But these days there are so many whole-grain pastas on the market in all shapes and sizes, and when paired with the right sauce, no one will know.

Read the Nutrition Facts labels to find healthy foods all over your local grocery store, such as canned beans, whole-grain pastas, and frozen vegetables.

Instead, make whole-grain pasta at home with vegetables and your favorite low-sodium spaghetti sauce for a nutrient-rich dish.

Slowly digested carb-containing foods like lentils and whole-grain pasta have low G.I. rankings because they cause blood sugar to rise slowly.

A low-fat meal including complex carbohydrates - whole-grain pasta, pizza, or a bean and rice burrito - is a good choice.

The pasta buyer had boiled up six different Italian brands of whole-grain pasta and tossed them in plain olive oil.

Replacing simple carbs with complex carbs, like whole-grain pasta or brown rice, can help ward off mood swings and stabilize energy levels.

Shoot for 25 to 35 grams of fiber per day from foods like fruits and vegetables, sweet potatoes, and whole-grain pastas and cereals.

Adding to the healthy variety: whole-grain pasta and brown rice, organic coffee and tea, and flatbread pizzas that have half the calories of deep-dish ones.

Use whole-grain pasta for extra fiber and satiety.