Macaroni group a and b. Pasta: categories A, B, C. Classification of pasta

In this article:

Pasta can differ from each other not only in appearance, but also in variety - more precisely, in the raw material from which they were produced. On the packages you can find inscriptions of the following content: “made from premium flour” or “durum wheat is used”. In the first case, the main component is obtained by grinding parts of the grain, and in the second - from whole wheat.

The main varieties of pasta

For the classification of pasta, there are standards according to which they are divided into groups and varieties. Moreover, for the manufacture of group A pasta, durum wheat is used, and for all the rest, soft wheat.

In many countries (in particular, in Italy), products are made exclusively from hard varieties.

Consider in more detail the characteristics of the varieties:

  • group A: durum wheat (highest, first and second grade);
  • group B: soft wheat (highest and first grade);
  • group B: wheat baking flour (highest and first grade).

Distinguish according to the method of preparation egg and dry products. Pasta is produced in different shapes, sizes and diameters.

They are divided into 5 groups according to their form:

  • long pasta (Fig. 2);
  • short pasta (Fig. 3);
  • pasta for baking (Fig. 4);
  • small pasta for soups (Fig. 5);
  • curly pasta (Fig. 6).

The most popular representative of long pasta are spaghetti with a characteristic circular cross section and a length of more than 15 cm. In our country, bucatini- rather thin spaghetti with holes.

Tagliatelle and fettuccine are very similar in appearance and are a type of noodle that looks like long flat ribbons.

In turn, short and curly pasta are divided into tubular (horns, feathers), filiform (vermicelli) and ribbon products (noodles). It is worth mentioning in this variety and voluminous products with complex configurations (ears, shells, stars, rings and much more).

European pasta names differ from our products in their original shape. So, farfalle is made in the form of butterflies, and our people are simply called bows.

Pasta for baking is associated with many housewives with lasagna- large sheets for preparing a popular dish.

Huge pipes - cannelloni(diameter 3 cm) can also be stuffed and baked.

Well-made pasta has a taste and smell, and the absence of bitterness, mold and mustiness is a prerequisite. Their color is characterized by uniformity with a yellow tint. During the cooking process, pasta should not stick together, form lumps and lose its original shape. The shelf life of pasta is as follows: without additives - for 2 years, with egg and tomato components - 1 year; with wheat germ - only 3 months.

Improving the range of pasta is carried out by introducing into the recipe not quite traditional raw materials, namely food additives, dyes and new types of flour. Vitamin and mineral supplements can be used to improve the quality of the product and meet the growing needs of customers.

Healing pasta

Every year the assortment of pasta products will expand due to the increase in the content of useful substances and the creation of fundamentally new types of products for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes. For the dietary nutrition of people with kidney failure, special pasta is being developed. Protein-free products are made from corn starch with the addition of B vitamins.

Such products have a neutral taste without a characteristic odor.

For therapeutic and prophylactic action, pasta is also produced:

  • enriched with calcium (edible chalk or shells);
  • with a high content of bran, whole grains or wheat germ;
  • vegetable mosaic (with the addition of tomato paste, spinach and sorrel, carrots);
  • enriched with herbal supplements.

The last variety of pasta may contain grape skin supplements- they are intended to strengthen immunity, increase the body's defenses and improve the general condition of a person as a whole. Pumpkin or apple bioadditives give the pasta an amber color. A diet with their content is recommended for cholelithiasis, problems with the gastrointestinal tract and cardiac activity.

In some countries it is customary to issue better tasting pasta when the package contains a tablet of table salt, vegetable concentrate, monosodium glutamate, caramel, garlic, pepper, flour, soy sauce and glucose. Products made from whole grains and with a variety of fillings (meat and vegetables) are also popular. Pasta seasoned with garlic or coffee is no longer a novelty, and breakfast cereals, the so-called "pasta chips", are useful from time to time.

Long-term storage pasta is quite common, when the finished product is placed in a heat-resistant package and irradiated with infrared rays (3 minutes). Under their influence, the products are sterilized, and the shelf life is significantly increased.

The main advantages and benefits of pasta

The demand for pasta is easily explained, because they are characterized by speed of preparation and affordable price. Moreover, the image of the product is gradually changing. Even 10 years ago, they were considered far from the most healthy dish and were not recommended for the category of people who followed a diet. Today they rightfully have the honorary status of a healthy product, largely due to the fashion for Italian dishes. Sales volumes of pasta increase significantly during crises, when the population stocks up for the future with this product with a long shelf life and at an affordable price.

Currently there are special pasta diets, because the high level of absorption of essential nutrients (proteins and carbohydrates) by the body gives a feeling of satiety for a long period of time and prevents weight gain. For these purposes, it is desirable to choose whole grain pasta, which is especially rich in nutrients and fiber, vitamins and phytonutrients.

According to studies, a direct relationship between the presence of whole grains in the diet and the process of weight normalization has been scientifically proven. In order for whole grain pasta to bring maximum benefits to the body, it is recommended to eat it with vegetables and leafy greens.

