Eating Pasta May Help You Lose Weight (Seriously!)

When Italian bombshell Sophia Loren famously declared, "Everything you see I owe to spaghetti," she may have had a science-backed point.

While carbohydrates have certainly gotten a bad rap in recent years, it turns out a healthy dose of pasta may just be what your diet needs. Especially if you're trying to slim down.

A new study conducted by researchers in Toronto had 2,500 participants replace all other carbs with pasta (eating approximately 3.3 servings per week) as part of a low glycemic index diet. After 12 weeks, the pasta-lovers actually lost weight - a little over a pound, to be exact.

The results are likely thanks to pasta's low glycemic index, meaning that, unlike other refined carbs, it causes smaller increases in blood sugar and keeps you fuller longer. Sure, you shouldn't use this as an excuse to go wild with Olive Garden's Never Ending Pasta Bowl, but it is a pretty solid reason to enjoy some spaghetti after a workout. Buon appetito!

[Photo via @nycfoodcoma]