Italian cuisine is famous across the globe, especially for a select few dishes like pizza, pasta, lasagna, etc. However, unlike authentic Italian food, most fast food chains like Domino’s, Pizza Hut, and others have turned Italian cuisine into comfort food. Almost everywhere, pizzas and pasta have too much cheese. Hence, many believe that Italian food, such as pasta, causes weight gain. However, 76-year-old?Arnold Schwarzenegger?argued otherwise.
In the latest edition of his newsletter, the former Mr. Olympia gave some diet advice. The?bodybuilding?legend acknowledged the negative health-related image that pasta has developed. However, is it because of?the food prep time or how it’s cooked? Schwarzenegger cited scientific research to clarify if eating pasta makes you gain weight.
Arnold Schwarzenegger clarifies if pasta contributes to obesity
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In his newsletter, The 76-year-old dramatically started the segment on pasta. Arnie?“formally”?apologized to the food item for?“decades of blame and shame.”?The former Mr. Olympia then got straight to the point.?“Research suggests that pasta is not the cause of weight gain, being overweight, or obesity,”?stated?Arnold Schwarzenegger in Arnold’s Pump Club.
Schwarzenegger said the villain is not pasta or other carb sources but?“carb fear.”?While slashing carbs for one diet can result in weight loss, it’s not the healthiest way to approach dieting and might also affect performance in the gym. For those who avoid pasta for its carb content, Schwarzenegger cited a meta-analysis that looked at 38 different scientific studies. So what did they find?
“They found no direct relationship between eating pasta and gaining weight ? and that, in many situations, eating pasta was associated with weight loss,”?Arnie wrote. Out of the 38 studies, Arnie highlighted one study that found people who had pasta regularly?“still lost”?the same amount of weight as those who didn’t. So why didn’t the people who had carbs through pasta gain weight? Schwarzenegger explained this in his newsletter.
The seven-time Mr. Olympia revealed the key to losing weight
The bodybuilding legend revealed that in the context of a healthy diet, one food item like pasta is not the problem. Pasta can also be cooked in several ways, making the dish healthier. Hence, it’s not just the food item but what you add to it that affects weight. Schwarzenegger stated that some studies even found that pasta supports weight loss.
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“Remember, no single food is the cause of weight gain. Overeating too many calories is an issue,”?wrote the seven-time Mr. Olympia. Hence, it’s important to pay attention to the overall diet. That way, a person can have what they?“love without overeating.”?According to the 76-year-old, that’s?“the secret to losing weight.”
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What did you think about Arnold Schwarzenegger’s take on pasta? Do you eat pasta regularly? Tell us in the comments.