Lifestyle

I gave up pasta for a month – this is what it does for your health

Published

5 months ago

August 25, 2025

Sophia Loren once famously remarked: “Everything you see I owe to spaghetti.” As I shovel the leftover spag bol from my daughter’s plate into my mouth so I don’t have to bother to open the bin, I can’t help thinking that I could say the same. Just not in a good way.

In my mother’s heyday, pasta was exotic, pronounced “pusta”, bought fresh from a special deli in Soho and served at dinner parties along with bolognese sauce that involved a complicated Elizabeth David recipe featuring chicken livers. For us 21st-century Britons, pasta has become almost as ubiquitous as bread.

It comes in plastic tubs as the second choice after sandwiches in “meal deals” and it’s one of the most available ready meals in various forms. Industry statistics show that in 2023, the UK sales volume of prepared pasta dishes was approximately 140 thousand tons – quite a few of them consumed by me.

Meanwhile, that most British of carbs, the potato, is in decline. A report by researchers at Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) highlighted a 71 per cent reduction in the demand for fresh potatoes in the UK since the 1970s, with consumers switching to alternatives such as rice and pasta. This is bound to continue, partly driven by a switch to vegan diets amongst young people, according to another report which reveals that the global pasta market is forecast to grow to $45 billion by 2030.

Bottom line. It’s cheap. It’s easy. It’s everywhere.

However, back in the British kitchen, pasta is problematic. Often when we cook it ourselves we don’t control our portion sizes – studies confirm that portion sizes have increased dramatically over the past three decades and that’s not good.

Also, we don’t know how to cook it properly. I have been informed by my husband (who once had an Italian girlfriend and claims to know everything about it) that I overcook pasta, and to be fair he is correct. I can never quite believe the timings on the pack and always add a couple of minutes just in case.

I decide that, in my eternal quest to lose that final half a stone, I may as well try giving up pasta.

Before I set out to do this, I ask registered dietician and nutritionist Nichola Ludlam-Raine for her views on the matter. She warns: “If pasta is a regular part of your diet, removing it might lead to a temporary drop in carbohydrate intake, which could affect weight, energy levels, mood, and workout performance. Unless there’s a medical reason such as gluten intolerance there’s no need to eliminate pasta entirely. A more sustainable approach is learning how to incorporate it mindfully.”

That said, she admits: “Cutting out pasta may help some people re-evaluate portion sizes and experiment with other grains (e.g., quinoa, lentil pasta, rice or bulgur wheat). Stopping it for a month will help someone to reevaluate their dietary intake and ask if it could be made more varied instead of relying heavily on wheat.

“For example, wheat biscuits for breakfast, bread at lunch and pasta in the evening could become porridge at breakfast, sweet potato and cottage cheese at lunch and a rice based stir fry in the evening. I’m a big fan of lentil and chickpea pastas to help people to reach their 30 different plant points for the week too.”

Crucially she adds: “It’s about moderation not deprivation. In middle-age the goal posts change. If you keep eating in the same way you will experience weight gain because your metabolic rate decreases as you start to lose muscle mass. You can’t just fix everything with a workout like you used to do. And diet is more important when it comes to weight than physical activity. If you want to give up pasta for a month go for it, but make sure to have meals in mind that you can rely upon and stock up on alternatives such as lentils, tinned beans, rice pouches and potatoes.”

I’m in. Here’s what happens.
Week 1

After my leftover spag bol shame pushed the dial on the scales up by a couple of pounds I am happy to start. I add the inevitable pulses. I stay off the pasta and have meatballs on their own with bean salad and green veg – though I don’t make a song and dance about it, as I don’t want my teenage daughters to notice given that I have told them they shouldn’t cut out food groups.

I lose 1lb.
Week 2

I’m still off it. Having usual breaded chicken, roast salmon and sweet potato soup. On pasta days – we usually have it at least two times a week – I substitute courgetti (steamed strips of courgette) for the pasta and add the sauce which works brilliantly.

