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Can People with

Diabetes Eat Pasta?
A registered dietitian shares how this
popular high-carb food can still be enjoyed
on a diabetes-appropriate meal plan.

Kiersten Hickman
November 26, 2022
Reviewed by Dietitian Maria Laura Haddad-Garcia

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Eating carbs while managing

a diabetes diagnosis likely seems
impossible. A person who has diabetes—
whether it's prediabetes or type 2—must
regulate their carb intake to avoid blood
sugar spikes in order to delay or prevent
any long-term health problems such as
heart disease, vision loss and kidney
disease, per the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention.

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Nevertheless, this doesn't mean that people

with diabetes have to give up
all carbohydrates altogether. There are
methods people with diabetes can follow
when it comes to eating high-carb foods,
including pasta, while keeping blood sugar
levels in check.

Related: Can You Eat Carbs When You

Have Diabetes? What Dietitians Have to
Say

Samantha MacLeod, M.S., RDN, from Fresh

Communications, says it all starts with
tracking and having a plan.

"Counting carbs and monitoring blood

sugar levels can definitely be overwhelming
at first," MacLeod says. "Like with
everything, practice makes perfect, and the
more you do it, the easier it gets.

MacLeod explains that eating regular meals

and snacks is important for maintaining
consistent blood sugar levels. Using an app
can also be beneficial for carb counting and
creating a plan with a registered dietitian.
"Your RD can help you establish a meal plan
and carbohydrate goal that factors in all
your individual lifestyle needs," she says.

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If pasta is a favorite food and still a priority

within your new meal plan for diabetes,
here are the few things MacLeod says to
keep in mind.

Look for High-Fiber

Solutions
Managing diabetes means paying closer
attention to your blood sugar levels;
different foods affect your blood sugar
levels differently. While carbohydrates are
known for spiking blood sugar due to the
way they digest into sugars in the body for
quick energy, carbohydrates with a higher
fiber content, such as whole grains, can
actually benefit blood sugar by slowing
down the spike because the body isn't able
to absorb or break down fiber, states the
CDC.

Because of how high-fiber foods benefit

people with diabetes, MacLeod says
reaching for high-fiber pasta options may be
the key to maintaining blood glucose while
still enjoying pasta.

"Individuals with diabetes should choose to

enjoy whole-grain pasta options (due to
higher fiber content than regular pasta) and
be conscious of their portion sizes," she
says.

Research confirms this: in a 2022

randomized study in Nutrition, Metabolism
& Cardiovascular Diseases, eating low-
starch high-fiber pasta reduced postprandial
glucose elevation compared to eating
standard pasta for healthy participants and
those with type 2 diabetes.

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Add Protein and Veggies to

Your Dish
What you add to your plate is also
important for managing blood sugar levels
—especially if you choose to eat a standard
white pasta.

MacLeod suggests adding lean protein and

veggies to your pasta dish to add another
boost of fiber as well as satiating protein.
Protein foods—such as chicken, fish, eggs,
nuts and even cheese—have a minimal
impact on glucose levels during digestion,
per the Joslin Diabetes Center. These foods
are also slowly digested in the body,
keeping you feeling fuller for longer periods
of time, while also keeping those blood
sugar levels in check.

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"Protein hack: there are so many different

varieties of alternative pasta that naturally
have a higher protein content," says
MacLeod. "One of my favorites
is chickpea, with 23 grams of protein per
serving!"

Related: Are Chickpeas Healthy? Here's

What a Dietitian Says

Avoid Eating Pasta Alone

While it is possible to enjoy a plate of pasta
when you have diabetes, MacLeod
emphasizes the importance of not eating
pasta alone, given how it affects your blood
sugar levels. Instead, add veggies and lean
protein to your pasta dish to give your meal
extra fiber and slow-digesting, satiating
protein.

However, if you aren't serving pasta as the

main event, MacLeod says to follow the
typical Diabetes Plate Method from the
American Diabetes Association. This
method can ensure that you're properly
portioning out your carbohydrates and not
overdoing them.

"If choosing to enjoy pasta, it is important

not to overindulge. Stick to the portion size,
or the amount of pasta that meets the
number of carbohydrates you planned for
that meal," she says.

The Diabetes Plate Method is pretty simple:

fill up a quarter of your plate with
carbohydrate foods, half of your plate with
nonstarchy vegetables and the other quarter
with lean protein.

"Pairing your pasta with nonstarchy

vegetables and lean protein, as the method
suggests, helps prevent a quick spike in
blood sugar," says MacLeod.

The Bottom Line

Yes, you can eat pasta when you have
diabetes. While pasta is a high-carb food, it
can be safely consumed when paired with
high-fiber options and lean proteins, and
properly portioned out.

"Like with anything else, it is important to

have everything in moderation and not
overindulge in one particular food or food
group," says MacLeod.

Looking for delicious ways to add fiber and

protein to your bowl of pasta? Try
our Chicken & Spinach Skillet Pasta with
Lemon & Parmesan, this Spicy Sardine
Linguine or any one of these High Protein
Pasta Recipes!

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