calories in spaghetti?

[looobylooo]

hi all,
the spaghetti pack says 348 cals per 100g.
now, am i being thick, but does this mean raw weight or cooked weight please?
my average portion i cook for a meal is 100g raw weight so i was wondering if the calories will be higher once cooked, as its obviously now weighing more ...? .. lol...
and what is the healthiest one to buy please?
thank you :o)

[heathfield]

The additional weight of the cooked pasta is due the water it has absorbed. There are no calories in water, so the calorie count for raw and cooked pasta is the same. As for the healthiest, whole grain pasta will provide more roughage, but otherwise there probably isn't much difference between types.

[heathfield]

Oh, and the 348 cals per 100gms is for raw pasta.

[Velvetee]

I would highly recommend the Collins Gem Calorie Counter. It is a pocket sized book listing the calories, proteins, carbs, fats and fibre in most foods, as well as some branded items and takeaway foods.

Uncooked Pasta is considerably higher in calories than cooked. For Instance 100g of Dried, uncooked Spaghetti has around 360 calories. You would really need to weigh the Spaghetti again after cooking, as it would be heavier and would probably be closer to 150g, so would be around 540 calories.

Spaghetti once cooked and weighing 100g contains 104 calories, but bear in mind the uncooked weight would be alot less, before placing in the water, you'd probably only get a small handful dried to make up the cooked weight of 100g.

[looobylooo]

thank you very much both for your helpful answers, 'tis alot clearer now.
maybe i should cut my portion size down a little bit then.
i put a tomato and chilli sauce with some chopped onions and peppers and tomatoes in it, and it really is lovely and tasty, so at least im not over doing it with fattening creamy sauces!
thanks again for answering :o)

[Velvetee]

Better to go for wholewheat Pasta if you can, it's much better for you, will release energy more slowly and you'll feel fuller for longer.

If you are looking to lose weight, then portions of pasta or rice, should fit comfortably in the palm of your hand. When I was calorie and portion size counting, I would grab a handful of wholewheat pasta and cook that.

[looobylooo]

thanks velvetee,
you seem very knowledgeable in health and exercise as ive read other pieces of advice from you on here.
can i completely go off subject for a moment please and ask your opinion on something concerning my dad?
my dads a young 65, he has a heart condition where his heart beat races dangerously high.
he is on medication to keep his heart rate down to a very low beat, say 45bpm, and hes keeping good health now without any more scares.
he keeps himself active as much as he can, ie in the garden and around the house and he walks a few miles every day, he also watches his food and steers clear of cakes and biscuits.
now, my question is, hes trying his utter best to keep his weight down, but its just gradually creeping up which concerns him alot because he doesnt want to put unecessary stress on his heart now, due to all the complications hes had.
even though he walks every day hes still not losing any weight .. do you think its because his heart rate doesnt really increase while out walking like it would anybody else, hence this isnt allowing him to burn off calories?
he did ask his doctor about this, but he said the heart slowing tablets would not affect his weight.
but, we are always told to make sure our heart beat increases when we exercise for maximum benefit ,arent we?
thanks if you can offer any help on this :o)

[Velvetee]

Hi Looby, I presume what your father has is referred to as Tachycardia?? I can't really offer any medical advice and I don't have specific training, regarding exercise, with what the Fitness Industry calls "Populations".

You could be right that your father's heartrate is not increasing enough to burn calories when he goes walking. Perhaps because his heartrate has slowed down due to the medication, his metabolism has also slowed down, so this could be why he's gaining weight.

I think your father should ask his doctor's to refer him to someone who has specific training in dealing with exercising with heart conditions. Sorry I can't be of more help.

[looobylooo]

hi again velvetee
thanks for answering, his condition isnt what you called it, its something else that i cant quite remember at the minute.........?!
anyway, thanks again, very much appreciated :o)