Why is pasta the best choice for weightlifters?

Pasta is a great source of carbs and protein

Weightlifters require more calories than an average person who doesn’t train as hard and often. Pasta is high in calories – about 342-371 kcal per 100 g of dry product and about 395 kcal per 250 grams when boiled. And this is the best advantage of pasta. After all, if you dine on pasta 2.5-3 hours before a workout, you will get a very good portion of calories and carbs.

250 grams of boiled pasta contain as much as 77 g of carbohydrates. Add a medium banana to this meal intake and you’ve already got 100 grams of carbs for a pre-workout meal. It is just what you need for an efficient workout with a heavy barbell.

250 grams of boiled pasta (1 serving) provide us with as much as 14,5 g of protein. We will receive less than 2,5 g of fat with such a portion provided we don’t add any oil. And that’s also an advantage because we don’t need a lot of fat in a pre-workout meal. Fats slow down the digestion process, which can lead to nausea or gastrointestinal discomfort during your workout session.

High-protein flour such as that of soybeans, peas and chickpeas is added to some types of pasta. This allows you to increase the protein content of pasta by more than 15%  and improve its amino acid profile in general, and increase the concentration of lysine in particular.

Pasta is also good as a post-workout meal. It will help to refill skeletal muscle glycogen deposits, which are actively consumed during heavy strength training. And for this meal, you can add some olive oil, avocados, nuts or a slice of Parmesan to your pasta. Post-workout fat intake is not a problem and it will keep you from getting hungry too soon. Besides, pasta itself is a very nourishing dish.

As you can see, pasta is versatile. And it also contains fiber – 4.5 g per 250 g serving, which can also be considered as a bonus.

Pasta is a source of vitamins and minerals

Besides B-12 originating mainly from animal products, pasta contains some other B-group vitamins. I shall remind you that some B-group vitamins are crucial for carbohydrates, proteins and fats metabolism to extract the universal source of energy – ATP, which gets actively employed in the process of strength training as well.

Some B vitamins play a huge role in muscle contraction, functioning of the nervous system (which is also very important for the transmission of nerve-to-muscle impulse), conversion of creatine to creatine phosphate and even steroid hormones synthesis.

Pasta is also a fair source of minerals: potassium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, selenium, manganese and copper. Pasta will provide you even with greater quantities of separate vitamins and minerals if you buy its enriched version.

The study performed by «Frontiers in Nutrition» showed that people who consume pasta on a regular basis get more fiber, B9 vitamin, iron and magnesium in comparison to those who don’t.

Pasta is a delicious and flavored food

When it comes to picking up one or another food product the choice turns towards one that has better taste and flavor. Pasta is exactly the case, for you’ll discover that it tastes and smells like basil, garlic, red pepper, which creates an additional reason to eat it regularly. Because we don’t feel like eating something when something becomes too familiar and routine.

Don’t forget about your health. Pasta has the lowest glycemic index among all foods rich in carbohydrates. This helps controlling weight, positively affects glucose metabolism, insulin and fat levels in your blood. Some researches show that pasta restrains the rapid growth of glucose level in blood in comparison to a similar amount of carbohydrates from other foodstuffs such as white bread for a good reason. Thus the risk of type 2 diabetes becomes significantly reduced.

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If slimming is your goal fear not pasta

Many have unjustified and irrational anxiety about pasta as the most carbohydrates in this product come as starch. But starch itself is nothing more than a form in which plants store carbohydrates and it doesn’t pose any threat. It doesn’t make us fat!

Some pasta won’t hurt your fat level reduction on your hypocaloric diet. Also, pasta is a great product that will help you to resolve two matters at once if you are involved in weightlifting:

1. It provides enough energy for highly intensive workouts.
2. It gives a feeling of satiation, which is of the utmost importance for those sticking to a low-calorie diet.

When slimming you can surely encounter some issues considering eating large amounts of pasta as it is rather rich in calories. But moderate amounts won’t harm you in any way.

Pasta is a unique product, it is affordable, easy to cook, versatile and possesses high nutritional value. This is a TOP product for all weightlifters.

Pasta will aid you to build muscle mass, cover high calorie and carbohydrate demands and also they will keep you satiated on the low-calorie menu when you are cutting. It’s a win-win situation for everyone!

If you don’t have individual intolerance of your gastrointestinal tract then take my advice and include pasta in your menu. And mind that the whole-grain pasta is the best one.