A New Study Claims That Eating Pasta Is Actually Good For You

If you've been cutting pasta out of your diet because of its fattening reputation, you may no longer have to. A recent study conducted by Italian scientists found that pasta does not contribute to obesity; in fact, it can actually help you bring down your body mass index.

The study examined the eating habits of the participants and found that enjoying pasta during a healthy meal actually contributes to maintaining a lower BMI, lower waist circumference, and better waist-hip ratio (especially when incorporated into a healthy Mediterranean diet). The key takeaway being that pasta is best enjoyed as a larger part of a healthy diet full of produce, healthy fats, and lean proteins — this is not a ticket to a bottomless bowl of fettuccine alfredo!

Licia Iacoviello, head of the Laboratory of Molecular and Nutritional Epidemiology at Neuromed Institute, stated that while pasta isn't commonly associated with healthy eating and weight loss, you don't have to completely ban it from your meals if it is something you enjoy. "In light of this research, we can say that this is not a correct attitude. We're talking about a fundamental component of Italian Mediterranean tradition, and there is no reason to do without it," she said.

Like all things indulgent, we still believe in moderation and finding ways to sneak in more nutrients, but we definitely won't argue with the claims that a little penne alla vodka won't hurt your waistline. Now . . . pass the pasta!