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6 Healthy Alternatives to Pasta

If you are tired of pasta, try one of these healthy alternatives.

By Liz Kennedy
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© iStockphoto/Thinkstock
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Spaghetti Squash

Scrape out the spaghetti-like strands from this squash and top with your favorite sauce. It looks and tastes just like the real deal!

Plus: 5 Milk Alternatives

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© iStockphoto/Thinkstock
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Zucchini

Shredded, julienned, or cut into ribbons with a peeler, this low-cal alternative will give you a huge veggie boost when topped with tomato sauce.

Plus: 5 Milk Alternatives

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© iStockphoto/Thinkstock
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Soba Noodles

These Japanese noodles are packed with fiber and protein and have a nuttier taste than traditional pasta.

Plus: 5 Milk Alternatives

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Courtesy House Foods America
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Shirataki Noodles

Made popular by Hungry Girl. These noodles are primarily made of fiber and contain virtually no fat or calories. They come in a package of liquid and are usually sold in the produce section alongside tofu. The only cooking required is draining the liquid and rinsing them off!

Plus: 5 Milk Alternatives

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© Hemera/Thinkstock
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Quinoa

Though it’s not shaped like pasta, this ancient grain can be a great pasta alternative, especially if you are looking to increase your protein — 1 cup has 32 grams!

Plus: 5 Milk Alternatives

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© iStockphoto/Thinkstock
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Brown Rice Pasta

A great source of protein and magnesium, brown rice pasta is a way for people who are gluten-free to get their pasta fix.

Plus: 5 Milk Alternatives

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Your Comments

  • Tpmission2004

    Would have been nice to have some recipes links to go a long with this story.

    • FlashLV

      Perhaps someone should invent some sort of website, where you can enter a search term that sifts through other indexed webpages, and returns resulting matches.  Then you could enter something like “quinoa recipe”, and find recipes online.

      Ahh, but to dream.  That will never happen.  We’ll just have to resort to complaining in the comments section.

      • Guest
  • Ximena

    I love quinoa in all three colors! however, the picture shared is not quinoa though.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1435742613 Peggy Kypreos Muga

    Looks like buckwheat not Quinoa…. someone needs to do their homework.