Today there is dozens of types of pasta, many of which are served exclusively with a specific sauce or dish. Quite often in recipes there are unfamiliar names of pasta, which can be safely replaced with an analogue from one category. The bizarre shapes and quality of the product never cease to amaze real gourmets and ordinary connoisseurs of delicious food.

Pasta is pasta, usually made from wheat flour and water. Another name is pasta (from Italian Pasta). First of all, Italian cuisine is associated with pasta, and China is the real homeland of this popular product. It was from here that the traveler Marco Polo brought the secret of making pasta. How to choose the highest quality and most delicious pasta, what to look for when choosing - a few of our tips.

Package

The package must contain the marking of the wheat variety from which the product is prepared. Group A - pasta made from only durum wheat flour, group B - from flour made from soft vitreous wheat, group C - from baking wheat flour.
Pasta packaging must be transparent or have a transparent window through which the buyer can evaluate the appearance of the product. Also, check the pasta packaging for leaks.

SIGNS OF QUALITY PASTA

Smooth surface;

Golden smooth cream color, not white or unnaturally bright yellow;

Amber yellow pasta made from durum wheat;

The presence on the product of a small amount of residues of wheat grain shells in the form of dark dots;

Light pasta with a rough surface and white patches is made from ordinary flour, artificially tinted yellow;

Lack of flour and crumbs in the pack, vitreous fracture

How to distinguish a fake?

Group A durum wheat pasta is often forged by mixing flour with soft or bread flour. Outwardly, it is impossible to distinguish a forgery, but it is easy to identify when cooking. Cook the pasta according to all the rules and see what happened to the water and the shape of the products. If the figurines are intact, and the water is slightly cloudy, you bought a real pasta made from durum wheat. If the result is different, it is a fake.

Another easy way to determine pasta quality is to bend the spaghetti. Products from soft varieties break quickly, while pasta from hard varieties is strong, bends well, and it is difficult to break them.

Pasta from hard varieties does not boil soft, practically does not stick together, ready-made pasta has a pleasant amber yellow color. Do not be afraid of carotene dye - it is natural, completely harmless. If pasta is painted in unusual colors after cooking, look at the composition, most likely they contain a natural additive. For example, greenish pasta is due to the addition of spinach to the composition; strongly crumbling pasta is not recommended to take, because. this means that they are dried in violation of all technologies. When cooked, such products will turn into porridge. If the cooked pasta is bitter, it means that from which they are made was stored incorrectly and for too long, the fats that were there had time to go rancid.

Why does the grade mean nothing?

Grade refers to the type of flour, not the quality of the pasta itself. The inscription of the highest grade and the highest quality on simple cheap horns of group B means that they are made from baking flour of the highest grade, devoid of almost all useful substances and the most refined. It would be better if pasta were made from first grade flour, more useful.

Sometimes they indicate a class instead of a variety - this is the same for pasta.

Expensive or cheap?

In principle, there is no difference, the main thing is that pasta should be made only from durum wheat. You come across pasta at an insanely expensive price, special French, German. Why do they cost so much? No one knows, probably the distributor wanted to charge such a price. Pasta is flour and water. When you buy very expensive pasta, you pay for the trademark, for the bright packaging.

Benefits of durum wheat pasta

These pasta are rich in nutrients.
. B vitamins that increase stress resistance, alleviate headaches;
. Vitamin E - prevents aging;
. Minerals - potassium, iron, manganese and phosphorus;
. Pasta provides the body with complex carbohydrates that do not raise blood sugar levels, as well as protein in the amount of 15% of the daily requirement;
. Fiber - absorbs toxins, removing them from the body. Fiber also gives a long-lasting feeling of satiety;
. The amino acid tryptophan promotes a deeper and more restful sleep, resists depression.

Types of pasta

In Italy, there are dozens, if not hundreds, of pasta varieties. All Italian pasta is divided into 3 types:
. Long Paste
. short paste
. stuffed pasta

The form is divided into five types:

1. Long

Capellini (Capellini) - products are long, rounded, very thin. Sometimes they are also called as "angel hair". They are consumed hot, with a light sauce, broth, or simply with vegetable salad mixed with olive oil.

Vermicelli (Vermicelli) are long, rounded and thin (1.4 mm - 1.8 mm) products. Translated from Italian means "little worms". They are consumed hot or cold, with a light sauce or broken, mixed with a vegetable salad.

Spaghetti (Spaghetti) - the most popular type of pasta in the world: long, roundish and medium thickness. These are "little ropes". They are consumed hot, with tomato sauce or in casseroles.

Spaghettini is thinner than spaghetti.

Tagliatelle are long noodles.

Fettuccine - flat thin strips of dough, about 2.5 cm wide. They are straight or slightly curved. Used in the preparation of Fettuccine Alfredo dishes, consumed hot, with a thick sauce, especially delicious with a creamy sauce.

Lasagna (Lasagne) - very wide and long products, can be with curly or straight edges. Also called a casserole cooked from them. They are consumed exclusively hot, stacked in layers in a mold, each layer is smeared with thick tomato or cream sauces. Then baked for 30-40 minutes.

