Dry vs. Cooked Whole Wheat Pasta and Peas, any difference? - Vegan Nutrition with Marty Davey

My kids like to snack on uncooked, whole wheat pasta and frozen peas. Are there any nutritional drawbacks to eating these foods that have not been warmed up or cooked until tender? How do they compare nutritionally to cooked pasta and peas?

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According to the National Pasta Association, two ounces of dry pasta equals one cup cooked.¹ With that information in hand, I checked out Nutrition Data² who has a chart on cooked whole wheat pasta, and then to FitBit to compare this to Annie's Homegrown Organic Whole Wheat pasta dry.³ The only differences were a slight decrease in water soluble vitamins such as the B vitamins, one gram less of protein and a small decrease in iron and sodium content. Again, these differences can be attributed to being diluted in the water or decreased due to high temperature. I looked at a few dry pasta sites and none of them gave the dry pasta any fiber content, although the cooked pasta was stated as having 6 grams of dietary fiber. I agree that there is dietary fiber in whole wheat pasta and have no explanation of why the dry pasta wasn't listed as having any.

The peas had differences in pretty much the same nutrients, although because I could use the USDA nutrient database⁴, I could get more numbers. When measured by the 1/2 cup or 67g, the protein in the cooked peas decreases about 1.5g, calcium decreases by 30%, iron by 40%, potassium takes a nose dive of almost 60%, folate, beta carotene, vitamin C and most of the B vitamins drop anywhere from 30-50%. Now, these numbers come specifically from the USDA food composition database. You may not have the same nutrient decreases if you microwave your veggies in a minimal amount of water. The peas listed above were "boiled" and "cooked" for some unknown amount of time in some type of cooking method.

I think that if your children want to eat them like this, go for it. As far as I can see from the nutrition data, there is no issue with eating them raw, and there is no food safety issue either if the noodles not cooked. Also, when your kids are packing raw linguini for their school noon meal, the thought of a personally decorated mailing tube to carry them in is so much more festive than the traditional lunch box.

National Pasta Association. 2007. For GOOD Pasta MEASURE. Retrieved from http://www.ilovepasta.org/cooking.html on March 30, 2009.
Nutrition Data.com. Spaghetti, whole-wheat, cooked. Retrieved from http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/cereal-grains-and-pasta/5784/2 on March 30, 2009.
Fitbit. 2008. Nutritional Information, Diet Info and Calories in Annie's Homegrown Whole Wheat Spaghetti Pasta, Dry Organic. Retrieved from http://www.fitbit.com/foods/Whole+Wheat+Spaghetti+Pasta,+Dry/2166 on March 30, 2009.
USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. Retrieved from http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/cgi-bin/list_nut_edit.pl on March 30, 2009.

Marty Davey is a Registered Dietitian and has a Masters degree in Food and Nutrition from Marywood University. She became a vegetarian in 1980 when she discovered that the chemicals in American meat made them unsellable to Europeans. She and her husband have raised their son as a vegan. She teaches nutrition and has a private practice specializing in assisting clients transitioning to a plant-based regime step by step. Her website is martydavey.com

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Disclaimer: The advice given here is for eductional purposes only. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified health care provider.

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