Linguine

Linguine – narrow long flattened noodles. Translated from Italian, the name means “little tongues”. It is this type of pasta that is traditionally served hot with seafood and sauces suitable for the marine theme. Most often, thick dressings are used, since the structure of the pasta perfectly absorbs such a sauce without breaking. The length of the product slightly exceeds the usual spaghetti, so there will be no difficulties in eating.

What you need to know about the product, what are the benefits of flat pasta and can it be included in the daily diet?

General characteristics of the food ingredient

Linguine is a traditional Italian pasta. This is a food semi-finished product made from dried dough based on flour, water and spices. A distinctive characteristic of linguine is its shape. The product looks like flattened elongated spaghetti. Long thin strips of wheat boil quickly, do not fall apart, do not tear during cooking.

Linguine is traditionally made from wheat flour of the 1st grade. But there are also whole grain and vegetable multi-component pasta on the market. In the first case, flour from unpeeled grains is used for the test, which contains a complete set of vitamins and nutrients. In the second, natural dyes (for example, beets), chopped vegetables, nuts, and spices are added to the dough. The finished dish is superior to ordinary noodles in terms of calories, benefits and taste.

In Italy, there is a special classification of pasta according to two criteria: shape and size. The end of the name of the paste indicates its size:

• oni – large strips of noodles (linguine is included in this group);
• ette / etti – small or medium size;
• ini – small curly pasta.

How to choose the right Italian pasta?

When choosing a quality linguine, you need to consider only 3 factors:

• Colour;
• composition;
• time and result of preparation.

Whole grain noodles are colored in a palette ranging from beige to bright yellow or brown. On some parts of the linguine, there may be slight brown blotches – this is not a sign of low quality, but bran or dense accumulations of flour. The composition should be as simple and short as possible. 2-3 points (water / flour / salt) will be enough for tasty and healthy pasta.

Additionally, you need to take into account the cooking time. Quality whole grain pasta takes at least 7 minutes to cook. If the composition indicates durum flour (from durum varieties), and the cooking time is limited to 3 minutes, then the manufacturer is clearly lying and juggling the facts. Remember – high-quality noodles do not boil soft. If your linguine has become watery, has begun to disintegrate, or has begun to swell significantly, this is ordinary pasta made from processed flour. Such a meal will not bring you any gastronomic pleasure or benefit to the body, so be careful in the future.

Chemical composition of the product

Important: the chemical composition of linguine is no different from other traditional pasta. Calorie content/composition may vary depending on the degree of processing of flour and additional ingredients (eggs, herbs, spices, vegetable or animal oils).

The benefits and possible harm of pasta

The benefits / possible harm of linguine depend on the composition. Always check the back of the label before buying. The ideal pasta includes a minimum set of ingredients: whole grain flour, water, salt, eggs. If the composition is diluted with chemical compounds unknown to you, intricate terms – refuse to buy and look for products from another manufacturer.

Advice. If possible, make your own pasta. Cuttlefish ink or spinach can be added to give the linguina a vibrant color, a new flavor combination, and an added benefit.

Benefits of Whole Grain Pasta:

• fights intestinal disorders;
• improves the functionality of the cardiovascular system;
• has a low GI (glucose level after eating food), so it does not provoke sudden spikes in sugar;
• for a long time satisfies the feeling of hunger, which helps to get rid of extra pounds;
• accelerates metabolic processes, increases the degree of absorption of nutrients.

During the cold season, whole grain pasta is one of the most important sources of vitamins / useful nutrients. A high-quality combination of complex carbohydrates with fats (vegetable oils / avocados) and protein (meat / seafood) performs several functions at once: it saturates for a long time, has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the body, and satisfies taste buds.

There are no absolute contraindications for quality whole grain pasta. Many people think that, for example, a bowl of oatmeal is much healthier than a similar serving of pasta, but this is not so. Linguine and oatmeal are slow carbohydrates from which our body synthesizes energy. These foods in the diet can be interchangeable (today for lunch – pasta, tomorrow – oatmeal). Therefore, debunk the myths about food, carefully study the composition and remember that you get fat not from linguine, but from fatty sauces.