I lose another 1lb.
Week 3

I’m not finding it at all hard to forego pasta. As usual I eat roast chicken with all the trimmings on Sunday but I’m still avoiding pasta at both dinner and lunch.

My weight stays stable.
Week 4

As usual I eat sensibly in the week although without pasta. At the weekend I can’t resist steak and chips one day and a bacon sandwich the next. Unsurprisingly I still don’t lose any more weight – but I don’t put any on either.
Three months later

I am still avoiding pasta. I have come to realise that in my case it simply leads to pointless calories that can easily be replaced with vegetables, courgetti or pulses. If I’m going to splurge on carbs I’ll have something that’s worth it. In reality I haven’t lost any weight by this small change, but my weight has stopped increasing by an inexorable half a pound a week, which at the age of 59 seems like an achievement in itself, and I can only put this down to the missing pasta calories.

Now that I am more sensitised I can see that on the occasional lapses I have, I overdo the portions because I have no moderation when it comes to pasta (a bowl of macaroni cheese led to a full bucket-sized binge). Meanwhile even a normal-sized portion (ready meal lasagne) led to bloating the next day, along with a blood sugar spike which leads to me feeling much more hungry.

I decide that at my age, you can eat some of the carbs all of the time, all of the carbs some of the time but you can’t eat all of the carbs all of the time.

It’s important to note that studies have concluded that pasta is actually good for you – one recent study demonstrated that pasta does not hinder weight loss or contribute to weight gain within a healthy dietary pattern. So, what if you don’t want to give it up? Here’s Ludlam-Raine’s advice on how to eat it healthily.
How to eat pasta without gaining weight

“If you love pasta too much to say goodbye, I’d encourage a reset in portion awareness, cooking methods, and pairings. Pasta isn’t the problem – it’s how much and how often we eat it, and what we pair it with. With the right balance, pasta can be a nutritious, satisfying, and culturally rich part of a healthy diet.”
Cook it properly

“When it comes to cooking pasta, following the instructions on the packet is a great place to start. You’ll know your pasta is al dente when it’s cooked through but still has a little bite – it shouldn’t be raw, but it also shouldn’t be falling apart. When pasta becomes too soft, it’s broken down more at the cellular level, meaning your body does less work to digest it. We actually want our mouths and gut to do some of the work. Think of it like the difference between mashed potato and a baked potato – the baked version offers more texture, more satisfaction, and a slower digestion process.

“A common myth is that throwing pasta at the wall to see if it sticks means it’s done. While fun, it’s not the most accurate method. Just taste it. It should be tender but firm.”
Be careful about eating it as a snack unless you’re working out

“If you’ve got leftover pasta in the fridge, great. It even contains more resistant starch once cooled, which is good for gut health. If you’re heading to the gym or need a quick energy boost, pasta can be a totally fine option. However, if weight loss is your goal, you might want to opt for a lighter snack. Pasta calories can add up quickly when you start adding sauces, oils, and toppings. In that case, snacks like carrots and hummus, apple with cheese, yogurt with berries, or oat cakes with nut butter might be better options – these have carbs, but the carbs aren’t the star of the show like they are with pasta.”
Be precise about portion size

“If you’re unsure, a general guide is about 75g of dry pasta per person, which roughly doubles once cooked. If you’re aiming for weight loss, a helpful visual is below:

“Your needs will vary depending on your activity level. As we age or become less active (like after children have grown up), we may not need as many starchy carbs. But that doesn’t mean we cut them out completely. Carbs are the body’s preferred energy source—just try focusing on quality and quantity. Also, remember: protein helps preserve muscle mass, and healthy fats are essential for hormone production and vitamin absorption. And when it comes to getting the most nutrients per gram? Fruit and veg always win out over starchy carbs.”
Watch what you have it with

“When dining out I love a seafood and tomato-based sauce on pasta. At home, we typically have pasta once or twice a week—often with Bolognese or a simple mix of tuna and sweetcorn (a favourite with my kids). The key is understanding proper portion sizes, cooking pasta al dente, and paying attention to what you’re serving alongside it.”