Lasagniette is a wide noodle with frilled edges.

Linguine - flat, long and narrow, slightly longer than spaghetti products. Their name is translated from Italian as: "little tongues."

Pappardelle are flat noodles, about 2 cm wide.

2. Short Pasta

Fusilli (Fusilli) - made in the form of a spiral (Archimedes screw).

Penne (Penne) - these are tubes with a diameter of not more than 10 mm, a length of not more than 40 mm, have diagonal cut edges (feathers).

Penne rigate are fluted feathers.

Cannelloni (Cannelloni) - pasta tubes with a diameter of not more than 30 mm and a length of not more than 100 mm. Basically, they are prepared with various fillings.

Cellentani are spiral tubes.

3. Fine pasta for soups

Anelli (Anelli) - beautiful miniature rings, created specifically for the preparation of various soups.

Stelline (Stelline) - products in the form of an asterisk.

Ditalini Orecchiete are small pieces shaped like letters or ears.

4. Curly paste

Farfalle (Farfalle) - products in the form of a butterfly.

Farfallette and Farfallini are small butterflies.

Conchiglie - pasta in the form of shells; great for stuffing.

Conchiliette are small shells.

Conchiglioni are large shells.

Gemelli - plaits with hollow ends or thin spirals.

Caserecce - ordinary, familiar to us horns.

Campanelle are bells with a slightly wavy edge.

Gnocchi and cavatelli are frilled shells.

5. Pasta stuffed

Agnolotti - rectangular or crescent-shaped. These are envelopes with traditional meat filling.

Capeletti - small stuffed pasta. Made in the shape of a hat.

Tortellini are small stuffed rings.

Tortelloni are large squares filled with filling.

Cannelloni is a type of pasta in the form of fairly large tubules. Designed for filling with minced meat.

colorful pasta

Although a simple, natural product, and they contain only flour and water, only natural products are added to the multi-colored paste: spinach, beets, wheat germ, carrots, etc. They give both taste and color. If the packaging indicates artificial colors, fillers or substitutes, you should not buy such pasta.

Instant noodles

Noodles are not pasta. Fast food noodles are brewed quickly because they contain a lot of baking powder, thickeners, starches and fats. These components are easily permeable to water and swell well. For taste, glutamate is often added to it, for appearance - dyes. Whether there is such noodles is up to you, but there is nothing useful in it.

egg noodles

The approximate composition of egg noodles: "baking wheat flour, salt, starch, egg powder and baking soda." This noodle is no different from fast food. It contains no vitamins or nutrients. In addition, after an hour after it, hunger is again felt.

From pasta do not get fat, but lose weight

Why? In Italy, pasta is eaten with a variety of sauces, the main ingredients of which are herbs, vegetables, mushrooms, seafood, spices,. These products are low-calorie, very beneficial for the body. Pasta made from high-quality raw materials can and should be safely included in the diet without fear of excess weight.

Storage

Be sure to check the expiration dates before buying. Pasta can be stored for about 3 years; colored products with additives (carrot or spinach) will be tasty for 24 months; egg - about 12 months.

True, unscrupulous manufacturers sometimes artificially change the shelf life by printing a new term on a special sticker. You should not buy such a product. On high-quality pasta, the expiration date is stamped directly on the pack.


We wish you a good choice!

24.07.2017

good pasta or pasta, consist only of durum wheat flour and water.

Since about the 14th century, the main difference between pasta is its division into fresh (pasta fresca) and dry (pasta secca).

Fresh pasta is prepared at home or in restaurants. Eggs, spinach, beets and other ingredients can be added there.

Such pasta is not stored for a long time, but is usually boiled and eaten immediately after preparation.

Dry pasta is produced on an industrial scale. They have a long shelf life. Such pasta can be bought in almost any store.

But in order to purchase a quality product that will benefit you, and not extra pounds, you need to know how to choose the right pasta.

I will not consider pasta with the addition of eggs, buckwheat or rice flour. The information below only applies to classic pasta made from wheat flour.

In short, here are the points by which you can determine the quality of pasta before buying it in the store:

  • The label contains one of these options:
    • "Group A"
    • "1 class" (high grade flour),
    • "durum"
    • "hard wheat"
    • semolina di grano duro
  • The protein content is not less than 12 g per 100 grams of pasta. The bigger, the better;
  • Pasta should have a smooth surface, as well as smooth and glassy edges;
  • Color yellow, gold or amber;
  • In the package are absent or present at all minimum the amount of crumbs and broken pieces of pasta.

Now more about the quality of pasta.

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Flour groups from which pasta is made in Russia

To choose the right pasta, you first need to study the composition on the pasta label. The composition should contain only durum wheat flour and water.

Flour, which is used for the production of pasta in Russia, divided into 3 groups. Groups are designated by Russian letters A, B, C.

A - durum wheat flour or durum (durum)

Group A flour pasta has a low glycemic index and is rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals.
Water after cooking such pasta remains almost transparent. The pasta itself does not stick together during cooking and keeps its shape well after.

