During a nutrition conversation this week, a client asked, “Ok, so what if I want to have some pasta?”

Before I could respond, they quickly added, “I know, it’s high in carbs and I probably shouldn’t have it.”

Yes, pasta is a carb. We all know that. We’ve discussed extensively why carbs aren’t the villains they’re often made out to be. But that’s not the REAL issue with pasta.

My follow-up question was, “Well, tell me, what type of pasta are you planning to have?”

They replied, “I was thinking Penne Vodka, or maybe Carbonara.”

And therein lies the problem.

When we start talking about dishes like these, as delicious as they are, we’re no longer talking about just pasta. It’s like asking if chicken is a good protein source without mentioning you’re referring to a fried chicken sandwich.

One cup of cooked pasta has around 40 grams of carbohydrates and just over 200 calories. Not bad.

But when we start adding sauces that combine butter, cream, oil, cheese, and cured meats, the calories pile up fast. None of these additions change the carb content, but they significantly increase the calories from fat.

Here’s the part I think is most overlooked.

Have you ever sat down and tried to eat a cup of plain cooked pasta with nothing on it? It’s tough to do.

On the flip side, one of my favorite dishes is “Pasta Limone.” The minute you make a sauce out of grass-fed butter and lemon, I could eat an entire box of spaghetti.

So, the “rules” I gave them were simple:

Have whatever type of pasta you want—it’s fine. BUT:

Keep it to one serving. When it’s served, take about a cup and practice stopping there.

The big takeaway here is that pasta is not BAD for you. Plenty of other cultures eat a good amount of it and don’t struggle with weight the way we do. Just appreciate that because it is so delicious, it’s easy to overeat.

The only thing I insist you NEVER do is eat BANZA or any of those other knock-off high-protein pastas. They taste like garbage and are an insult to your palate.