Is Spaghetti Healthy? (7 Tips For Weight Loss)

If you love Italian cuisine - you’ve probably eaten Spaghetti before. And if that’s the case, this article is for you. Find out what goes into making Spaghetti, how many calories one serving has, and see whether, or not it’s healthy. Last but not least, find out how you can lose weight and stay in shape, eating this popular Italian dish.

Spaghetti is a staple food of Italian cuisine. It is a solid, long, medium-thin, and cylindrical type of pasta. Often eaten with various thick sauces, so it can adhere to the pasta. It is said, there to be evidence of the first written records of dried pasta found in the Talmud in the 5th century AD. However, historians also argue that Berbers were the first who introduced pasta to Europe, after their conquest of Sicily. In the 19th century, the popularity of Spaghetti was widespread in Italy, thanks to Spaghetti factories. 

Although Spaghetti is delicious, is it actually healthy?

Spaghetti is not too bad for your overall health and waistline if eaten in moderation, as it is high in carbs.

Here are five steps that explain what Spaghetti is, the calorie amount in one cup of Spaghetti, as well as how to stay fit and healthy while eating this classic Italian dish. 

1. What Goes Into Making Spaghetti?

2. How Many Calories Are in One Cup of Spaghetti?

3. Understand How Many Calories You Need to Consume in a Day 

4. How to Make a Healthier Version of Spaghetti

5. How to Stay in Shape by Eating Spaghetti

6. How To Increase Your Activity Level by Eating Spaghetti

7. Make Sure To Have a Consistent Cardio Schedule

Now that we know our five steps, let’s get into the details that will help you stay in shape while enjoying some delicious Spaghetti.

Tip 1: What Goes Into Making Spaghetti?

Traditionally, pasta in Italy is made fresh, Spaghetti is no exception. It’s a simple, budget-friendly, and delicious dish. 

To make fresh Spaghetti - which we recommend - you require a pasta maker machine or just the attachments if you own a Kitchen Aid. If not, no worries. You can easily make it with a rolling pin and a knife. All you need is either durum-, semolina-, or all-purpose flour, eggs, olive oil, and kosher salt. 

The dried Spaghetti you find at the grocery store is made with only water and durum and/or semolina flour, and is usually enriched with minerals and vitamins. Also, it doesn’t contain eggs and is therefore vegan and vegetarian friendly.

In a bowl of your standard mixer - such as a Kitchen Aid - add all ingredients, and mix them by hand, until the dough is somewhat thick. The great part about a standard mixer - or pasta maker - is that it will do the work for you, because the dough has to be kneaded until smooth. Once the dough reached its desired consistency, it has to be covered with a cloth and set to rest for 30 minutes. After that, you can use the desired attachments to get the shape of pasta or cut it by hand with a knife. 

Bring some salted water to a boil, and cook pasta for 60 - 90 seconds, drain it in a colander, and voila, you got fresh, home-made Spaghetti “al dente,” which means "to the tooth" in Italian, and refers to the Spaghetti being fully cooked but still a bit firm and chewy. 

Now you can dress your Spaghetti with your favorite sauce. Standard is a simple tomato sauce with herbs - such as oregano and basil - olive oil, as well as meats - such as Spaghetti Bolognese - and topped with Parmesan cheese. 

The great part about Spaghetti is that it’s versatile. You can find Spaghetti made with squid ink - such as Spaghetti Al Nero di Seppie from Sicily - whole wheat Spaghetti, red lentil Spaghetti, and various sauces, such as Carbonara or Cacio e Pepe. 

Now that we know what Spaghetti is and how to make it, let’s take a look at the nutrition facts of one serving of Spaghetti.

Tip 2: How Many Calories Are in One Cup of Spaghetti?

Weight loss is really the concept of calories in vs. calories out. So whether you live a sedentary lifestyle or an active lifestyle, it’s important to understand how many calories you need to consume daily.

Let’s take a look at the nutrition facts. As you can see, one cup of cooked Spaghetti without any sauce, oil, or salt has 220 calories with a macronutrient ratio of 43 grams of carbs, 8 grams of protein, and 1.5 grams of fat. 

Since Spaghetti is made with grains, it’s is energy-dense with 220 kcals, and has a good source of complex carbohydrates with its 43 grams of carbs. Therefore, it is not necessarily a great option for someone who’s on a low-carb- or keto diet. However, it offers 3 grams of fiber, which means you’ll stay fuller longer, and is promoted as part of a heart-healthy diet. It is also considered low-fat food by itself. 

