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Have you ever wondered is pasta good for bulking?
Well, the answer might surprise you. Read on to find out!
Bulking can be a difficult process and a very delicate one at that. You don’t want to go overboard with carbohydrates because it will prevent your muscles from growing in size, but you need carbs too so that they have enough energy during workouts.
The trick is finding the right amount of carbohydrate intake for your body type and workout routine. For some people this could mean eating pasta several times per week while others may only eat it once every few weeks or even not at all depending on their goals and lifestyle preferences. So what about pasta? Is it really good for bulking up?
Table of Contents
- Why Is Pasta Good for Bulking?
- How Much Protein and Fats Does Pasta Contain?
- How Many Carbs Per Serving in Pasta?
- Pros and Cons of Eating Pasta for Bulking
- Alternatives to Pasta for Bulking?
- Is Pasta Good For Bulking? – Conclusion
Why Is Pasta Good for Bulking?
Pasta is a very famous part of many people’s diets, but it is often misunderstood. While most carb sources are made up almost completely of carbs, not all carbs are created equal. Pasta seems to be in the dreaded middle ground where it gets blamed for being high in calories and carbs, yet is still highly processed.
Pasta is made up of natural ingredients (flour, eggs, salt) and doesn’t contain any added sugars or chemical additives. The reason pasta seems to be so high in calories and carbs compared to other carbs like potatoes, rice, etc. is because it’s actually not very dense food. A serving of potatoes has more than double the calories (for the exact same volume) as a serving of pasta simply because there are more starches/carbs in them than natural oils that give pasta its taste and texture.
How Much Protein and Fats Does Pasta Contain?
One cup of cooked pasta has about 210 calories and it also contains less than 1 gram of fat, around 3 grams of dietary fiber, 7 grams of protein, and 44 grams of carbs. 8% of the calories in pasta come from saturated fats
Overall these numbers are pretty good for a carb source because they indicate that most (60%)of the energy in your food will be coming from carbohydrates which isn’t necessarily bad as long as you’re eating enough vegetables too.
So far so good with pasta! Now all we have left to worry about is how much carbohydrate content does pasta have per serving?
How Many Carbs Per Serving in Pasta?
There are two things that people seem to think about carbs that need to be cleared up before we can answer the question of whether or not pasta is good for bulking. The first thing is that calories and grams of carbohydrate don’t always add up in foods like pasta, rice, potatoes, etc. This phenomenon has to do with how vegetables are measured because they use something called “as ate basis” which means they measure all the different nutrients/calories in a cooked serving instead of just measuring one nutrient (carbs). Second thing is that not all carbs are digested at the same rate so even though pasta might have 44 grams per serving it doesn’t mean you’ll absorb all 44g into your body.
The rate at which different types of carbohydrate are absorbed into the body is slowed by eating vegetables and whole grains with carbohydrate sources because these two things tend to also contain significant levels of fiber, especially dietary fiber. When we’re talking about pasta we’re looking at around 80%+ absorption because it is a refined food that lacks many of the natural oils and fibers found in vegetables like broccoli or lentils for example. This means the average person will only absorb 44g out of the 210 calories coming from carbs in their plate of pasta.
Pros and Cons of Eating Pasta for Bulking
Pros of using pasta for bulking.
– Pasta is a high quality carbohydrate that supplies your body with an instant and sustained form of energy.
– It can help you feel fuller for longer, meaning it’s great for appetite suppression, especially wholewheat pasta which is a complex carb.
– Pasta is cheap and accessible, which makes it easy to fit into even on a tight budget (if bulking).
– Pasta is easy to prepare.
Cons of using pasta for bulking
– The high glycemic index of pasta can lead to sharp increases in blood sugar, especially if you don’t go for wholewheat options.
– Pasta isn’t particularly nutrient dense, so won’t do much to help you reach your daily intake requirements.
– The fact that pasta is so cheap may tempt some people into overindulging, leading to fat gain.
– Pasta isn’t particularly high quality protein, so it won’t do much to help your muscle growth.
Alternatives to Pasta for Bulking?
While there are many ways one can bulk, pasta shouldn’t be a top priority in your meal plan. Food choices should be based on the following three factors: cost, convenience and calorie/macro content. If you’re looking to bulk up and stay lean, then opt for foods that score high under all three of these.
– Brown rice or even black rice is an awesome alternative to pasta, being more nutrient dense and lower GI.
– Sweet potato is a better choice than pasta, being lower GI and more nutrient dense.
– Noodles made from BEANS instead of wheat are also a great alternative to regular pasta. Beans that can be used for this purpose include mung beans , black beans , lentils and soybeans .
Is Pasta Good For Bulking? – Conclusion
The short answer: yes. The trick is in knowing how to fit pasta into your diet properly. When you’re trying to put on muscle mass, carbohydrates are the main source of energy that will provide fuel for your workouts. Carbs also help to increase glycogen in muscles which stores water and gives them that fuller look. But if you eat too much carbs – no matter if they come from pasta or not – this extra glycogen will convert into body fat so it’s important to find a nice medium between enough carbs and too many carbs when bulking up without of course forgetting about other macros of protein and fats.