On the packaging as part of the ingredients, such flour may be called:

  • group A;
  • 1 class (flour of the highest grade);
  • "durum";
  • durum wheat;

On packages of pasta that were exported from Italy, they usually write:

  • "semola di grano duro";
  • "farina di grano duro";
  • semola di frumento duro.

B - soft glassy wheat flour

Pasta made from class B flour contains a large amount of starch. Such a product contains a smaller amount of beneficial nutrients for the body. The water will become cloudy during cooking. During and after cooking, such pasta will stick together.

  • group B (soft flour);
  • flour of the first and highest grade;
  • Grade 2

B - soft bread flour

Pasta made from flour group B white. They are very fragile, so the package will contain a lot of broken pasta, their fragments and crumbs. When cooked, they are very soft. By eating such pasta, you can quickly gain weight.

On the packaging in the composition, such flour can be called:

  • group B;
  • soft wheat flour;
  • baking flour.

After you have found information on the packaging of pasta that they are made from durum flour, the next thing you need to do is find the amount of protein in the product.

You can indirectly determine the amount of soft flour in pasta by the amount of protein. The more it is, the higher the chance that in durum pasta there is no admixture of flour of another grade.

Good pasta contains minimum 12 g protein per 100 g pasta. The higher the score, the better the pasta.

If the protein value on the packaging is below 11 g per 100 grams of pasta, then most likely flour of lower grades was added to group A flour. This means that most likely you have a low-quality product.

According to the President of the Russian Grain Union of the Russian Federation Arkady Zlochevsky, the mass fraction of protein in pasta indirectly suggests that low-grade raw materials were used in production. Protein is a parameter that is associated with the growing conditions of wheat. Hot and dry weather without drought contributes to the high protein content of the grain. Frosts and rains, on the contrary, lead to its decrease.

Glycemic index (GI) of pasta

Vegetables, fruits, legumes, brown rice, buckwheat and durum pasta (cooked "al dente") are classified as low glycemic foods. They give their energy to the body gradually.

The figures are indicative. The amount of GI depends on the specific type of pasta.

It is worth noting that the glycemic index is not related to calories. A low GI food may be high in calories. If you are on a diet, keep this in mind.

Calorie content, composition and BJU of pasta

The calorie content of pasta and nutritional value, namely the amount of BJU (proteins, fats, carbohydrates), may vary. For example, I will take 3 packages of spaghetti of different brands, which are made from different types of flour.

Calorie content of durum wheat pasta, durum, Group A or Premium*:

Spaghetti brand "Makfa" from durum wheat (GOST 31743):

Calories: 344 kcal

Spaghetti n.5 brand "Barilla". Group A. Top grade. (TU 9149-012-48774716-14):

Calories: 359 kcal

Energy value: 1502 kJ

Spaghetti brand "Schebekinskie" Group A. Premium. (GOST 31743-2012)

Calories: 350 kcal

Energy value: 1464 kJ

Soft flour pasta calories, group B* :

– Spaghetti Ameria No. 3, made from all-purpose wheat flour type M55-23. Group B (GOST 31743-2012)

– Spaghetti №4, Extra-M. Group B top grade (GOST 31743-2012)

– Saomi Vermicelli long, spaghetti. In the highest grade (GOST 31743-2012)

These pastas made from group B flour have the same BJU and calorie values:

Calories: 344 kcal

Energy value: 1439 kJ

*according to the data of the Utkonos online store (23.07.17), which are indicated in the card of pasta products.

Let's compare the average values ​​of calorie content and BJU of pasta from durum wheat of group A and the indicators of pasta from soft flour of group B:

For durum pasta and pasta made from soft flour, the indicators are not very different. The table shows that durum pasta has a large amount of protein, fat and calorie content. Carbohydrate indicators in varieties are approximately equal. The number of calories in pasta made from soft flour is less.

The advantage of durum wheat is that it has a lower starch content. Therefore, you will get less benefit from pasta made from soft flour, and a greater chance of gaining excess weight.

Pasta texture

The presence of dark and dark yellow dots on the surface of pasta is the result of grinding whole grains. This means that such pasta will have more beneficial nutrients.

White dots and roughness on pasta are a sign of poor-quality flour from which they were prepared. It may also indicate a violation of technology or poor kneading of dough in production.

The shelf life of pasta directly depends on humidity characteristics. The moisture content of the product must be balanced. This means that if the pasta is too dry, then it will break in the package even at the stage of transportation to the store, and if it is excessively wet, then there is a chance of mold.

GOST requires producers to observe the moisture content of pasta no more than 13%, and in products for baby food no more than 12%.

Also affects the shelf life acidity product. The higher it is, the less pasta will be stored.

Increased acidity of pasta may be a consequence of a violation of the drying regime, as well as the use of low-quality flour in the batch. Acidity should be no more than 3.5-4.

Usually shelf life of pasta from durum wheat is from 24 to 32 months. Subject to storage conditions (temperature not more than 40'C and relative humidity not more than 75%).