One cup of Spaghetti also has a glycemic index of 452 with a glycemic load of 22, which means it should have little influence on your blood sugar since it is low-glycemic food. 

Keep in mind, that if you have blood sugar problems or diabetes and therefore need to watch your blood sugar, or need to watch your carb and calorie intake, portion control is crucial, as some people find that pasta impacts their blood sugar.  

A good rule of thumb for dieting is keeping a nice balance of macronutrients. A great ratio is sticking to 30% carbs, 40% protein, and 30% fats. 

Since the calories are not too bad at all in this dish, they can easily be incorporated into your daily calorie intake. However, keep in mind to only have one serving, so you’ll leave some wiggle room for other meals throughout the day, and don’t overeat on carbs. 

However, in order for you to build muscle, it’s important to consume enough protein. So when you eat Spaghetti, make sure you eat it accompanied by vegetables and protein-rich foods.

The key aspect is to understand how many calories you need to eat in a day and to make sure not to overeat on your total accounted calories for the day. 

Now that we know a little bit more about the nutrition facts of Spaghetti let’s take a look at how many calories you need to consume daily to stay in shape.

Tip 3: Understand How Many Calories You Need to Consume in a Day 

Staying healthy and fit is all about calorie or energy balance, which means that you can still eat your fats and carbs, and stay in shape. 

If you burn more calories than you consume, then you will find yourself in a “caloric deficit” which is the only way fat loss can occur. 

You can easily overeat on unhealthy, processed foods that are high in fats and carbs, especially when something is as delicious as Spaghetti. Overeating is usually the quickest way to get out of shape. 

To stay healthy and in shape, we need to first go over your daily caloric needs and figure out how many calories you need in a day, as well as figure out how much of each macronutrient you should be consuming.

There are a few factors that determine your daily calorie intake. Such as weight management, weight loss, or weight gain. Other factors that play a big role, are your gender and your height. 

So, how do you know how many calories you should be eating in a day?

The answer is through trial and error and finding a calorie range that allows you to lose 1-2 pounds of fat per week. 

However, a good place to start is to multiply your body weight by 12 or to use an online TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) calculator.

Your TDEE relies heavily on how active you are and how much movement you see in your day.

Within your TDEE lies a subsection, which is called TEPA (Thermic Effect of Physical Activity) which accounts for 15-30% of your entire day’s worth of calories.

This means, you are in control of 15-30% of how much you can eat, which is a huge portion of calories.

The key here is to find foods that keep you full longer and still deliver a balanced amount of macronutrients. 

If you’re someone who loves to eat a lot while staying fit, then being active is the key to a balanced lifestyle that allows you to eat whatever you like, such as Spaghetti, and stay in shape. 

Once you know your calorie intake based on your weight and height, you can then decide how much you want to decrease it. If you want to lose 1 to 2 pounds per week, we suggest you start with 100 calories less than what you are currently consuming and see if you notice a difference within a week.

If you don’t see any changes in your weight, decrease your calorie intake by another 100 calories and see how that works. 

However, it is suggested, to not decrease the calorie intake below 1,200 per day for women, or below 1,500 calories per day for men.

You don’t want all of your calories simply coming from carbs or fats, you want there to be a balance coming from carbs, protein, and fats.

So, just calculate whatever calorie range you find, and split up your calories by following those macro guidelines. 

Now that we know how many calories to consume daily, let’s take a look at how you can make a healthier version of Spaghetti.

Tip 4: How to Make a Healthier Version of Spaghetti

As mentioned in section one of this article, Spaghetti is pretty versatile and if you want to try something different every time you make the dough for Spaghetti at home, you can do that. 

Regardless, of how you prepare your pasta dough, eating Spaghetti in moderation can be part of a healthy diet. Especially, when you are using whole wheat store-bought pasta, or when you are making it homemade. 

Whole wheat pasta is higher in nutrients and fiber but lower in calories, and carbs than classic Spaghetti. When combined with proteins, such as fish or chicken, healthy fats - such as olive oil - and vegetables, such as tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms, or peas, you find yourself having a fulfilling meal that accounts for a moderate amount of calories.

You can also make fresh pasta dough that is vegan, which can be made into Spaghetti or any other pasta shape. You can also add kale or spinach into the dough to add more nutrients. 

