Pasta

[broads]

My daughter bought me a pasta machine before I was diagnosed diabetic. Does anyone know of a recipe for home made pasta for diabetics. Must admit I haven't searched the web yet. Just sent off for some Dreamfields pasta but it is quite expensive.

 

[sugarless sue]

This person says she is diabetic but i'm not sure that the recipe is for diabetics!!

http://thebeautifuldiabetic.blogspot.co ... pasta.html

 

[broads]

Wouldn't have thought so. I just thought , if Dreamfields can manufacture pasta it must be possible to do it at home.

 

[sugarless sue]

I think it will depend on the type of flour used.Does Dreamfield's web-site mention type of flour.

 

[saz1]

Dreamfields claim that they have developed a technique that binds most of the carbohydrate into an undigestable form. I am not aware how, but they seem to highlight that the pasta shouldn't be overcooked so I wonder if it's something that can be destroyed since I have seen some people write about bs spikes after eating it...

 

[tubolard]

The link you pointed to Sue does specify a specific type of flour, 00 (or dopia zero) flour for pasta is coarsely ground. As I understand it, coarsely ground flour contains more kernel and has a larger particle size than the more processed flours which in turn hinder digestion.

Al dente, soft but chewy, pasta has a lower GI than "overcooked" pasta, again the theory is that al dente pasta takes longer to digest and therefore convert to glucose.

I did see a site, but can't find it, that explained the production differences between dried pasta and fresh pasta. It explained that the production mechanism used to make dried pasta also adds something to the pasta that decreases the GI. The moral I guess is that when eating pasta one needs to look at the portion size. From personal experience a 100g portion of pasta would be much too large for me.

As an aside, Italians are shocked at the amount of pasta we serve with a meal, pasta is a side dish or appetizer whereas we appear to use it as the bulk of a meal.

Regards, Tubs.

 

[phoenix]

production differences between dried pasta and fresh pasta. It explained that the production mechanism used to make dried pasta also adds something to the pasta that decreases the GI

An attempt at a brief and hopefully vaguely correct explanation

Extreme temperatures (such as cooking in boiling water) modifies the structure of some of the starch molecules in carbohydrates. This makes them more digestible and hence will raise BG levels. This is is called gelatinisaton.

When pasta is made in a machine the process of extrusion produces a coating on the pasta. This makes the starch less digestible ( and therfore lower gi) This applies to shapes like spaghetti and tagiatelli but less so for flat shapes like lasagna, so two pastas, even when made with the same flour, can have very different gis. Hand rolled and cut pasta also doesn't go through the same process so tends to be higher gi.
Cooking for too long will destroy the protective coating, increase the gelatinisation so pasta is only low gi if it is cooked al dente.

If the pasta is cooked then cooled a process called retrogradation occurs , the starch returns to its former structure and is again less digestible , some of the starch is resistant (as it was before processing and cooking). Cold al dente pasta is therefore lower gi.

Researchers have found how to manufacture, resistant starch and make it (at least partially) heat stable . This resistant starch is put into products like Dreamfields pasta so they advertise it as having less available starch. However, even resistant stach needs to be cooked al dente as it will become more gelatinised and more digesitble if cooked too long.

So, homemade pasta is likely to higher gi than bought dried pasta. If you could buy commercial resitant starch and incorporate it, then it shoulld work in the same way as Dreamfields.

Added:
I've just found a resistant starche sold directly to consumers. Its called Hi Maize and was developed in Australia. Apparently it can replace 25-30% of the flour in 'baked goods' ( I assume pasta also) . The bad news is I've so far only found it on sale in the US and Australia.(though its used here in some Breads and cereals )

 

[tubolard]

Thanks Phoenix and so much better put than I could do it.

Regards, Tubs.

 

[Patch]

Great post Phoenix - very interesting stuff. Could eating cold pasta with warm sauce re-introduce the process of gelatinisation?

 

[Trinkwasser]

Pasta is generally made from Durum wheat rather than the comparatively soft types sold as baking flour in the UK.

 

[Braye]

An attempt at a brief and hopefully vaguely correct explanation

Extreme temperatures (such as cooking in boiling water) modifies the structure of some of the starch molecules in carbohydrates. This makes them more digestible and hence will raise BG levels. This is is called gelatinisaton.

When pasta is made in a machine the process of extrusion produces a coating on the pasta. This makes the starch less digestible ( and therfore lower gi) This applies to shapes like spaghetti and tagiatelli but less so for flat shapes like lasagna, so two pastas, even when made with the same flour, can have very different gis. Hand rolled and cut pasta also doesn't go through the same process so tends to be higher gi.
Cooking for too long will destroy the protective coating, increase the gelatinisation so pasta is only low gi if it is cooked al dente.

If the pasta is cooked then cooled a process called retrogradation occurs , the starch returns to its former structure and is again less digestible , some of the starch is resistant (as it was before processing and cooking). Cold al dente pasta is therefore lower gi.

Researchers have found how to manufacture, resistant starch and make it (at least partially) heat stable . This resistant starch is put into products like Dreamfields pasta so they advertise it as having less available starch. However, even resistant stach needs to be cooked al dente as it will become more gelatinised and more digesitble if cooked too long.

So, homemade pasta is likely to higher gi than bought dried pasta. If you could buy commercial resitant starch and incorporate it, then it shoulld work in the same way as Dreamfields.

Added:
I've just found a resistant starche sold directly to consumers. Its called Hi Maize and was developed in Australia. Apparently it can replace 25-30% of the flour in 'baked goods' ( I assume pasta also) . The bad news is I've so far only found it on sale in the US and Australia.(though its used here in some Breads and cereals )

So I see this is a very old post but were you able to get the Hi maize and did you make pasta with it?