Colored pasta

On the shelves of stores you can find pasta not only in different shapes and sizes, but also in different colors.

The manufacturer paints pasta in red, green, black and other colors. Thus, in addition to color, such pasta receives the aroma and delicate taste of natural dyes, such as:

  • carrot juice
  • beetroot juice
  • Spinach
  • Cuttlefish ink, etc.

Such products may differ from simple ones by a reduced shelf life, otherwise they are the same pasta. But again, read the ingredients. If it contains additives with the code "E", leave such a product on the shelf.

How to choose high-quality durum wheat pasta?

After you read the composition and found durum flour there, as well as the amount of protein above 12 grams, then you should look at the pasta itself. Most manufacturers sell their product in translucent packages, so it's not difficult to identify quality pasta.

Durum wheat pasta have the following properties:

  • Color golden, yellow, amber;
  • The surface is smooth;
  • glassy edges;
  • There are no fragments and crumbs in the package, or a minimum of them.

Soft wheat pasta can be determined according to the following criteria:

  • The color is white, pale yellow or vice versa poisonous yellow;
  • The surface and fracture of pasta is rough;
  • White dots on pasta due to unmixed dough;
  • There are a lot of pasta pieces and crumbs in the package.

Irina Makhanova, head of the food research department of the Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor for the Chelyabinsk Region, notes that the presence of crumbs and scrap in the package helps to further characterize pasta, both from a qualitative and aesthetic point of view. Strength directly depends on the quality of the flour and the drying mode. The number of broken pasta in the package is an indicator of compliance with technological processes in production.

You can check the quality of pasta at home when you have already bought it.

If you purchased, for example, spaghetti, then you can check their quality by the following indicators:

  • elastic. Spaghetti made from soft varieties or a mixture of flour will break easily with your hands, hard spaghetti will be elastic and will bend to the last.
  • Do not stick together. Good pasta does not stick together into lumps during cooking and does not boil too much.
  • Don't stir up. The water should not be cloudy. White and sticky water after cooking pasta indicates their low quality pasta, they have a lot of starch.
  • Do not change color. After cooking, the pasta remains golden yellow.
  • keep their shape. Even if you leave them in water for an hour, they will not swell several times and will keep their shape.

Pasta after cooking should retain its appearance and the same shape. what they had in the package.

If we take boiled spaghetti as an example, then cut ends and diameter differences along the length of the pasta will mean poor product quality.

Pasta made from soft flour during cooking is very soft, and then sticks together and does not hold its shape well.

High-quality pasta made from durum wheat is practically devoid of these shortcomings. It is enough to mix them several times during cooking, and then add a little oil to the finished pasta.

High quality durum wheat pasta do not sell by weight. They are always offered in individual packages. So they retain their useful properties longer and do not deteriorate under the influence of air and moisture.

If the paste is made in Europe or the USA, then the words on the label can be trusted, unless of course it is a fake. They have stricter food quality control. Most offer you a quality product from good wheat. But check the ingredients on the label before buying. Import is not a panacea.

Good pasta made from group A flour and high in protein always will cost more pasta made from flour of groups B and C. But an unscrupulous manufacturer or store can artificially increase the price for a brand, packaging or imported products. So always read the ingredients before buying. Don't let yourself be fooled.

High-quality pasta is unlikely to cost less than 50-60 rubles. For a lower price, you are most likely offered pasta made from a mixture of flour of different varieties or unformatted. Good pasta costs even more, and very good pasta can be offered for 150-250 rubles.

Doubt. Check it out yourself. Buy 2 packs of spaghetti. One from the segment 20-40 rubles, and the other from 100-150 and try to cook them at home. I am sure you will feel the difference.

I usually buy pasta from the supermarket closest to my house. But sometimes it is a pity to spend time shopping. I would love to order products with delivery, but in Yekaterinburg everything is sad with this matter. But if you are from Moscow, you can buy pasta and other products in the Instamart online store with delivery. If there was a similar service in my city, I would gladly use it.

Harm and benefits of pasta

Macaroni is a flour product. Like other flour and baked goods, pasta is low in nutrition, has a relatively high glycemic index (especially soft varieties), and is high in carbohydrates.

Pasta can harm the digestive system and the body. For example, pasta is contraindicated for people with acute pancreatitis. A strict diet does not allow them to eat flour products.

In chronic pancreatitis, you can eat pasta, but with restrictions. The fact is that products made from durum wheat flour give an additional load on the pancreas and pushes the body to secrete more bile. If intestinal motility is increased, then pain may occur, and after a violation of the stool.

To eliminate these negative aspects for people with pancreatitis and disorders in the digestive tract, you need to cook pasta as follows:

  • Cook to the end and even a little overcooking to remove most of the starch. Forget al dente;
  • It is advisable not to fry the ingredients and the pasta itself in oil, and also to avoid a strongly fried crust when baking or frying;
  • Add only a small amount of oil to the finished pasta;
  • Avoid spicy and salty sauces.
  • It is also recommended to eat pasta in the morning. For dinner, pasta can become too heavy a meal.