If you need to watch your weight, and you are on a strict low-calorie diet it is best to stay away from creamy sauces containing cream and cheese, which are usually high in fat, or red meats as they add to the calorie amount. 

Sometimes the simplest dishes are the most delicious, and also they are low in calories. Such as Spaghetti with fresh herbs, garlic, salt and pepper, red pepper flakes, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. 

Fun fact: One serving - typically one cup - of Spaghetti carries your daily dose of 5% of vitamin B-6, 6% of the recommended daily dose of magnesium, and 10% of the recommended daily allowance of iron. 

Now that we know how to make a healthier version of Spaghetti, let’s take a look at how to stay in shape by eating Spaghetti.

Tip 5: How to Stay in Shape by Eating Spaghetti

After you’ve figured out how many calories you need to consume daily, you need to make sure that you increase your activity level, by exercising regularly and building muscle throughout every week. 

This can be really hard if you’re someone living in LA who has to go to work or commutes with a car most of their lives. 

This is why for so many people, activity level is something that we need to actively seek out and put into our daily schedule.

The best way to do that is to get a gym membership and do some cardio or to go outside for a walk or run throughout your week. 

Activity throughout your day matters as you can increase your daily calorie expenditure and build muscle.

Since building muscle allows you to burn calories at rest, which means you can eat more and still lose fat.

This is really the goal of working out and is what keeps you healthy as your metabolism increases.

So if you love eating Spaghetti, you have to make sure your activity level is higher than usual, especially if you want to lose weight. 

We talked about the importance of understanding how many calories you need to eat in a day but now it’s time to shift the focus on why calories and building muscle go hand in hand. 

If you live a sedentary lifestyle, then it’ll be much more difficult to lose weight and you’ll start to see that the number of calories you need to eat daily to shed fat is very low.

That’s why it’s important to increase your activity level at least 3 - 4 times a week if your goal is to get lean. 

The other factor that you can control is how much muscle you currently carry.

Building muscle allows us to burn calories at rest which means we can burn more calories by just living life.

The fastest and most efficient way to build muscle is to learn how to do some resistance training.

You need to use weights and build muscle by doing a variety of workouts that target each muscle group specifically. 

Although it can be intimidating to get in shape, as it will be hard to learn and might be discouraging at the beginning, it’s definitely worth it in the long run for both your health and fitness. 

All you need are a set of dumbbells, such as these adjustable dumbbells, and a reliable treadmill such as the Bluefin Fitness Treadmill that tracks your calories and you’re on your way to controlling the number of calories you burn. 

Regarding working out with dumbbells, it’s important not to add too much weight too soon because that could result in injury if you are unfamiliar with the correct body positions. It is better to start small and then increase the weight level. 

Here is a workout plan we’ve created for women and men, where you can get started if you are someone who hasn’t ever done a resistance training regimen.

WOMEN

Day One (Full Upper):

• Weighted Crunches: 3x35 

• Lateral Raises: 4x15

• Lat Pulldowns: 4x12

• Knee Push-Ups: 4x20

• Seated Shoulder Press: 4x20 

• Dumbbell Row: 3x10

• Dumbbell Fly: 3x10

Day Two (Back/Hamstrings/Biceps):

• Hammer Curls: 3x10

• Bicep Curls: 3x10

• Hamstring Curl: 4x15

• Stiff Leg Deadlift: 4x15

• Cable Row: 4x15

• Lat Pulldowns: 4x12

• Assisted Pull-Ups: 3x10

Day Three (Legs/Butt/Abs): 

• Leg Lifts: 3x35

• Weighted Crunches: 3x35 

• Jump Squats: 4x20

• Glute Kickbacks: 4x20 each leg

• Glute Bridge: 4x20

• Goblet Squats: 4x20

• Squats: 5x5

MEN:

Day One: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps, Abs (Push Day) : 

• Cable Crunches: 4 sets 15 reps 

• Triceps Rope Push Down: 3 sets 15 reps

• Lateral Raises: 3 sets 15 reps

• Shoulder Press: 3 sets 10 reps

• Dumbbell Press: 4 sets 12 reps

• Bench Press: 3 sets 10 reps

Day Two (Legs & Abs):

• Weighted Toe Touches: 4 sets 25 reps

• Weighted Sit-Ups: 4 sets 25 reps

• Jumping Squats With Resistance Bands: 5 sets 20 reps

• Glute Bridges With Weight: 4 sets 20 reps

• Stiff Leg Deadlift (Romanian Deadlift): 4 sets 15 reps

• Weighted Walking Lunges: 2 sets 20 steps

• Goblet Squats: 4 sets 20 reps

Day Three: Back & Biceps (Pull Day):