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Lifestyle

Old Age: Once You Clock 50 And Above, Stop Consuming These 10 Things Regularly

Published

47 minutes ago

January 30, 2026

Naijacoaded

It is reasonable to assume that you will need to cut back on certain things, such as food sources, direct, and so on, because reaching a certain age brings with it a lot of responsibilities and challenges.

Because of this, it is reasonable to assume that you will need to cut back on certain things. Because everyone desires to live a long life and create classic works, this is a request that is made to God by everyone. Everyone prays for this. Nonetheless, reaching this age brings with it a significant number of responsibilities and obstacles that one must face.

This is the situation taking into consideration the fact that your packaging method is no longer a well-known brand, like it was when you were twenty years younger. This is the reason why this is the case. This is indeed the situation. This is because your packaging system has reached an outdated condition, which is the cause of the problem.

There are ten different kinds of food and drink that you should stop consuming on a regular basis once you reach the age of 50. This is due to the varying degrees to which different kinds of these meals and beverages might affect your health. In the following paragraphs, I will talk about them in more detail.

Without further ado, let me to offer some assistance in having things arranged in the following manner:

1. A sugar concentration that is significantly higher than normal

It is possible that the pace at which you consume an excessive amount of sugar has significantly dropped, and it is also likely that as a result, the amount of insulin that is present in your body has decreased. As a result of this, it is possible that as you get older, it will become less effective at removing extra sugar from the bloodstream and managing it, which will increase the likelihood that you will develop high glucose levels. Alternatively stated: it is possible that as you get older, it will become less effective at managing it. If you are over the age of 60, it is very essential for you to remember this information.

2. An abnormally high concentration of salt in the surrounding natural environment

The amount of salt that a person consumes can have an effect on their pulse, which can place them at an increased risk for a range of health concerns. These problems can include ailments such as a stroke, heartache, and others that are quite similar to them. Those who are having trouble with their health should avoid consuming an unhealthy amount of salt during this time.

3. An abnormally high concentration of alcohol was found in the substance as a whole.

Heavy alcohol drinking at a traditional age is related with an increased risk of a number of health problems, including damage to the kidneys and liver. This is due to the fact that as you get older, your liver and kidneys become less efficient at processing alcohol and flushing it out of your system. This is especially true when one considers the role that age plays in conjunction with the consumption of alcoholic beverages.

4. An extremely large quantity of different types of cigarette products

This is something that, when compared to alcohol in the vast majority of ways, is virtually indistinguishable. There are many other ways in which the two are comparable to one another. If you are already above the age of 50 or will reach that age in the near future, it is in your best advantage to completely abstain from smoking. Because smoking can have a severe influence on a person’s lungs and liver, quitting is a goal that should be sought and should be a priority for everybody who is a smoker.

5. Customers can choose from a large selection of eggs to purchase.

Eggs are an excellent source of protein; however, it is not generally recommended to consume an excessive amount of eggs while you are fasting. This is because eggs contain cholesterol, which can make it difficult for your body to break its fast. This is due to the fact that eggs contain cholesterol, which might make it more challenging for your body to break its fast when it has been eating nothing but water. If you are trying to minimize the amount of fat that makes up your body, it is extremely crucial that you keep this in mind. If you are concerned about your health, you should probably not consume more than two eggs in a week at the most. This will help you maintain a healthy weight. Egg consumption after a certain age, particularly in men of advanced age, has been linked to an increased risk of developing prostate cancer. This is especially true in older men.

6. Consuming an abnormally high number of dinners that have levels of LDL cholesterol that are relatively high in comparison

People of any age who consume dinners that are high in LDL cholesterol put themselves at risk for developing cardiovascular disease, which is possibly connected to atherosclerosis. These dinners pose this risk to anyone who consumes them. This is due to the fact that cardiovascular disease can sometimes be the cause of atherosclerosis. In general, this risk is lower in those who have more developed coping mechanisms than in those who do not have any coping mechanisms at all.