For those who follow the figure, you should simply combine pasta with stewed vegetables and sauces based on them. This way you will increase the benefits of pasta and not get a lot of calories.

In general, in terms of weight loss, there is not much difference what kind of pasta you eat. More importantly, what else do you eat in addition to pasta, and what is the total amount of your calories per day.

If we consider pasta from the point of metabolism, then it is better to buy pasta from whole grain durum wheat.

Good quality durum wheat pasta that has been cooked al dente and seasoned with a little olive oil is perceived by the human body as bran. Such pasta stimulates the intestines and pushes the digestive system to create more bile for better digestion.

Durum wheat pasta with a high protein content is on the list of healthy foods and is recommended for use in many diets.

According to its composition, pasta is highly concentrated fiber and complex carbohydrates. Fiber is almost not absorbed by the body. It helps to remove toxins from it. And while this process is going on, it creates a feeling of satiety.

Pasta also contains minerals and vitamins, such as potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamin B3, B6, B12, E, etc.

Pasta contains "good carbs" that deliver sugar slowly to the body. Carbohydrates are consumed by the body gradually and almost completely. The process is slow, so the appearance of problems associated with the regulation of blood sugar levels is minimized.

The amino acid tryptophan, which pasta contains, stimulates the production of serotonin in the body. It is a neurotransmitter of good mood, or as it is also called the "hormone of happiness."

Features of durum wheat or durum. Comparison of hard and soft flour

Wheat has thousands of varieties, but among this variety, 2 large groups stand out, soft and durum wheat.

Soft wheat varieties are mainly grown in climates with high humidity. Such wheat occupies a large part of the market. The main producers are located in Russia, Ukraine, Western Europe, Kazakhstan and the CIS, as well as in Australia.

Durum wheat varieties are grown where the climate is drier. In the USA, Argentina, Asia, North Africa and some regions of Russia.

In Russia, durum wheat is mainly represented by spring species. Such wheat needs about 100 warm days to fully ripen. The crop is usually harvested when the moisture content of the grain reaches 13%.

Not every climate is suitable for growing durum wheat. Spring durum wheat is sown and harvested mainly:

  • In the Urals. In the forest-steppe part of the Chelyabinsk and Kurgan regions;
  • On South. In the Krasnodar Territory and Stavropol Territory.
  • In the southeast. In the Volgograd, Saratov and Orenburg regions.
  • In the Altai Territory and Omsk Region

According to the head of the Information and Analytical Department of the Russian Grain Union, Sergei Shakhovets, there are no exact data on the amount of durum wheat. Specially such varieties are not customary to single out and take into account. Such statistics are usually kept at the regional level. This is most likely due to the fact that durum wheat is grown under the order of large processing enterprises that produce pasta.

Durum wheat is in many ways similar to soft wheat, but has its own characteristics.

Features of durum wheat:

  • Long and dense spike.
  • The grain is elongated, hard and has a small size. It is enclosed in a flower film, which prevents excessive shedding.
  • The grain color is the same. Burgundy or yellowish.
  • Flour from such wheat absorbs liquid well and does not stale for a long time.

The best semolina and pasta are obtained from such wheat.

Representatives are, for example, varieties of spring durum wheat Lilek and Nikolasha, bred by the Research Institute of Agriculture of the South-East.

Features of soft wheat varieties:

  • The ear has thin walls and more empty space in the culm.
  • The grains are larger and softer.
  • The color of the grain can be white, yellow, burgundy.
  • Flour from such wheat absorbs liquid worse and is subject to rapid staling.

Flour from such wheat is mainly used for the preparation of bakery and confectionery products.

Representatives are, for example, varieties of winter soft wheat Gubernia and Kalach 60, bred by the Research Institute of Agriculture of the South-East.

If you "look inside", then the structure of soft and durum wheat is also different.

In durum pasta, starch has a crystalline structure, in soft varieties it is viscous. So when cooking the latter, a large amount of dry substances and starch pass into the water, which make the water cloudy.

The current GOST allows no more than 6% of dry substances that pass into water.

Leading expert of the Institute for Agricultural Market Studies (IKAR) Igor Pavensky believes that the production of grain is directly proportional to the consumption of processed products. And the amount of durum wheat that was grown in Russia can be calculated using data on the production of durum flour. To do this, you need to apply in the calculations the coefficient of conversion of the produced flour into grain, which is approximately equal to 1000 kg of flour from 1330 kg of grain.

Current GOST for pasta. Pasta production in Russia

GOST 31743-2012. Pasta products. General specifications.

This standard applies to pasta made from wheat flour and water, including egg and vegetable pasta (with vegetable powders).

Publication date: 06/17/2013

Update date: 05/05/2017

Pasta is a familiar and popular product for Russians. It is used in almost every family. Pasta is loved for its ease of use, satiety, pleasant taste and affordable price.

Pasta is a commodity of daily demand. According to ROMIR Monitorin, in 2014, 94% of the population over 18 purchased pasta from stores. On average, pasta consumption in Russia is about 7 kg per person per year.

