Is Pasta Vegan and Other Food Questions

In decades past, most people would just blindly eat whatever was put in front of them. Nowadays, however, that is not the case. It seems like everywhere you go, someone has a food allergy, a dietary restriction, or something of the sort. Because of things like this, people are asking all kinds of questions, like, is pasta vegan? If you are one of those people, or you simply want to be able to answer the questions that people ask, we’ve got you covered.

Here, we will go over some of the common food questions and their answers.

Is Pasta Vegan?

We will start, of course, with the big question that gets asked so often: is pasta vegan?

Most vegans and vegetarians love pasta. Plus, it happens to be one of the most popular vegetarian or vegan option when people have limited choices suited to their diet.

However, many vegans don’t just blindly trust what they’re told at a restaurant or party and want to know is pasta vegan REALLY?

Unfortunately, the answer to that question isn’t super simple. The easiest way to answer that question is to say “most of the time.”

Typically, when you buy pasta, especially semolina white pasta or whole wheat pasta, it is going to be vegan. However, it never hurts to read the ingredient list just to be sure. The reason you have to do that is because some pasta is made with eggs, which, of course, makes it not vegan.

If you are going out to eat at a restaurant, you can take your chances, or you can ask flat out if the pasta is vegan. You might even want to see an ingredient list since not everyone fully understands what vegan means, and someone could accidentally steer you in the wrong direction.

What is MSG?

Not everyone is concerned about whether or not the food they are eating (or thinking of eating) contains animal products. Some people just want to know if the food has ingredients that could potentially cause them negative effects, such as MSG.

You may have heard that a lot of people steer clear of MSG. You may also have heard that this ingredient is found in most Chinese food. However, you may also, like most people, not really know what MSG is.

MSG is actually an acronym. It stands for “monosodium glutamate,” which is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, in technical terms. MSG tastes really good when it is added to foods. It is savory and delicious, but it also contains tons of salt.

Plus, to make matters worse, some people have negative effects from MSG, like headaches, bloating, and gastrointestinal upset. Some people are more sensitive to it than others, however.

Understanding MSG is important, and so is knowing how your body reacts to it. That way, you can make an informed decision about whether or not to eat it.

Do Liquid Calories Count?

This question is one that is most commonly asked by dieters. And, while most of them (and, really, all of us) would love for the answer to that question to be “no,” it isn’t. It is a resounding yes.

All calories, which are a measure of the energy in food and drinks, count. So, whether you get your calories from slurping sodas or eating a huge steak, they still count. And, if you are watching your waistline, you should be counting those calories too.

Also, keep in mind that the only real way to lose weight is to burn more calories than you take in. So, if you are drinking beer faster than your body can burn those beer calories, weight loss probably isn’t going to happen for you.

Is it Healthy to Go Gluten Free?

In recent years, “gluten free” has gotten to be a trendy health word. Many people have been led to believe that gluten is bad for them and that they should avoid it. However, the only people who really need to avoid gluten are those with a gluten sensitivity, allergy, or intolerance.

If you do not have any of those things, then eating gluten is not going to do you any harm. Likewise, stopping eating gluten is not going to benefit you or magically make you lose weight.

A good rule to take away from all of the misunderstanding about gluten and gluten free products is to never jump on nutritional or dietary bandwagons without really knowing what they are all about.

What Does “Organic” Really Mean?

Just as “gluten” gets talked about a lot more than it did in the past, so does the word “organic.” But, like a lot of these health and food buzzwords that are flying around, there are many people who have no idea what organic really means.

“Organic” is a distinction given to foods by the United States Department of Agriculture. In order to receive this label, foods have to have ingredients that are 95% free of synthetic additives. They also cannot be processed with solvents, genetic engineering, or irradiation. The leftover 5%, by the way, still counts. It can only be made up of approved additives.

Now that you understand what organic actually means, the million-dollar question is whether or not an all organic diet is the wonderful thing everyone seems to claim it is. The answer is that nobody is really sure just yet.

Studies are still being done to determine if there really is a huge difference in nutrition between organic and non-organic foods. However, others swear that the natural state of organic food makes it the healthiest thing you can put in your body.

While the verdict is still out as far as science is concerned, you are the only one who can make the right decision for you regarding your diet.

Do I Really Need to Drink 8 Glasses of Water a Day?

We know water isn’t technically food, but it is something you ingest and need to survive, so we figured it was fair to include it on our list.

Plus, people always seem to be asking questions about water and how much of it they should be drinking.

For a very long time, people were advised that they needed to drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day, at a minimum, in order to stay healthy and hydrated. This led to people forcing water down their throats all day long and having to go to the bathroom all the time.

It turns out, though, that there isn’t really some “magic” number of glasses of water you are supposed to be drinking each day. Instead, you should drink whenever you feel thirsty or whenever you are doing activities that cause you to lose water, like participating in sports.

If you want to aim for eight glasses a day, that’s fine. It’s not going to hurt you, but you also don’t have to choke down more water than your body actually wants either. It’s not going to magically make you healthier, just more hydrated and more likely to rush to the bathroom every ten minutes.

Why is Breakfast so Important?

If you were raised hearing the “eight glasses a day” rule, you were probably also raised on the “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” adage.

So, you may be wondering, is it true? The answer, as is the answer to so many food questions, is “sort of.”

It is nice to have breakfast when you can. This is especially true if you eat something filling and protein dense, like eggs and a few slices of bacon. The reason for this is that breakfast will keep you full throughout the day, making you less likely to overindulge on foods that you shouldn’t eat.

However, while breakfast helps in that way, it isn’t “magical.” You are not going to magically lose ten pounds if you start eating it, just like you won’t magically gain ten pounds if you stop.

The best thing to do, in reality, is to listen to your body’s rhythms and hunger signals. If you are not hungry first thing in the morning, pack a healthy snack or a more filling healthy lunch to make up for your lack of breakfast. It’s all about common sense and moderation.

As you can see, people these days have all kinds of questions about food. Hopefully, this answered some of yours or at least better equipped you to deal with the food questions of others. Remember, knowledge really is power, and this is definitely true when it comes to being mindful about how we treat our bodies and what we put into them. Thus, it is never wrong or a waste of time to ask questions about the food we eat.