keep sugar free cookies in the house for those times. A good one to try is Murray抯 or there are some great recipes for sugar free cookies and desserts. Let me know what your favorite variety is and I would be happy to give you one.  
Regarding your question about your daughter and pasta, I agree with you. You can actually be overweight even if you are a vegetarian if you do not eat properly. If pasta is her favorite food, maybe she can make the change to low carb pasta such as Dreamfields or to whole grain pasta with a little more fiber. If she adds a variety of vegetables to her pasta, it will fill her up and she will get additional fiber from the vegetables, which would allow her to eat less pasta. Some suggestions for veggie pasta might be vegetarian lasagna layered with roasted vegetables, a summer pasta salad with seasonal vegetables or maybe use a lasagna noodle to make a spinach and ricotta roll with marinara sauce.  
As for your weekend splurge, beer and chips can be a tasty snack but the calories and carbs can definitely make you regret your snack later in the week. Try to choose a light beer and try to find some chips that have a larger serving size so you can eat more to fill up. A regular serving of potato chips are only 11 chips and if you are eating the out of a bag, most of us easily eat more than one serving. I found a tasty chip option the other day called Veggie Straws (you can buy a big bag at Costco) and you can eat 38 of them per serving! They have less fat and calories than most varieties; I think your vegetarian daughter might like them too. Another good option to try, puffed potato chips called Pop Chips, they are made by putting the potato in a pressure cooker so you can avoid the oils and calories normally associated with chips.  
I hope I answered all of your questions, please feel free to ask more questions and if you need any recipes, I am happy to help.

Cheri

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Cheri
Thanks for all the great info.
I have tried probiotics with no success but will try enzymes.
Can you tell me more about taking baking soda?


Answer
Hi Bud,

Your doctor can prescribe baking soda pills called Sodium Bicarbonate. Sodium Bicarbonate is often prescribed to diabetic patients who suffer from indigestion because their bodies do not produce enough of it on their own.  You can take regular baking soda for indigestion but the pills are more concentrated.  
Please let me know if you have any more questions. Have a great night!

Cheri

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