Sep 18, 2011 -- 12:52AM, teilhard wrote:

The Tomato-rich Marinara Sauce is LOADED with anti-Oxidents ... and the oft-included Olive Oil is Good Stuff, too ...

Taken with Red Wine  --  "Live long, and prosper ... "

Sep 18, 2011 -- 12:41AM, solfeggio wrote:

A new type of pasta, made from barley, is being developed in Italy and Spain, and this new type of spaghetti is supposed to be good for our hearts:

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/11...

www.webmd.com/diet/news/20110916/heart-h...

This new kind of pasta has more antioxidants than the regular type we've all been eating all our lives.   

(Actually, I'd never thought that traditional spaghetti could possibly not be good for us in the first place.)

 

My husband, as a diabetic, needed to avoid many tradtional pastas. Perhaps the new barley rather than wheat based pasta will help. I love barley based soups--very easy on the digistive tract. I make a dynamite meal soup with barley, beef and mushrooms, with a normal base including onions, carrots and celery.

Briing on the new barley based pasta. I like tomato-rich marinara with the olive oil base in many disguises, especially with good mushrooms. Sometimes I even like it with a dirty
martini with olives and olive juiice. (maverick)

Sep 18, 2011 -- 7:23AM, DotNotInOz wrote:

I shouldn't think that being derived from barley will make much difference for those needing to restrict carbs. Sure won't for celiacs and the gluten intolerant since barley contains gluten. Never much cared for either the texture or flavor of barley myself. Jane, you're welcome to my share and then some.

md

Why the nasty tone? I make a mean scotch broth, too--from scratch.

From the WEBmd piece :

The ingredients in barley, such as the dietary fiber, antioxidants, and vitamin E, are known to help peoples' hearts and digestive tracts.

Sep 18, 2011 -- 7:23AM, DotNotInOz wrote:

I shouldn't think that being derived from barley will make much difference for those needing to restrict carbs. Sure won't for celiacs and the gluten intolerant since barley contains gluten. Never much cared for either the texture or flavor of barley myself. Jane, you're welcome to my share and then some.

It will make a difference, but only to an extent. Barley has a lower glycemic index than wheat, which means its starch raises the blood sugar more slowly.

In terms of being low-glycemic, oats are the ultimate grain. They are very low.

Wheat is mid-level on the scale. Rice is quite high.

I knew that oats were low GI, which is good because I love oat porridge (with blueberries).  And yes, some rice is high GI, but Basmati is OK.  At least, that is what the dietician told me.