The most preferred type of pasta in Russia is spaghetti. Their sales reach 20% of the market of all pasta.

According to 2015 data, about 150 enterprises produce pasta in Russia. If we take all the production of pasta in Russia, then the geographically maximum production capacities are distributed as follows:

  • Central Federal District - 40%;
  • Ural region - 17%;
  • Privolzhsky region - 16%;
  • The rest - 27%.

The volume of durum wheat obtained in Russia is insufficient for all producers, since the harvest directly depends on the weather in summer and on the quality of the land.

In Russia, there is a problem of shortage of flour from durum wheat. There is a temptation for manufacturers to save their money by diluting expensive durum flour with cheaper soft flour during the production process. That is, when buying pasta from durum varieties of a domestic manufacturer, there is a small chance of purchasing low-quality goods.

The trouble is that, according to current standards, unscrupulous manufacturers can hardly be caught cheating. The existing GOST implies only one outdated method for determining the admixture of soft flour. It allows you to identify more than 10% or less than 10% of soft flour contains a product. In GOST there are restrictions on the content of such flour at 15%, but it is physically impossible to measure it.

Another way to check in the laboratory, allows you to check the proportion of soft flour by the content of protein and dry matter that has passed into the water. But the data obtained is not entirely accurate.

That is, it is difficult to check an unscrupulous manufacturer. What some people use.

Doctor of Biological Sciences Vladimir Dukharev believes that in Russia there is a problem with the uncontrolled use of soft flour of groups B and C in the production of pasta from durum wheat flour. Usually not the largest or well-known manufacturers sin with this. But still, according to various estimates, the share of such products is 30-40% of the market.

But it's not all bad. I recommend that you familiarize yourself with a large-scale study in assessing the quality of spaghetti in the Russian market, which was conducted by Roskachestvo and Rospotrebnadzor. A fan study showed that the domestic spaghetti market can be called high-quality and highly competitive. Russian manufacturers, for the most part, are not inferior in quality to eminent Italian brands.

I have tried many different brands and types of pasta. Over time, I reduced to 5 the number of pasta manufacturers that I like more than others.

For my recipes, I buy the following brands of pasta in stores:

  1. barilla
  2. Shebekinskiye
  3. LEVANTE
  4. Agnesi
  5. Trattoria di maestro Turatti

These pasta do not boil soft, do not stick together during cooking, and then remain elastic. They contain a large amount of protein (from 12 g), look good and taste good.

Partly this choice helped me to make supermarkets within walking distance from home. Since I am limited in their range. But the choice is still not bad. The cost also plays a role. Usually I do not take pasta more expensive than 120 rubles per 0.5 kg. Only if they have some unusual shape of pasta that I have not cooked yet or interesting packaging.

This is my subjective choice of pasta based on culinary experience and 3 years of running a pasta mania website.

You can write your favorite brand of pasta in the comments. If I see it in the store, I'll take it for a test.

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Recently I bought pasta from a new manufacturer. On the packaging it was written: the highest grade. I thought if “higher” means they won’t boil soft during cooking. It turned out the opposite. That is, the variety does not guarantee quality? I heard that the main thing in pasta is flour. So which ones to buy so that they do not boil soft and stick together?

The quality of pasta, of course, depends on the flour. This is the main raw material from which the mentioned products are made. However, the ability to “keep the shape” during cooking, as such, the grade of the pasta itself (it depends on the type of flour) by and large does not affect this. It is much more important what kind of wheat flour - hard or soft varieties - products are produced from. Depending on this, pasta is divided into three groups - A, B and C. Moreover, vermicelli or horns can be of the highest grade from all of the listed groups.

What is the difference? And how to choose "persistent" pasta?

According to the classification of the current GOST R 518650-2002, group "A" includes pasta made from durum wheat flour of the highest, first and second grades. It is these pasta that are the most persistent. True, if the flour is homogeneous, it is better if it is of the highest grade. The fact is that the standard for durum wheat pasta flour allows the use of an admixture of flour of a different grade. Therefore, pasta with a special mark: “Made exclusively from durum wheat” will be of the highest quality.

The surface of products of group "A" is smooth, the color is golden or amber. The edge of products is "glassy". The presence on the surface of pasta of small dark specks, dots is not a flaw, but their distinctive feature, which is due to the specifics of grinding flour from durum wheat.

Group "B" and "C" include pasta from "soft" varieties of wheat of the 1st and 2nd class (depending on whether the flour is of the highest grade or the first). "B" - from vitreous flour, "C" - from ordinary baking flour, bakery products are baked from it. The last group is not very suitable for pasta. In some countries it is illegal to make pasta with "soft" flour. The quality of such products is manifested during cooking, reflected in the "fragile" forms. They swell and break. Outwardly, pasta from "soft" varieties of wheat also differ: they have a "rough" surface, whitish or poisonous yellow color. Such products belong to economy class products and they are cheaper.

When buying pasta or noodles, pay attention to the label. First of all, on the group of products and the composition of the product. Some people think that the group "B" indicated on the package is the Latin designation for the letter "B". In fact, the group is marked with Russian letters.