• Hammer Curls: 3 sets 10 reps

• Bicep Curls: 3 sets 10 reps

• Seated Cable Rows: 4 sets 15 reps

• Dumbbell Rows: 4 sets 10 reps (Each Side)

• Lat Pulldowns: 4 sets 12 reps

• Assisted Pull-Ups: 3 sets 10 reps

We recommend working out at least three times per week in the beginning, since the resting days in between are important to build muscle. 

Tip 6: How To Increase Your Activity Level When Eating Spaghetti

The best way to do this is to build muscle and to also move more throughout your day. 

60-75% of energy expenditure comes from your basal metabolic rate (BMR) which is how much your body burns if it did nothing all day. (NASM)

10% of energy expenditure comes from the thermic effect of feeding (TEF) which is the calories you burn from digesting different foods. (NASM)

15-30% of energy expenditure comes from the Thermic Effect of Activity (TEA) which is movement such as working out and aerobics. Source (NASM) 

To sum it up, up to 30% of our energy expenditure can come from movement and activity so this is a huge portion of our weight loss journey that you can actively control.

The importance of diet and workout is crucial, so you can enjoy foods like Spaghetti.

The more movement the better and, to utilize and burn those calories, you should be moving all you can

That’s why it’s important to increase your activity level at least 3 - 4 times a week if your goal is to get lean. 

So if you love eating more than one serving of Spaghetti, you have to make sure your activity level is higher than usual, especially if you want to lose weight. 

In the next section of this article, we discuss how to build muscle and stay in shape.

Tip 7: Make Sure To Have a Consistent Cardio Schedule

Although working out and building muscle takes priority, having a consistent cardio schedule can help with expediting the fat loss process as it raises the energy expended throughout your week.

There are two types of cardio that you can do in your week that will speed up the fat loss results. Those two types come from LISS (Low-Intensity Steady State) cardio and HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) cardio. 

What you want to aim for is to burning around 1,000 calories of cardio every week through means of either LISS or HIIT. 

LISS is cardio that comes from walking or a brisk walk, you should be able to have a conversation while still building up a sweat.

HIIT cardio is intervals of a very high-intensity movement such as sprints, battle ropes, or kickboxing movements that aim to raise the heart rate quickly.

The benefit of HIIT is allowing yourself to burn calories in a shorter amount of time. 

We recommend having 80% of cardio coming from LISS while 20% comes from HIIT for optimal fat loss throughout the week.

The reason for this is because HIIT is very hard to consistently track as many of the calorie tracking devices are inaccurate. 

LISS is a much more reliable source of consistent movement and does not require rest as it does not shock the Central Nervous System the way HIIT can.

There’s a time and place for HIIT but just make sure that 80% of those 1,000 calories come from brisk walks and light jogs. 

You can also do a combination of resistance training and LISS (Low-Intensity Steady State) cardio or HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) cardio, to improve your heart health and maximize fat burn. 

If you are new to working out, building muscle will happen relatively fast, so this is great news for anyone looking to get in shape.

Working out allows you to be more flexible in your diet and lifestyle, which is so important if you want to sustain a lean body and stay healthy. 

The important aspect is patience and dedication. Fitness, unfortunately, isn’t something that occurs overnight and is an investment that you put into yourself that pays off over time. 

Some may be genetically gifted to stay slim and skinny while others may not.

Keep in mind that calories dictate how we look and how much fat we carry. 

The hardest part is to just stick with it and be consistent for a year but we recommend sticking with it for longer since having a workout routine has many health benefits. 

It’s all a process of dedication and holding on for many years. 

So, don’t be discouraged if in a month you don’t see results right away. It’s a long process and, if you just try it out for a year, you’ll see what you can accomplish and how great you can feel. 

It’s crucial to understand the importance of diet and working out to enjoy foods like Spaghetti the traditional way. 

THERE IT IS!

If you like to lose weight by eating Spaghetti, you have to do portion control, watch your caloric intake for the day, add more protein-rich foods and fibers to your meals, swap out certain ingredients, and have a consistent workout routine, for a long period.

The key to healthy eating is balance and moderation. Our five tips will help you stay fit while eating Spaghetti. 

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