Tonight's Doctor on Call question comes to us from a mother who's in a bit of a nutritional battle with her daughter. She writes, "My teenage daughter says pasta is too fattening. The rest of the family really likes it. Who's right?"
Well, there are really two issues with pasta. It can be fattening if you eat too much of it. A serving size is about a half a cup, and that's not all that much. And when you go to a restaurant, you can't bring a measuring cup -- it's about the size of a pool ball. Have that much, and have the rest of it sent home for leftovers.
The other issue with pasta is what you put on top. And if you have tomato sauce or vegetable sauce, those are great choices. But if you start putting heavy cream and lots of butter and meat, it can become fattening.
Your daughter might actually be willing to try whole wheat pasta, which is a healthier choice. It has three times the fiber of regular pasta, plus more vitamins, nutrients, and even has protein.
If you have a question for the Doctor on Call, you can send it to the familyhealthcast@9wsyr.com.
