Pasta
Pasta is a widely enjoyed food in America, appreciated for its diverse shapes and nutritional benefits. It serves as both a side dish and a main course, often complemented by nutritious ingredients like vegetables, lean meats, and tomato sauce. Pasta is low in fat, cholesterol-free, and a good source of fiber, folic acid, and iron, making it a healthful choice for many. The 21st century has seen the introduction of enhanced pasta varieties, such as whole wheat and those fortified with omega-3 fatty acids, reflecting a growing emphasis on nutrition.
The origins of pasta are complex, with evidence suggesting its existence in various cultures long before it became synonymous with Italian cuisine. Some historians trace its roots back to ancient China, while others attribute its introduction to the Mediterranean through Arabic influences. In America, pasta gained popularity in the 18th century, and today, it is a staple, with per capita consumption significantly higher in Italy. Pasta's low cost, versatility, and health benefits contribute to its status as a favorite meal choice across different demographics, making it a common aspect of American culinary culture.
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Pasta
Eating pasta has become an American pastime for both adults and children. The many shapes and sizes make it versatile and fun to eat, plus it is a low-fat food and an excellent source of fiber, folic acid, iron, and numerous other nutrients. There is even a National Pasta Association, located in Washington, DC, that offers recipes, cooking tips, and fun activities for children.
Pasta can be eaten in many different versions. It is popular as a side dish as well as on its own as a main course. It is often eaten together with high nutrient staples such as oily fish, fiber-filled vegetables and beans, tomato sauce, which is rich in antioxidants, as well as high-protein cheeses, poultry, and lean meats. There has been a push in the twenty-first century to enhance pasta nutritionally, resulting in varieties such as whole wheat, whole grain, and pasta fortified with omega-3 fatty acids and additional fiber.
Background
Theories vary as to the origin of pasta. Evidence disproves the popular notion that Marco Polo introduced pasta to Italy following his exploration of China during the Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368). Records indicate that the Chinese had been consuming noodles as early as 3000 BCE, and that the migration of this food to the New World was made by some Englishmen who discovered it while touring Italy. It was eventually brought to America by the colonists where the tradition of cooking noodles for one half hour and smothering them with cheese and cream sauce was introduced.
Some food historians, however, position pasta even further back in time. They point to the Talmud, a Jewish compilation of biblical dissertations written in Aramaic in the fifth century CE, as the first evidence of pasta being boiled. The Talmud discusses whether or not boiled dough should be considered unleavened bread under Jewish law, making it unfit to be eaten on Passover.
Other historians posit that Arabs, specifically from Libya, were the ones who brought pasta, as well as spinach, eggplant, and sugar cane to the Mediterranean basin during the Arab conquests of Sicily in the ninth century CE, which had a drastic effect on the region’s cuisine. It is also known that by the twelfth century, the Italians mastered the Arab methods for drying pasta to preserve it while traveling. Many old Sicilian pasta recipes back up this theory in that they give Arabic gastronomic introductions.
The first confirmed industrial American pasta factory was built in 1848 in Brooklyn by a Frenchman who used his roof to dry the strands of spaghetti in the sun. It has also been written, though not fully documented, that in 1789 Thomas Jefferson brought the first "macaroni" machine to America when he returned after serving as ambassador to France.
Since October 1998, Italian pasta enthusiasts celebrate World Pasta Day, which was first organized in 1995 by the World Pasta Conference. There is also an Italian Pasta Association and a Pasta Museum in Rome entirely devoted to pasta—its history, production, nutritional values, and consumption.
Pasta Today
Pasta, together with other foods, provides the foundation for a nutritional and satisfying meal. Some varieties of whole grain pasta deliver up to 25 percent of daily fiber requirements in every cup. This would explain why, according to a 2015 survey, the average American consumes 8.8 kg of pasta per capita, making it the seventh highest food per capita in the world. Italy comes in first with a staggering pasta consumption of 25.3 kg per capita.
There are many health benefits to pasta: the carbohydrates in pasta are converted to glucose, the crucial fuel for the brain and muscles. Unlike simple sugars, however, that offer quick boosts of energy, the complex carbohydrates in pasta release energy into the system slowly. Current dietary guidelines call for up to 65 percent of daily calories to come from carbohydrates.
Pasta is cholesterol-free and low in sodium. The enriched varieties, which constitute the majority of pasta products today, provide several essential nutrients including iron and several B-vitamins as well as folic acid. A serving of dry pasta supplies the equivalent of roughly 100 micrograms of folic acid, or 25 percent of the recommended daily intake.
Pasta has a low Glycemic Index (GI), a measure of blood glucose, or sugar found in the body. Low GI blood measurement keeps sugar levels from rising too quickly.
An additional benefit to pasta is its low cost, which makes it an economical meal for any family.
There seems to be some confusion between noodles and pasta. Years ago, this starchy food was referred to either as spaghetti or noodles. Pasta translates to "paste," a reference in Italian to the dough made from a combination of flour and water or eggs, and the term seems to have crept quietly into American food culture without much fanfare.
As it turns out, however, there are differences between noodles and pasta. According to National Pasta Association standards, noodles are required to contain at least 5.5 percent egg solids by weight. Pasta is much lighter and in some countries must be made only with durum wheat.
Noodles are classified by their primary ingredient: wheat, rice, acorn, potato, buckwheat, etc. Pasta is either fresh or dried. Dried pasta is made without eggs and can be stored for two years, while fresh pasta, made with eggs, can be stored in a refrigerator for several days.
There are also slight differences in the nutritional statistics of noodles and pasta. One hundred grams of plain cooked noodles have 138 calories, seventeen of them from fat; pasta has 131 calories, nine of which are from fat. The same amount of noodles provides 3 percent of the daily intake of iron and two grams of fat, whereas pasta offers 6 percent of one’s daily intake of iron and one gram of fat. The cholesterol count is 29 mg in noodles and 33 mgs in pasta. Both foods have the same amount of calcium—1 percent of recommended daily intake.
Bibliography
Avey, Tori. "Uncover the History of Pasta." PBS. Public Broadcasting Service, 26 July 2012. Web. 21 Apr. 2016.
Durankiev, George. "11 Countries that Consume the Most Pasta." Insider Monkey. Insider Monkey, 21 May 2015. Web. 21 Apr. 2016.
Lockwood, Kristine. "Is Whole-Wheat Pasta Actually Healthier?" Greatest. Greatest, 10 Sept. 2012. Web. 21 Apr. 2016.
"Noodles vs Pasta." Diffen. Diffen, n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2016.
"Pasta." PastaFits. National Pasta Association, n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2016.
"Pasta Is Not Originally from Italy." Today I Found Out. Today I Found Out, 3 June 2011. Web. 21 Apr. 2016.
"Pasta Museum." Italy Heaven. Italy Heaven, n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2016.