7. A disproportionately large amount of meat in relation to the amount of other ingredients in the dish

If you are above the age of 50, you should make a point of fully removing it from your diet posting and remembering to do so. If you are over the age of 50, you should make it a point to eliminate red meat entirely from your diet. In general, red meat is not the best choice for confirmation; however, if you are over the age of 50, you should remember this. This is due to the fact that it is well-established that eating red meat can lead to the development of disease, with the risk being significantly increased in individuals who have undergone further preparation as a result of the fact that it is well-established that eating red meat can lead to the development of disease.

8. A substantial repositioning of pre-packaged dinners in the competitive landscape of the market

Also, it is common knowledge that eating food that has been pre-packaged might make you sick, and study has shown that the risk is greatest for people who take the greatest care possible to maintain their health. As you reach level 50, you will be confronted with the decision of whether or not to give in to your craving for pre-packaged meal assortments. You really ought to give this a lot of consideration.

9. An excessive amount of caffeine consumed throughout the day

People who spend their life dwelling in the past aren’t making the most of the opportunities that are available to them right now!

10. On a consistent basis, a huge variety of options for assortments of junk food are made available to consumers.

In this context, eating meals of a lower quality can lead to a variety of health concerns, some of which have the potential to be fatal, such as coronary heart disease, obesity, stomach-related issues, and other illnesses. Because of the susceptibility of their packaging in relation to the possibility of health concerns, I strongly advise people who are older than 60 years old to completely abstain from consuming garbage dinners. This is because garbage dinners are not the healthiest option for people of any age; however, I advise people who are older than 60 years old to completely abstain from consuming garbage dinners.

Using these goods on a consistent basis may enhance the risk that you may encounter health problems in your later years.

utilizing the premise that nobody cares very much either way, degree, as, or remark, and treating this premise as a fixed assumption. I am grateful that you could make it today.

Lifestyle

Drugs That Can Cause Blindness If Taken Without Medical Supervision

Published

47 minutes ago

January 30, 2026

Naijacoaded

These days, we have access to medicines that can treat a wide variety of medical conditions, including illnesses that, if they aren’t addressed, could result in the patient’s death.

On the other hand, the majority of these medications come with warnings and instructions from the prescribing doctor that must be followed to the letter in order to prevent side effects that could be significantly more harmful than the illness itself.

It is possible that some of these diseases and conditions could have a subsequent impact that would result in a loss of vision, either partially or completely.

As maintaining healthy vision is critical to our overall well-being, we must always proceed with the utmost caution whenever we are filling a prescription.

Before you take any of these medications, you should discuss the matter with a qualified medical professional and be sure to follow all of your physician’s recommendations to the letter in order to lessen the possibility of unpleasant adverse effects.

According to WebMD and Healthline, the four drugs listed below are the ones that have been linked to cases of blindness in certain patients.

1. Hydroxychloroquine

This medication has been investigated as a potential treatment for a wide range of inflammatory disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and a great many others. It is also well documented that if damage to the retina and optical nerves goes untreated, there is a danger of blindness occurring.

2. Isotretinoin

Those who struggle with acne usually turn to this drug, which was originally known as absorica. The inappropriate use of this chemical may have severe, far-reaching, and a variety of other consequences. Eyes that are dry, eyes that are sensitive to bright light, and other symptoms point to the possibility of blindness.

3. Amiodarone

Patients who have been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation are given this drug in an effort to return their heart rate and rhythm to normal. Even though it is quite effective in treating this disease, the medication amiodarone has been shown in some patients to cause irreparable damage to the optic nerve, which can result in blindness.

4. Flomax

Benign prostatic hyperplasia is the medical term for the disease that would be present in the vast majority of patients who take this medicine and would get positive results from using it. Nonetheless, this medicine should be used with extreme caution, and it should never be used by anyone without a prescription from a medical professional or without the supervision of a medical.