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Whole-Grain Pasta Is Cheap

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@tampatrib.com

Published: December 6, 2008

At last, some encouraging financial news: Getting those FDA-recommended 48 grams of healthful whole grains daily can be cheap.

Several supermarket brands such as Barilla, Ronzoni and Mueuller's make whole-grain rotini that passes the test for taste, texture and nutrition, and they're well-priced, too.

Barilla Whole Grain Rotini ($1.55, 13.25 ounces), made with whole wheat and oat fiber, offers 28 grams of whole grains per serving. Unlike the first wave of whole-grain pastas, which skewed either toward gravelly or gluey, Barilla cooks up delightfully al dente with a flavor that's slightly nutty but subtle, making it game for any sauce. Each serving contains 200 calories, 7 protein grams and 6 fiber grams - triple the fiber in regular semolina pasta.

Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Whole Wheat Blend Rotini ($1.79, 13.25 ounces) gives you more whole grains per serving (34 grams), plus 360 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids, thanks to the addition of flaxseed meal. It also has a more in-your-face wheat flavor and a coarser texture. It works best tossed with lots of vegetables and a bolder sauce like a zesty arabiata.

Mueller's Whole Grain Rotini ($1.39, 12 ounces) delivers the entire 48-gram recommended daily allowance of whole grains in a single serving, along with 190 calories, 8 protein grams and 5 fiber grams. The neutral-tasting noodle is a bit too chewy, but, hey, a bargain is a bargain.

The Miami Herald

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