Does eating pasta in the evening make you gain weight?

Many think that starchy foods, especially pasta, should not be eaten in the evening if you want to avoid gaining weight.

Is pasta high in calories?

There are several things that should be made clear: pasta is not high in calories. What makes this dish rich is the sauce that accompanies it. A sauce made with cream, cheese, and fatty meat will make your pasta dish heavier, and therefore more caloric. However, if you use a sauce made with vegetables, fresh produce, and the right amount of ingredients, there is no reason to ban pasta from your diet.

Also, pasta is easier to digest if it is cooked al dente. When pasta is overcooked, slow sugars turn into fast sugars. This process speeds up digestion, but it makes you feel much less full.

Sleep and anti-stress allies

Pasta is good for you! Dietician Jeremy Gorskie says that eating pasta in the evening should not be stigmatised and that this dish can even be beneficial:

When you eat starchy foods, like pasta, you secrete more serotonin and melatonin. Serotonin fights against stress and melatonin helps you sleep. When you sleep well, and when you are less stressed, you snack less, and the metabolism works properly. So there is much less weight gain. It's a virtuous circle: you eat pasta (in reasonable quantities, with the right sauce), you feel good, you digest well, you don't get frustrated, and then you don't compensate with snacking. No snacking, no weight gain.

Good to know!