So what's with this healthy carb / low GI pasta anyway?

I ran across several boxes of Dreamfields Healthy Low Carb Rotini Pasta at my local discount market, so I thought I'd try them out as I was interested in low GI pasta.

According to the Dreamfields website:

Dreamfields Pasta is made with premium durum semolina, yet has only 5 grams of digestible carbs per serving and twice the fiber of regular pasta. Our unique recipe contains no cholesterol, zero grams of trans fat, and is naturally saturated fat and sodium free. It also contains a special fiber called Inulin that has been shown scientifically to promote digestive health and support a healthy immune system, while enhancing calcium absorption for strong bones and teeth.

Dreamfields Pasta is lower in digestible carbohydrates. What that means is that while the total number of carbohydrates is the same as typical pasta, our unique blend of dietary fibers and proteins protects all but about 5 grams of these carbohydrates from being digested. These protected, or "controlled," carbohydrates pass to the colon where they provide the health benefits of dietary fiber.

Intriguing. But how does it taste? Dreamfields Pasta tastes just like regular pasta! In fact, it's pretty darn good just with olive oil and a little parmesean cheese sprinkled on top. The kids couldn't tell the difference and neither could I. We cook gluten free pastas for my mother-in-law, and you definitely know that stuff is different, i.e., yucky and hard to cook. Dreamfields Pasta cooks up just like regular pasta, and stays firm when heated back up.

Too Much of a Good Thing?

When my family likes something, we eat alot of it. We ate it that night, and my son, Nathan, had a few bowls the next day. The next night at about 3 a.m. he had diarrhea - in bed. The poor kid didn't wake up in time - he's a heavy sleeper - and had an accident. Luckily, he made it to the bathroom before it reached crisis mode.

So yes, the pasta has lots of fiber, but a "midnight attack" doesn't happen when Nathan eats a lot of fruit or veggies. I beleve the culprit was the sorbitol. Sorbitol, also know as glucitol, is used as a sugar substitute in many foods, like ice cream and chewing gum. It's also used as a laxative.

There's no mention of this possible side affect on the Dreamfields website, so I searched the (non-big media) reviews. Some of the low carb and diabetic forums mentioned a mild laxative effect. Otherwise, from the blog and forum reviews I read, everyone loves it especially the diabetics.

I guess since Nathan is only seven years old and a big pasta eater, the fiber and sorbitol probably affected him more than it would most adults. So next time, I make Dreamfields Pasta, I'll make sure the kids get regular pasta and keep the good stuff to myself.

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