And isn’t pasta off the menu?

While it seems to have earned a bad name, pasta isn’t the dietary evil it’s often made out to be. In fact, when it comes to your weight and blood glucose levels, the problem isn’t so much the pasta, but what you put on the pasta and how much you serve up. This is supported by an Italian study, which found that as part of a traditional Mediterranean diet, those who ate more pasta had a lower body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference and were less likely to be overweight or obese. So, if you enjoy pasta, go ahead – but aim for about one cup of cooked pasta and toss

in plenty of vegetables or serve a large salad on the side.