If you don’t find a single letter from the mentioned trinity of the alphabet on pasta or horns, most likely they belong to the “B” group. This applies most often to weight products in plastic bags and packaged.

By the way, the cooking time is also indicated on the packaging. If you do not follow it, then do not be surprised why the vermicelli or pasta boiled soft. In addition, excessive heat treatment will reduce their useful properties.

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In the usual sense, any diet is inextricably linked with the need to give up many foods, which include pasta. This dish, which came to us from Italy, has tightly entered the diet of most people, so giving it up even for the duration of the diet is not an easy task.

For those who decide to put their figure in order, lose weight and find the strength to live, it is not at all necessary to limit themselves in such a product as pasta. However, in this case, strict adherence to the measure and the selection of high-quality samples made exclusively from durum wheat are necessary.

Nutritionists have long debunked the common myth that pasta causes weight gain. Products made from soft wheat varieties consist mainly of flour, which has virtually no benefit to the body.

Eating such products negatively affects the state of the pancreas, forcing it to produce insulin in excess. As a result of regular eating of pasta from soft varieties, blood pressure rises, body fat accumulates and there is a risk of developing diabetes.

Products from hard varieties, on the contrary, are rich in easily digestible protein, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium and a number of B vitamins.

Fat in such pasta is completely absent, but it is a product with and does not actually affect the increase in blood sugar levels. Complex carbohydrates, which are part of durum wheat pasta, contribute to the long-term preservation of the feeling of satiety and increased production of serotonin. Thanks to this neurotransmitter, mood improves, which is very important during any diet.

Durum pasta and diet: are they compatible?

Vegetable protein is essential in the construction of a competent dietary diet. The starch contained in durum wheat pasta is not destroyed during grinding and does not lose its own structure, which makes it harmless to the human body. Slow carbohydrates are broken down over a long period of time, and do not have the ability to accumulate in the form of various deposits and excess weight.

Durum pasta is rich in fiber, which provides invaluable assistance with any diet, ridding the intestines of all kinds of toxins.

Composition and calories

Class A pasta made from durum (durum wheat) consists of the following components:

  • Water.
  • Durum wheat.
  • 100 grams of such pasta contains about 338 kcal.
  • 11-14 grams of protein.
  • About 70 grams of carbohydrates.
  • The fat content per 100 g of the product should not exceed 1.5%.

In addition, durum pasta is rich in such vitamins, minerals and trace elements:

  • Sulfur.
  • Copper.
  • Zinc.
  • Iron.
  • Magnesium.
  • Sodium.
  • Calcium.
  • Potassium.
  • Choline.
  • Biotin.
  • Vitamins of groups B, PP

How to choose?

The packaging itself should contain information that the pasta is made from durum wheat or "durum".

The surface of the pasta should have dark dots, which are residues directly from the grain shells.

Soft pasta has similar dots of white. Quality products should be golden or amber in color. If there are fragments of pasta or crumbs inside the pack, then this clearly indicates a low quality product.

Finished products should not stick together, form lumps, boil soft and remain elastic. After cooking, the portion size is approximately doubled. The water remaining from cooking pasta should be relatively clear and in no case cloudy.

Otherwise, it can be argued that the composition of these products contains harmful starch, which is characteristic of soft wheat varieties.

The cost below one US dollar for a pack of 400-500 grams should alert the buyer, since the price of products from durum wheat is much higher than analogues from soft varieties.

Deciphering information on packages

When losing weight, you should not buy pasta, which contains the following components:

  • Synthetic flavors.
  • Salt.
  • Traces of dairy products such as .
  • Eggs.
  • Artificial colors and preservatives.

Additives such as paprika powder, natural tomato powder or spinach powder do not pose a health risk and can be used in the diet. The package must contain the inscription "durum", "durum wheat", "group A" or "1st class". Unlike pasta made from soft varieties, durum spaghetti bends perfectly and is quite durable. In order to break them, you need to make some effort.

How to cook pasta so as not to get fat?

It is important not only to choose a really high-quality product, but also to cook it correctly so that it does not lose its beneficial properties. Usually they are boiled until “al dente” (hard inside, soft outside) in this way:

  1. It is necessary to put water on the fire at the rate of 1 liter per 100 grams of pasta.
  2. Products are thrown into salted boiled water.
  3. Stir the pasta for the first two to three minutes of cooking.
  4. After seven to eight minutes, the dish is completely ready.

For people on a diet, it is unacceptable to eat pasta and pasta made from durum wheat with various sauces, cheese and other fatty foods.

All kinds of vegetables and herbs are considered the best additive for such products.

Spinach, broccoli, green beans, carrots, tomatoes and other ingredients are added to pasta in virtually any amount without the risk of gaining excess weight. You can use a small amount of extra virgin olive oil as a dressing.

Video: durum wheat pasta

Durum pasta is an excellent option for a complete dietary dish that does not affect the occurrence of body fat. It is best to consume this product in small portions in the morning during breakfast or lunch.

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